Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is threatening to unravel a compromise he earlier blessed to amend provisions on human trafficking in the newly enacted fast-track law, but whether doing so would have any impact on congressional consideration of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) now seems unclear. [Reposted from Inside US Trade  |  July 13, 2015] The Trade…

In China, the media most often speaks for the state. [Reposted from Chinh’s News  |  Linette Lopez  |  July 8, 2015] So when Xinhua publishes an editorial telling foreign companies to “put their victim mentality to rest… and embrace new rules” on national security that expand China’s legal reach “to almost every aspect of public…

The fast-track authority legislation for the Trans-Pacific Partnership recently passed by Congress says we can’t make “trade” agreements like TPP with countries that violate human rights. There is a report that to get around this rule the administration is going to declare the worst violators of human rights to be OK after all. [Reposted from…

Using a loophole in the WTO’s clause on national security threats, Beijing has effectively banned foreign competition [Reposted from Epoch Times  |  Joshua Phillips  |  July 9, 2015] The Chinese Communist Party has created a new law that allows it to selectively ban foreign imports while propping up its own companies. The new law uses…

Domestic steelmakers have urged the government to keep steel out of the purview of any future free-trade agreements… [Reposted from The Financial Express  |  Surya Sarathi Ray  |  Juy 9, 2015] Domestic steelmakers have urged the government to keep steel out of the purview of any future free-trade agreements (FTAs) and also review the existing…

The U.S. Census Bureau reported Tuesday that the May goods and services trade deficit was an enormous, humongous $40.9 billion, up a bit from an enormous, humongous $40.7 billion in April. [Reposted from Campaign for America’s Future  |  Dave Johnson  |  July 7, 2015] Our enormous, humongous trade deficit is a measure of how many…

To someone new to the scene, it might seem as if both major parties are engaged in a war on exports. [Reposted from USA Today  |  Editorial Board  |  July 12, 2015] Democrats took the offensive first, trying to kill an emerging Pan-Pacific trade agreement just as American manufacturers have become highly competitive and are…

Conservatives believe they can persuade a majority of their colleagues in the House GOP to oppose the Export-Import bank, whose charter expired June 30. [Reposted from The Hill  |  Kevin Cahill  |  July 12, 2015] Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said that there’s a “good chance” the majority…

  Japan’s minister in charge of a 12-country Pacific Rim free trade initiative said Tuesday one possible option is to reach a broad agreement without some members that are unwilling to end negotiations at the next ministerial meeting later this month in Hawaii. July 14, 2015 | MarketPulse Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Akira Amari…

The U.S. trade representative will join trade ministers from 11 other countries in Hawaii from July 28-31 [Reposted from the Wall Street Journal  |  William Mauldin  |  July 7, 2015] he Obama administration will host a high-level trade meeting in late July in an effort to conclude a sweeping Pacific trade pact, after winning key…