Trade Talks

Has the US finally borrowed too much? May 24, 2024

Former Trade Talks co-host brings you her new podcast, "The Economics Show with Soumaya Keynes". New episodes available on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen.

And that is all for Trade Talks Jan 30, 2024

Goodbye for now, as old friend Soumaya Keynes joins Chad Bown to discuss why and what comes next.

200. Has the USMCA improved working conditions in Mexico? Dec 19, 2023

The USMCA was supposed to prevent workers from being mistreated at Mexican factories. How is it working so far?

199. How trade economists busted corruption at the port Dec 10, 2023

When customs officials in Madagascar cheated their country out of tax revenues, economists caught them. But the fight is not over yet.

198. Inside Washington’s lobbying industry Dec 03, 2023

What we know about the US lobbying industry and how it influences trade and other types of economic policy.

197. Moving workers across Europe Nov 26, 2023

How the European Union’s controversial “posting” policy impacted the movement of workers as well as local communities across the continent.

196. How multinationals avoid taxes through technology licensing Nov 19, 2023

Companies can avoid taxes by moving profits from IP royalties offshore. What would happen if that changed?

195. How did Canadian workers adjust so well to US trade? Nov 12, 2023

Canadian workers faced new competition after the sudden free trade agreement with the US in 1989. Why were they able to adjust so successfully?

194. Industrial policy detectives: China’s subsidies for shipbuilding Nov 05, 2023

A new way to measure China’s subsidies for shipbuilding reveals how much they transformed the industry for the country and world.

193. Did multinationals enforce Bangladesh’s new labor law? Oct 29, 2023

Following the Rana Plaza factory collapse, foreign companies promised to enforce Bangladesh’s new labor law. What happened next?

192. Will more farm trade cause more deforestation? Oct 22, 2023

As trade with farm exporting countries expands, governments must also consider how to prevent deforestation.

191. Brazil’s trade opening and its toll on workers and crime Oct 15, 2023

How Brazil’s trade liberalization of the 1990s led to unexpected and lasting impacts on workers and a temporary rise in violence.

190. Climate change, floods, and the future of auto supply chains Jul 30, 2023

What consumers can expect from auto companies investing in supply chain resilience as weather disasters loom.

189. South Korea’s controversial industrial policy Jul 23, 2023

How South Korea’s Heavy and Chemical Industry Drive policy of 1973-79 worked and may have contributed to its economic rise.

188. Did responsible sourcing by multinationals help workers in poor countries? Jul 16, 2023

What happened to workers and others in Costa Rica when global companies imposed new responsible sourcing codes of conduct on their suppliers.

187. Industrial policy and the rise of Romania’s Silicon Valley Jul 09, 2023

How a 2001 income tax break for Romanian software programmers helped transform the country’s information technology sector.

186. How US lead regulations hurt Mexican babies Jun 26, 2023

Higher US lead standards in 2009 resulted in more production and pollution from Mexican plants. Nearby infants and kids suffered.

185. The historic collapse of Switzerland’s watch industry Jun 18, 2023

New quartz technology and competition from Japan devastated the dominant Swiss watch industry of the 1970s. What happened next?

184. The US-EU fights over electric vehicles and the Inflation Reduction Act May 07, 2023

EVs headlined the transatlantic dispute over the Inflation Reduction Act. That feud may be over, but other conflicts remain.

183. How the United States cleaned up container ship pollution Apr 30, 2023

In 2012, the EPA started regulating maritime emissions of air pollutants. The shipping industry’s response offers lessons for other countries.

182. Is China’s industrial policy working? Apr 23, 2023

The “Made in China 2025” subsidies both provoked a trade war and inspired similar moves by the US and other economies. But have they worked?

181. US-China trade war fallout: This is what decoupling looks like Mar 21, 2023

How do we reconcile “record-level” US-China imports and exports when tariffs remain on more than half of trade between the two economies?

180. The WTO is in trouble. Econ 101 to the rescue? Mar 12, 2023

How understanding the WTO’s past can help foster its revival – including for policy challenges like climate and China’s non-market economy.

179. Why Taiwan restricts high-tech investment into China Feb 26, 2023

For decades, Taiwan has limited how and how much its tech firms like TSMC could invest in mainland China. Are there lessons for the United States?

178. Why sanctions to stop Russian gas pipelines backfired Feb 19, 2023

US sanctions on European allies repeatedly failed to stop Russian gas pipelines, harmed transatlantic ties, and undermined US policy.

177. How the Rana Plaza factory collapse changed global supply chains Feb 12, 2023

New research examines how NGOs, consumers, and major retailers responded to the outrage following the 2013 tragedy in Bangladesh.

176. The Cold War scandal over export controls Jan 29, 2023

The leakage of submarine technology to the Soviet Union in the 1980s has lessons for the limits to and coordination of allies’ export controls today.

175. The dreaded WTO ruling on Trump’s national security tariffs Jan 22, 2023

The WTO ruled against Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, dragging the organization into thorny national security issues.

