The country has invested billions in Ecuador and elsewhere, using its economic clout to win diplomatic allies and secure natural resources around the world. [ by Clifford Krauss and Keith Bradsher | July 24, 2015 | NY Times ] EL CHACO, Ecuador — Where the Andean foothills dip into the Amazon jungle, nearly 1,000…

The two top U.S. lawmakers for trade policy are fighting for better treatment for financial services firms in a landmark Asia-Pacific free-trade agreement that would clear barriers to digital trade. [Reposted from Bloomberg Business  |  Carter Dougherty  |  July 23, 2015] Representative Pat Tiberi, an Ohio Republican and Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat, raised…

  Trade ministers from the U.S. and 11 other nations from both sides of the Pacific will meet in Hawaii next Tuesday to attempt to finalize what would be the world’s largest regional trade and investment agreement: the Trans-Pacific Partnership. But while the pact has general public support in most of the countries involved, there…

Distinguishing imported from domestic meat is not new. The Tariff Act of 1930 requires labels on imported meat to indicate to the “ultimate purchaser” its country of origin. This explains why imported canned meat and imported ready-to-eat meat has been labeled for as long as most of us can remember. [ by Bill Bullard |…

The U.S. Treasury Department is growing wary that Chinese authorities are empowering themselves with new, broader legal means to prohibit foreign business operations and effectively undermine any concession the Chinese government may make in negotiations for a U.S.-China bilateral investment treaty (BIT). [ July 16, 2015 | Inside U.S. Trade ] China’s draft “Foreign Investment…

Over three years ago, I wrote an article (May 21, 2012), about the release of the Senate Armed Services Committee report on counterfeit parts in the Department of Defense supply chain. The Committee had found over 1,800 cases of counterfeit parts in just the Air Force C-130J and C-27J cargo plane, as well as assemblies…

  Many think our government is for sale. However, by taking a look at the facts below provided by Open Secrets, it is easy to understand where they are coming from. [ by Paola Casale | June 16, 2015 | Economy in Crisis ] Looking back at Friday the 12th, the House voted on Trade…

  Trade deal could slam Canadians with rising consumer, health care and education costs. The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a proposed trade agreement that encompasses nearly 40 per cent of world GDP, heads to Hawaii later this month for ministerial-level negotiations. According to media reports, this may be the final round of talks, with countries…

Key Republican members of Congress on Tuesday (July 21) said plans to hold a formal conference to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the pending customs and enforcement bill have been delayed due to a snag in informal negotiations, but reiterated their aim wrap up the conference before the August recess. […

Trade negotiators are aiming to tackle the most difficult outstanding issues in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks, including intellectual property (IP), market access for goods, and state-owned enterprises, when they meet beginning Friday (July 24) for a negotiating round and subsequent ministerial in Hawaii. [ July 21, 2015 | Inside U.S. Trade ] New Zealand’s…