Tailgating this Weekend? Your Hamburger Probably Came from Australia
Two Democrats and Two Republicans will introduce legislation in September that would make it mandatory to label where beef sold in American grocery stores really comes from.
Kick Hong Kong Out of the WTO? Easier Said Than Done.
The U.S. China Economic and Security Commission held a three part hearing on U.S. China relations in 2021. In Part 1, treating Hong Kong like it is no different than Shanghai is now up for debate.
July Trade Deficit Falls, But Year-Ender Will See Record Breakers With EU, Canada, & Vietnam
The July goods trade deficit shrunk somewhat but that is not going to stop a $1 trillion goods deficit in 2021. Plus, Vietnam surpasses Germany as major U.S.-bound exporter as China moves offshore to avoid tariffs.
Matthew Pottinger: China’s Biggest U.S. Ally on Wall Street, in Silicon Valley
The former Deputy National Security Advisior says in a long Foreign Affairs magazine essay that our relationship with China has to move beyond price tags and the bottom line salivations of a few big corporations, investment firms and venture capitalists.
SEC Looking More Serious About China Investments
The Securities and Exchange Commission is telling Chinese companies listed on the NYSE and Nasdaq to reveal more of their ownership structure. Meanwhile, SEC Commissioner is giving them three additional years to allow for third-party audits. That’s too long.
Global Labor Watchdog Kicked Out of China
A labor auditor in Shenzhen called Verite was raided and shut down in April. It’s another mark against those companies like Nike that believe auditing their factory floors in China won’t be that difficult. In many cases, it might not be allowed.
Customs and Border Protection Seizes China Solar Tied to Xinjiang
Customs makes good on its promise to root out imported solar cells and panels believed to have been made from polysilicon produced by Hoshine Silicon Industry, banned from the U.S. solar supply chain this summer.
Senate’s ‘Clean School Bus Program’ Smaller Than Desired, But Still Positive for Manufacturing
School bus manufacturers are domestic. The Senate infrastructure bill gives them $5 billion to build non-diesel buses, but it falls far short of what the industry wanted in order to crank up the volume and reduce subsidy dependence.
CCP Takes Board Seat at ByteDance; Time to Ban TikTok?
The Chinese Communist Party is now one of three members of the board of directors at ByteDance, owners of the TikTok app. Why do we keep allowing this company to operate here, when Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter cannot operate there.
What We Like in the Senate’s $550 Billion Infrastructure Bill
The Senate’s huge infrastructure bill includes provisions that turn the focus on domestic producers of everything from steel to personal protection equipment. The bill also calls for a review of trade agreements, including our relationship with the WTO. Here’s what we like so far.