174. The incredible rise of Chinese fintech Dec 18, 2022

New super apps and other internet-enabled technologies have transformed China’s financial sector, with global implications, says Martin Chorzempa.

173: Did Britain’s slave trade help drive its industrial revolution? Dec 08, 2022

New research reveals how Britain’s economy benefited from the brutal transatlantic slave trade and its slave holdings.

172. Peru’s “China shock”: Surprising turns and the women left behind Nov 21, 2022

A flood of imports from China had an unexpected impact on the Peruvian clothing industry while discouraging Peru’s women workers.

171. What makes a supply chain resilient Nov 15, 2022

New research examining India’s pandemic lockdowns sheds light on which supply chains stuck together, which broke apart, and why.

170. National security, semiconductors, and the US move to cut off China Nov 02, 2022

The history behind the sudden US ban on certain exports to China, and how the policy affects the global semiconductor supply chain.

169. Taiwan’s risky trade opening and how it paid off Oct 25, 2022

In the 1950s, Taiwan was the first poor economy to experiment with trade reform. How its success changed the course of history for others.

168. Did Trump’s trade war make China more protectionist? Oct 10, 2022

Why it matters that Chinese public opinion toward trade and technology may have changed in response to US policy.

167. Will new US tax credits remake electric vehicle supply chains? Oct 03, 2022

America’s new EV subsidies have some carmakers upset. Others are head scratching. Can supply chains diversify away from China?

166. Biden’s new Indo-Pacific talks vs. TPP Sep 21, 2022

America’s last attempt at trade talks with countries in the region ended badly. How Biden’s IPEF approach is different.

165. The global minimum tax got left behind. What’s next? Sep 05, 2022

The Inflation Reduction Act omits the key global minimum corporate tax agreed to by over 135 countries. Will cooperation still happen?

164. Why a notorious banana company spared workers in Costa Rica Jul 27, 2022

For decades, United Fruit Company exploited banana workers across its Latin American plantations, except in Costa Rica. Why?

163. How poorer Americans ended up paying for US tariffs. Jul 19, 2022

From fashion to forks to fishing reels, how US trade negotiations starting in the 1930s resulted in regressive import duties today.

162. Poor countries could once enforce WTO trade. That is now at risk. Jul 05, 2022

The Advisory Centre on WTO Law made trade enforcement possible for poor countries. The Appellate Body crisis put that under threat.

161. Why sharing patents for COVID-19 medicines is not enough Jun 26, 2022

Despite the Medicines Patent Pool, COVID-19 treatments remain scarce globally. Prashant Yadav explains what more is needed.

160. How Putin’s war could disrupt global food supplies Mar 15, 2022

Joe Glauber explains the humanitarian crisis that looms if war cuts wheat exports from Ukraine and Russia. Soumaya Keynes says goodbye.

159. How Biden and Europe settled Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs Nov 08, 2021

After years of dispute, the EU agreed to stop retaliating and to limit exports if the US lifted Trump’s national security tariffs.

158. How America responded to its PPE shortage Oct 11, 2021

The US reacted to COVID-19 shortfalls of hospital masks, gowns and gloves with unprecedented trade and industrial policy.

157. Europe’s Trade Policy and Open Strategic Autonomy Sep 27, 2021

Worried about being bullied by trading partners, the European Union is developing a host of new policy tools.

156. Tackling climate change with a carbon border adjustment mechanism Jul 25, 2021

CBAM! The EU proposes phasing out free permits from its emissions trading system and phasing in a carbon tax on some imports.

155. How trade can break up with paper (it involves blockchain) Jun 27, 2021

Legally and technologically, paper documents are essential to international trade. How that could change (it involves blockchain).

154. Global Britain: How’s that going then? Jun 17, 2021

A beginner's guide to the spat over Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol, plus the UK signs a new trade deal with Australia.

153. Multilateral tax cooperation gets one step closer Jun 09, 2021

The G7 economies agreed to a potential historic change in how governments tax multinational corporations.

152. The murky world of export restrictions for COVID-19 vaccines Mar 22, 2021

COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine inputs are in short supply globally. How the EU, UK, US and India are all limiting exports.

151. Container shipping costs are through the roof. Who’s paying? Mar 15, 2021

Companies and regulators have begun to worry about the spike in container shipping costs and pandemic-related trade disruptions.

150: Is the WTO making it harder to end the pandemic? Feb 25, 2021

India, South Africa, and more than 50 other countries propose changing WTO rules for vaccines and other medical supplies. Rachel Silverman (Center for Global Development) and Tom Bollyky (Council on Foreign Relations) help explain compulsory...

149. Everyone Loves (or Hates) Buy America Feb 03, 2021

President Biden’s first trade action was to tighten rules on what imports the US government can buy.

148. The EU’s new trade policy, with Sabine Weyand of DG Trade Jan 17, 2021

Sabine Weyand joins to discuss EU trade policy, transatlantic cooperation and conflict, China, forced labor, WTO, climate and more.

