MPs will vote again on Brexit next month – despite no deal between Tories and Labour May 14, 2019 Theresa May will attempt to force her Brexit deal through parliament for the fourth time of asking next month – despite not yet reaching an agreement with Labour. Downing Street has revealed May will put forward the legislation needed for the UK to leave the EU in the week commencing 3 June. The announcement came after May met [...]
DEBATE: Is it possible for Donald Trump to ‘win’ the trade war with China? May 14, 2019 Is it possible for Donald Trump to ‘win’ the trade war with China? Dr John Hemmings, director of the Asia Studies Centre at the Henry Jackson Society, says YES. While many people blame Donald Trump’s “America First” policy for the trade war, it’s likely that Hillary Clinton would have done the same, since Beijing’s leadership has [...]
Economists are united about Trump’s trade folly May 14, 2019 In George Bernard Shaw’s words, if all the economists were laid end to end, they’d never reach a conclusion. Scour the pool of practitioners of the dismal science, and you will find supporters and detractors for almost every economic theory, from free markets to socialism. The one exception, however, is protectionism. Whether from the left [...]
Economists pour cold water on Trump’s tariff arguments May 13, 2019 Economists have said US President Donald Trump’s argument that American consumers will not face higher prices after tariff increases shows “a fundamental misunderstanding of how tariffs work”. Read more: China retaliates with tariffs on $60bn of US goods Trump tweeted today: “Their [sic] is no reason for the U.S. Consumer to pay the Tariffs, which take [...]
US-China trade war: China retaliates with tariffs on $60bn of goods following US levy hike May 13, 2019 China’s ministry of finance has announced that it will place tariffs of between five and 25 per cent on $60bn worth of US goods in retaliation for America’s more significant duty increases. Read more: European markets take a hit over US-China trade war escalation It will target around 5,000 US goods from 1 June, the [...]
Tariffs are just the first shot in the looming US-China war May 13, 2019 As a friend of mine who works in higher maths put it: “John, if America as an integer is present in every major foreign policy equation, and if after 75 years that integer radically changes, then everything changes”. Donald Trump’s America is that rarest of beasts: the strongest global power distrustful of the very global order [...]
US made ‘fundamental misjudgement’ over tariff increases, says Chinese state newspaper May 12, 2019 The US made “a fundamental misjudgement” by ratcheting up tariffs on $200bn (£154bn) of Chinese goods and has “seriously underestimated China's endurance,” according to an editorial article published today by the Global Times, a government-aligned Chinese tabloid newspaper. Read more: China threatens retaliation as Trump rolls out $200bn tariff hike China’s size means that the [...]
Mr Congeniality: Trump says $200bn China tariffs are better than a ‘phenomenal’ trade deal May 10, 2019 US President Donald Trump has issued an impassioned defence of his tariff hike on $200bn worth of Chinese goods, saying they will bring in more wealth than “even a phenomenal” trade deal. Read more: China threatens retaliation as Trump rolls out $200bn tariff hike In a series of tweets, Trump said talks with China were [...]
US-China trade war: China threatens retaliation as Trump rolls out $200bn tariff hike May 10, 2019 China has warned it will strike back at the US after President Donald Trump’s tariff hike on Chinese goods came into force today. China’s commerce ministry said it “deeply regrets” the move, which sees tariffs raised to 25 per cent on goods worth $200bn (£154bn), and said it would take necessary countermeasures. Read more: US-China [...]
US-China trade deficit falls ahead of crunch negotiations May 9, 2019 The US’s trade deficit in goods and services with China decreased in March, in news that will cheer the Trump administration as it prepares to ramp up tariffs on its largest trading partner. Read more: Global markets in tailspin after Trump threatens huge China tariff rise The country's deficit with the rest of the world [...]