147. What’s in the new EU-UK trade deal? Brexperts explain Jan 04, 2021

The EU and UK announce their long-awaited trade agreement formalizing Brexit. What is covered, and what is still to be negotiated.

146. Semiconductors and US export bans – from Huawei to SMIC Dec 21, 2020

How and why the United States is banning exports of semiconductors, software and tools to some of the world’s largest companies.

145. Xinjiang’s forced labor, supply chains, and trade sanctions Dec 03, 2020

Concerns escalate that forced labor and other crimes against humanity are taking place in Xinjiang, China.

144. Trade policy transitions, with Ambassador Susan Schwab Nov 24, 2020

From tariff leverage to trade deals, a former USTR explains how the baton is handed from one American administration to the next.

143. RCEP – Separating fact from friction Nov 18, 2020

China, Japan, South Korea and 12 other Asian countries finally signed that mega-trade deal. Here’s what’s in it.

142. Can Biden Make Trade Boring Again? Nov 11, 2020

The incoming US administration inherits a big trade agenda. Who will lead it and how much of it will they do?

141. Britain’s Trade Policy, 1815-2016 Oct 26, 2020

From Corn Laws to Imperial Preferences to joining the EEC, Britain’s current trade policy conundrum has echoes from the past.

140. Is shipping ship-shape? Oct 12, 2020

Containerized shipping is an odd business in normal times. What happens when you add a pandemic and a trade war?

139. How Technology Enabled Trade: Digitization and Offshoring Sep 24, 2020

At the turn of the century, electronic communication suddenly helped firms fragment production, but only some went overseas.

138. Trade and the worst financial crisis of the century—in 1866 Sep 11, 2020

London’s central role in 19th century trade finance meant that its bank failure had effects for decades.

137. Imbalances, Inequality, and Trade Aug 31, 2020

China, the US and Germany each suffer from inequality and trade imbalances. Their linkages, and how policymakers try to fix them.

136. Vaccine economics, and why we need trade to end the pandemic Aug 13, 2020

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala explains one way to solve the economic problem of how to manufacture and globally distribute a vaccine.

135. All you need to know about the race to lead the WTO Jul 28, 2020

What people want from the next leader of the World Trade Organization.

134. Opportunities and setbacks for Black workers in the 20th century Jul 10, 2020

Economic gains for America’s Black workers stalled in the 1970s. The role of migration, policy and trade.

133. How one man and some metal boxes revolutionized global trade Jun 29, 2020

Malcom McLean spurred containerized shipping in the 1950s. The impact on people, ports, cities and, of course, trade, was massive.

132. US-China Trade War: The Negotiators Jun 21, 2020

How the people Presidents Trump and Xi tapped to negotiate helped shape the US-China trade relationship over 2017-2020.

131. How travel matters for trade Jun 11, 2020

Why Nigerian traders pay so much to travel to China, and how COVID-19 has made that more complicated.

130. So you want to design a tariff schedule… May 31, 2020

Making sense of the ‘Global Tariffs’ that the UK will begin to apply to thousands of imported products after Brexit is complete.

129. Operation Quack Hack: Are China’s medical supplies safe to trade? May 15, 2020

Faulty Chinese medical gear emerges, as both the US and China adjust their product regulations in response to the pandemic.

128. Beautiful Trade in Ugly Times Apr 26, 2020

In good times, cosmetics are a logistical challenge, as dangerous goods go from ideas to store shelves. Now come the hard times.

127. The COVID-19 Trade Collapse: Lessons from 2009? Apr 14, 2020

Understanding the Great Trade Collapse of 2009 may help anticipate the impending decline in exports and imports today.

126. COVID-19 and Trade: Stories from the Data Mar 27, 2020

How companies are coping (or not) with the massive disruption in global trade flows due to COVID-19.

125. Coronavirus and Trade Restrictions Mar 14, 2020

Countries try to beat COVID-19 by limiting exports of medical supplies and cutting tariffs.

124. Is Trade Bad for Women? Mar 05, 2020

Does globalization contribute to the gender wage gap? Beata Javorcik joins to explain one overlooked channel.

123. Coronavirus: From Quarantine to Trade Feb 28, 2020

Simon Rabinovitch joins from China to discuss the economic, trade, and supply chain implications of the coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

122. Tariffs, Protests and Wine Feb 23, 2020

A Washington protest march and the wine industry illustrate the impact of US tariffs on American small businesses.

121. Can Infant Industry Protection Work? Evidence from Napoleon Feb 12, 2020

How the Napoleonic Blockade helps economists see whether temporary protection from trade can further industrial development.

120. Extreme Trade: The Rise and Fall of Glasgow’s Shipbuilding Jan 31, 2020

What is the Glasgow effect? Richard Davies explains, and tells the gripping economic story of the Scottish city’s boom and bust.

119. Stock Markets, the Economy, and Trump’s Trade Policy Uncertainty Jan 26, 2020

Nick Bloom joins to discuss policy uncertainty under President Trump and implications for the economy and stock market.

118. Ins and Outs of the US-China Phase-One Trade Deal Jan 19, 2020

Two former and longtime USTR negotiators join to explain the details of the new US-China trade agreement.

117. Trump’s Import Tariffs Have Hurt US Exports Jan 08, 2020

New evidence reveals Trump’s import tariffs are contributing to the recent slowdown in US exports.

116. Fish Subsidies. What’s the Catch? Dec 30, 2019

Why is the WTO struggling to negotiate limits to fisheries subsidies? As always, it's complicated.

115. The Trade War and US Elections Dec 20, 2019

New research shows how Trump’s trade war may have cost Republican seats in the 2018 election for the US House of Representatives.

114: US and China Announce a Phase-One Deal Dec 16, 2019

Trump’s USTR provides some details of what has been agreed, including tariff cuts, purchases and structural reforms.

113: How and Why Congressional Democrats Tweaked the USMCA Dec 14, 2019

USMCA gets one step closer after Congressional Democrats, organized labor, the Trump administration, and Mexico strike a deal.

112: Forensic Subsidies Detectives and Trade Disputes Dec 09, 2019

Government subsidies are a key battle area in today’s trade disputes. The OECD has a new way to track them down.

111: Trade Policy Under Trump Nov 25, 2019

A former senior Trump trade official shares his take on US policy toward China, the EU and the WTO.

110: Will 3D Printing Increase Trade? Hear All About It Nov 12, 2019

New evidence from the hearing aid industry on whether 3D printing will eliminate the need for trade.

109: A Different US-China Fight Hits the Headlines Nov 05, 2019

The WTO authorizes China to retaliate against US exports. The timing bodes poorly for an Appellate Body already under stress.

108: Making Services Trade Great Nov 01, 2019

Services trade gets no respect. The release of the WTO’s World Trade Report 2019 gave us a chance to fix that.

107: Bombed Embassies and Document Leaks – How China Got into the WTO Oct 24, 2019

Was letting China join the WTO a mistake? Paul Blustein describes fraught negotiations with America that culminated in its entry.

106: Trump’s Mini-Deal with China Oct 14, 2019

Jenny Leonard explains President Trump’s October 11 announcement, as well as what it is like reporting daily on the trade war.

105: Aircraft Subsidy Disputes: How These Tariffs Are Different Oct 07, 2019

The WTO authorizes new US retaliatory tariffs on EU imports in one of the biggest and longest-running formal disputes in history.

104: How to Hit Currency Manipulators and Fight the Strong Dollar Sep 30, 2019

Explore past US efforts to counter countries with undervalued currencies, as well as two controversial proposals to do so today.

103: US-China Trade War from the Trenches Sep 25, 2019

The annual US-China Business Council survey of members paints an interesting picture of American companies operating in China.

102: Is Trump Beating the Chinese Economy? Sep 18, 2019

Nicholas Lardy explains how the Chinese economy is faring thus far during the trade war.

101: Huawei, National Security, and the Trade War Sep 16, 2019

Yuan Yang explains the Chinese telecom equipment maker’s role in the US-China trade war and concerns over national security.

100: Sneaking Up on a No-Deal Brexit Sep 12, 2019

Anand Menon joins to update developments on Britain’s plan to leave the European Union.

99: The Surprising Story of the US Trade Deficit with South Korea Sep 06, 2019

Kadee Russ explains why the US trade imbalance with South Korea expanded after their trade agreement went into effect.

98: What’s Wrong with Germany’s Trade Surplus? Aug 28, 2019

Jeromin Zettelmeyer explains Germany’s export competitiveness and why concerns over its trade surplus derive from somewhere else.

97: Watching China’s Human Rights Aug 22, 2019

Sophie Richardson joins Keynes and Bown in a wide-ranging conversation about heightened concerns over human rights in China.

96: Trump’s Next China Tariffs and Fears in the Global Economy Aug 16, 2019

Keynes and Bown explain Trump’s rollout of tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese imports and new evidence of global economic turmoil.

95: Is China a Currency Manipulator? Aug 09, 2019

Keynes and Bown explain the controversy surrounding President Trump’s decision to designate China a currency manipulator.

94: The Fed and the Trade War, with Adam Posen Aug 03, 2019

Adam Posen explains why the US Federal Reserve is suddenly cutting interest rates and what that has to do with President Trump’s trade war.

93: US Trade Policy Before Trump, with Ambassador Michael Froman Jul 19, 2019

Former USTR Michael Froman joins to discuss how the Obama administration tackled China and the World Trade Organization.

92: Japan and South Korea: Old Wounds, New Trade Fight Jul 15, 2019

Dukgeun Ahn joins to explain how Japan’s threat to limit exports to South Korea involves issues much deeper than smartphone trade.

91: Can Trade Adjustment Assistance Work? Jul 04, 2019

Ben Hyman joins to discuss whether an American program actually helps workers hurt by trade.

90: Trade policy the Asian way, with Mari Pangestu Jun 12, 2019

The former Indonesian trade minister discusses trade deals – from ASEAN to RCEP to the GSP – the trade war, and more.

89: The Migration Crisis Behind Trump’s Mexico Tariff Threat Jun 06, 2019

Gordon Hanson joins to explain the roots of the migration emergency at both the US and Mexican southern borders.

88: Trump-Mexico Trade War Cheat Sheet Jun 01, 2019

Keynes and Bown discuss Trump’s national emergency declaration and potential tariffs on $350 billion of imports from Mexico.

87: Trump Shifts His National Security Threats (Again) May 20, 2019

Keynes and Bown explain Trump’s latest trade action on cars and implications of his partial removal of steel and aluminum tariffs.

86: When Is Tariff Revenue Bad Tax Revenue? May 17, 2019

Lucie Gadenne (University of Warwick, IFS) joins Keynes and Bown to explain when and why some countries use import tariffs as an important source of total tax revenue collections. They discuss her research on the...

85: Trump-China Negotiating Dramatics and Even More Tariffs May 12, 2019

Keynes and Bown update the sudden change in US-China trade negotiations and implications of President Trump’s tariff escalation.

84: Brexit, British Politics, and European Parliamentary Elections May 07, 2019

Duncan Robinson joins to update Brexit, cleavages in British political parties, and 2019 elections to the European Parliament.

83: Tariffs for Sale and Identity Politics May 02, 2019

Gene Grossman joins to discuss how political economists explain trade protectionism.

82: How Big Is the USMCA? It’s Uncertain Apr 27, 2019

Keynes and Bown discuss the US government report and economic impact assessment of the potential NAFTA replacement.

81: National Security and Trade – The Fear of Imitation Apr 18, 2019

Mona Pinchis-Paulsen joins to discuss the origins and history of using national security threats to justify trade restrictions.

80: Zeroing: The Biggest WTO Threat You’ve Never Heard Of (#45) Apr 09, 2019

Keynes and Bown explain how a tiny part of US antidumping tariff calculations threatens the entire trading system.

79: A President Explains Mexican Trade Apr 06, 2019

Ernesto Zedillo joins to discuss 40 years of Mexico’s trade, the impact of import substitution policies, NAFTA, and the USMCA.

78: Trade Talks Does Its Taxes Mar 31, 2019

Kimberly Clausing joins Keynes and Bown to discuss today’s economic and policy challenges in taxing multinational companies.

77: Happy Tariffversary Mar 24, 2019

Keynes and Bown discuss new research on the economics and politics behind President Trump’s tariffs and the resulting retaliation.

76: Trump versus India: Fighting over Which Poor Countries Are Special Mar 10, 2019

The Trump administration pulled India and Turkey from the US Generalized System of Preference, a program that offers zero tariffs to imports from poor countries. Keynes and Bown explain the decision and how it fits into a broader battle between rich and poor countries around special and differential treatment and how it is holding up progress on WTO negotiations.

75: A US-China Farm Subsidy Fight at the WTO Mar 03, 2019

Not to be overshadowed by the Trump-China trade war, the WTO issues an important legal ruling on Chinese subsidies. Soumaya Keynes and Chad Bown describe how the Americans had challenged Chinese payments to farmers of corn, wheat and rice, as well as implications of the WTO ruling for US-China trade relations and the multilateral system.

74: Trade Talks Tough – Sanctions on North Korea (#14) Feb 28, 2019

Keynes and Bown replay their November 2017 interview with Marcus Noland about one of the most closed economies in the world.

73: Soybeans and the Trade War Fallout Feb 23, 2019

Keynes and Bown explain the upheaval in American and global soybean markets stemming from the US-China trade conflict.

72: Richard Baldwin on Disruption, Technology and Trade Feb 14, 2019

Richard Baldwin joins Keynes and Bown to discuss the past and future of globalization, new technologies, and social upheaval.

71: Money Matters for Trade Feb 07, 2019

Kalina Manova joins Keynes and Bown to discuss how companies’ ability to borrow affects trade.

70: Nicholas Lardy on the Chinese Economy Jan 30, 2019

Nicholas Lardy joins Keynes and Bown to discuss the changing role of the state and private firms in China’s economic development.

69: Slowbalization Jan 25, 2019

Keynes and Bown discuss what is behind the slowdown of global trade, supply chain expansion, and international commerce.

68: Brexit Votes for Uncertainty Jan 19, 2019

Keynes and Bown discuss the rocky departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Sam Lowe (Centre for European Reform) joins for an update on the latest political developments as Britain approaches the March...

67: Blood Trade Jan 15, 2019

Keynes and Bown speak with Alice Fulwood (The Economist) about what is behind the $150 billion of annual trade in blood plasma products. They cut through the mystery of the exploding trade flows by explaining...

66: Paul Krugman Talks Trade Dec 17, 2018

Keynes and Bown sit down with Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman (CUNY and New York Times) in a wide-ranging interview about international trade. They discuss NAFTA, labor standards, and the USMCA (2:25); the current toxicity...

65: What Would a Trump-China Deal Look Like? Dec 10, 2018

Keynes and Bown explain the recent 90-day agreement between Presidents Trump and Xi that puts on hold further tariff escalation between the United States and China. They speak with Mark Wu (Harvard Law) and former...

64: (Trade) Dealing with Europe Nov 29, 2018

Keynes and Bown speak with veteran trade journalist Alan Beattie (Financial Times) about the complexities of negotiating with the European Union on trade. They discuss the EU’s dealings with the UK over Brexit and the...

63: Can Trump and the EU Strike a Deal? Nov 21, 2018

Keynes and Bown discuss the prospect of negotiations between the United States and the European Union on a trade deal that would meet President Trump’s objectives of zero tariffs, zero nontariff barriers, and zero subsidies....

62: Randomized Trade Nov 09, 2018

Keynes and Bown speak with Amit Khandelwal (Columbia Business School) about the impact that exporting has on firm productivity. They discuss his evidence from a randomized control trial that new foreign market access improved how...

61: Trade, Firms, Profits, and Market Power: It’s Complicated Nov 02, 2018

Keynes and Bown speak with incoming World Bank Chief Economist Penny Goldberg (Yale University) about her research on how trade liberalization affects consumers and firms when firms have market power. They discuss the impact that...

60: America May Be Doing Away with WTO Dispute Settlement Oct 29, 2018

Keynes and Bown talk with former WTO Appellate Body member Jennifer Hillman (Georgetown Law) about WTO dispute settlement. They describe the procedural, philosophical, and judicial complaints the United States has with the current way of addressing...

59: A Hard Border from History Oct 18, 2018

Keynes and Bown talk with Stephen Redding (Princeton University) about his research on the border between East and West Germany erected in the mid-20th century. They discuss the loss of market access for cities near...

58: Woodward. Trump. Fear. Trade Is Bad. Oct 10, 2018

Keynes and Bown talk with best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Bob Woodward about his latest book Fear: Trump in the White House. From snatching trade agreement withdrawal letters off the president’s desk to...

57: It’s Fun to Discuss the USMCA—the New NAFTA Oct 05, 2018

Keynes and Bown describe key elements of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, announced on October 1, 2018. Beneath the spin, they analyze what the deal really does, including where new market access has been...

56: Do You Like Trade? Tariffs? Trade Deals? China? Sep 29, 2018

Keynes and Bown speak with Bruce Stokes (Pew Research Center) about recent poll results on public attitudes toward trade. They discuss how Americans feel about trade and trade agreements, China, differences between self-identified Democrats and...

55: Is India a Trade Troublemaker? Sep 23, 2018

Keynes and Bown speak with Arvind Subramanian (PIIE, Harvard Kennedy School) about the massive changes in India’s trade policy since the 1980s. They examine the scope and impact of India’s trade liberalization; the importance of...

54: Can Trump Withdraw from Trade Deals? Sep 15, 2018

Keynes and Bown examine the legal arguments surrounding President Trump’s threats to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement and World Trade Organization. They speak with legal experts Gary Hufbauer (PIIE), Rachel Brewster (Duke...

53: Oh NAFTA–It’s Canada’s Turn Sep 07, 2018

Keynes and Bown examine critical economic issues caught up in Canada’s talks with the Trump administration over the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement. They speak with Meredith Lilly (Carleton University) and Madelaine...

52: NAFTA “Deal Fever” Sep 03, 2018

Keynes and Bown examine the still murky details on autos and a potential sunset clause for the Mexico-United States trade agreement—which the Trump administration says is designed to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement...

51: Trade at the White House in Not So Normal Times Aug 14, 2018

Keynes and Bown have a conversation with Jason Furman (PIIE, Harvard Kennedy School)—a former senior economic adviser of the Obama administration—about American economic policy. They ask Furman about economic and trade policy during the Great...

50: Aluminum Made in the USA Aug 10, 2018

Keynes and Bown explore the aluminum industry: how to make it, changes in North American production over the past few decades, and the industry’s real complaints. They discuss the Trump administration’s tariffs on imported aluminum...

49: Are Trump’s Steel Quotas Worse than His Steel Tariffs? Aug 01, 2018

Keynes and Bown describe how the Trump administration’s quotas imposed on steel imports from South Korea, Brazil, and Argentina are different from the simple application of tariffs. They speak with Ambassador Jennifer Hillman—former administrator of...

48: Trump Buys the Farmers Jul 27, 2018

Keynes and Bown explain the US government decision to offer up to $12 billion of subsidies to farmers adversely affected by trade retaliation stemming from President Trump’s tariffs on steel, aluminum, and China. They speak...

47: WTO S.O.S.–Save our System Jul 21, 2018

Keynes and Bown detail an emerging approach for the European Union, Japan, China—and the Trump administration—to resolve the conflict over subsidies, one of the most pressing challenges confronting the World Trade Organization. They explain the...

46: How Do Trump’s Tariffs Stack Up Historically? Jul 13, 2018

Keynes and Bown compare President Donald Trump’s tariffs imposed to date—on solar panels, washing machines, steel, aluminum, and Chinese imports—with other major American protectionist episodes. They speak to economic historian Douglas A. Irwin (PIIE) about...

45: Zeroing: The Biggest WTO Threat You’ve Never Heard Of Jul 03, 2018

Keynes and Bown explain the outsized importance of “zeroing”—a technical, yet politically controversial method the United States uses to calculate antidumping tariffs. They speak to Thomas Prusa (Rutgers University) about zeroing’s contentious negotiating history, how...

44: Brexit Two Years On Jun 28, 2018

Keynes and Bown explain recent developments in the UK-EU trade talks on Britain’s departure from the European Union. At the two-year mark after the June 23, 2016 Leave referendum, they speak to Anand Menon (King’s...

43: Costing Trump’s China Tariffs Jun 22, 2018

Keynes and Bown explain some implications of President Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on US imports from China starting July 6, 2018, which could escalate to cover $450 billion of American imports. They speak to...

42: Trump and Tariff Tweets: It’s More Complicated Than That Jun 15, 2018

Bown and Keynes explain the nonreciprocal pattern of tariffs—and nontariff barriers—across countries highlighted by President Trump’s tweets and statements about high levels of tariff protection received by Canadian dairy farmers, automakers in Europe and China,...

41: Trump and China’s “War of Saliva” Jun 08, 2018

Keynes and Bown discuss a variety of Chinese perspectives of the Trump administration's trade policy.

40: Steel and Aluminum Tariffs: Trump versus Everyone Jun 02, 2018

Bown and Keynes explain the economic implications of President Trump’s decision to apply steel and aluminum trade restrictions on virtually all US trading partners as of June 1, 2018. Countries have announced their plans to...

39: Car Crash–Trump Sees More National Security Threats May 25, 2018

Keynes and Bown talk with Kristin Dziczek (Center for Automotive Research) about President Trump’s new investigation into whether imports of autos threaten American national security. They discuss the implications of potential new tariffs for the NAFTA negotiations,...

38: ZTE, Trump, and China–What’s the Fuss? May 18, 2018

Keynes and Bown discuss with Yuan Yang of the Financial Times how the US Commerce Department decision to sanction Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE—and its potential reversal by President Trump—affects the firm’s supply chain and Chinese and American...

37: Cottoning on to Trade May 09, 2018

Keynes and Bown talk with Professor Claudia Steinwender (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) about her research on the impact of the trans-Atlantic telegraph on trade. New information through the telegraph affected 1860s cotton price differences between...

36: The Railroads Episode: America, India, and Intranational Trade May 02, 2018

Keynes and Bown discuss with Dave Donaldson (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) his research on how massive railroad projects—across America in the late 1800s and colonial India in the early 1900s—affected trade costs, market access, intranational...

35: The Labor of NAFTA Apr 27, 2018

Bown and Keynes explain controversial elements of the ongoing NAFTA negotiations that relate to jobs, wages, and workers. There are tradeoffs in the new proposals for automobile rules of origin, the enforcement of labor standards...

34: So You Want To Be a Trade Negotiator Apr 20, 2018

Bown and Keynes sit down with former acting deputy US Trade Representative Wendy Cutler to learn how to negotiate trade agreements. Wendy shares 25 years of experience balancing domestic politics, while driving hard bargains with...

33: Trade and Investment Talks: China Wants America’s Technology Apr 13, 2018

Keynes and Bown explain the Chinese economic development strategy at the core of the Trump administration’s Section 301 dispute and latest tariff threats. They discuss Beijing’s “Made in China 2025” industrial policy, how technology gets...

32: Trump, China, and Tariffs: $3 billion, $50 billion, or $100 billion? Apr 06, 2018

Keynes and Bown discuss the escalating tariff fight between President Trump and China. They update the status of Trump’s “national security” tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as Beijing’s retaliation over $3 billion of...

31: Trade Wars and the Smoot-Hawley Tariff: What Really Happened? Mar 20, 2018

Keynes and Bown speak with Douglas Irwin (PIIE and Dartmouth College) about popular misconceptions around the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, the Great Depression, and the global trade wars that ensued. They discuss how the...

30: Trade Talks to Real People Mar 15, 2018

Keynes and Bown have a conversation with Ana Swanson from the New York Times about trade and journalism. They discuss encounters relating to steel, aluminum, softwood lumber and lobsters, as well as the surprises along...

29: After Trump’s Tariffs: Retaliation, Negotiation, and Litigation Mar 10, 2018

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown explain developments resulting from President Trump’s announcement of new “national security” import tariffs on steel and aluminum. They discuss those countries hit by—and...

28: What Are Trade Deals For? Dani Rodrik Does Trade Talks, Part 4 Mar 02, 2018

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown have a wide-ranging conversation with Dani Rodrik (Harvard Kennedy School) about trade agreements. In Part 4 of this 4-episode conversation, they provide a...

27: What Are Trade Deals For? Dani Rodrik Does Trade Talks, Part 3 Mar 02, 2018

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown have a wide-ranging conversation with Dani Rodrik (Harvard Kennedy School) about trade agreements. In Part 3 of this 4-episode conversation, they discuss concerns...

26: What Are Trade Deals For? Dani Rodrik Does Trade Talks, Part 2 Mar 01, 2018

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown have a wide-ranging conversation with Dani Rodrik (Harvard Kennedy School) about trade agreements. In Part 2 of this 4-episode conversation, they discuss ways...

25: What Are Trade Deals For? Dani Rodrik Does Trade Talks, Part 1 Mar 01, 2018

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown have a wide-ranging conversation with Dani Rodrik (Harvard Kennedy School) about trade agreements. In Part 1 of this 4-episode conversation, they discuss the...

24: The Trump Administration Views Trade as National Security Threat Feb 21, 2018

Soumaya Keynes of the Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown explore the US Department of Commerce findings that imports of steel and aluminum threaten national security and the recommendation that President Trump impose...

23: Did Protectionism Make America Great? Feb 15, 2018

PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes of the Economist talk with PIIE Senior Fellow Douglas Irwin about his recent book Clashing over Commerce: A History of US Trade Policy and the role...

22: The Other UK Trade Deals–Brexit and Rolling over the EU’s FTAs Feb 09, 2018

PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes of The Economist discuss the challenges facing the UK government as it seeks negotiations separate from the Brexit talks to maintain existing market access through the...

21: North American Cars–Before and After NAFTA Feb 02, 2018

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown discuss the evolution of the auto industry in North America. Long before the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the 1965 Canada-US...

20: Tariff Time! Washing Machines and Dirty Trade Policy Jan 26, 2018

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown discuss the controversy surrounding the US washing machine market and update the solar panels case, in light of President Trump’s decision to impose...

19: GSP – Low Tariffs for Development? Jan 19, 2018

Keynes and Bown discuss the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), the program rich countries use to offer lower tariffs to exporters in developing countries. They discuss a variety of programs—the now expired US GSP scheme,...

18: Brexit–Sectoral Analyses or Impact Assessments? Jan 09, 2018

Soumaya Keynes (The Economist) and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown speak with Professor Meredith Crowley (University of Cambridge) about her Brexit research. Crowley describes results from her use of information on product-level UK exports...

17: WTO Ministerials–Now and Then Dec 21, 2017

PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes of The Economist focus on the December 2017 World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting in Buenos Aires. They describe the contentious negotiations over India’s public stockholding...

16. Weird Trade Barriers–Or How Trade Talks Help a Cocktail Party Dec 15, 2017

PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes of The Economist survey listeners and conduct interviews from the WTO ministerial meeting in Buenos Aires, to describe some of the more bizarre—and fascinating—barriers to international...

15: Is China a Non-Market Economy? Why the WTO Gets to Decide Dec 08, 2017

Keynes and Bown focus on a huge WTO dispute in which China is suing the European Union and the United States over their refusal to treat it as a market economy, meaning they will not...

14: Trade Talks Tough: Sanctions on North Korea Nov 30, 2017

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown talk with PIIE Senior Fellow Marcus Noland about his research on implementing trade sanctions on North Korea. First up is his recent book...

13: Export Superstars and Billionaires: When Do Policymakers Need to Worry? Nov 22, 2017

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown talk with PIIE Senior Fellow Caroline Freund about her research on big firms, billionaires, international trade, and economic development. First up is her...

12: How to Save a (Pacific) Trade Deal Nov 16, 2017

PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes of the Economist examine the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). They discuss how 11 persistent countries pulled the original TPP deal from...

11: The Complicated Impact of Trade…on Developing Countries Nov 09, 2017

PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes of the Economist examine the impact of international trade on economic activity within developing countries like India, Vietnam, and Brazil. They talk with Professor Nina Pavcnik...

10: What If the UK Crashed into a No-Deal Brexit? Nov 03, 2017

PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes of The Economist examine what a no-deal Brexit would look like, or the economic implications if Britain were to split from the European Union without a...

9: Happy 70th GATTiversary–The Origins of Multilateral Trade Oct 27, 2017

On the occasion of its 70th anniversary, PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes of The Economist focus on the origins of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, or GATT. They speak...

8: NAFTA Time Out–Unsurprisingly Unconventional Oct 20, 2017

Soumaya Keynes of the Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown focus on the economic tension arising through the ongoing NAFTA—or North American Free Trade Agreement—talks between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The...

7: Tariffs, Subsidies, and Not-So-Friendly Skies Oct 13, 2017

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown discuss an ongoing trade dispute involving large civil aircraft jets, Bombardier and Boeing, as well as the governments of Canada, the United Kingdom,...

6: Uncertainty and Trade Deals–Not Good Oct 05, 2017

PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes of The Economist focus this week on the costs of increased uncertainty generated by President Trump’s threat to rip up US trade agreements as well as...

5: Solar Tariffs, Clean Energy (and Trump) Sep 29, 2017

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown discuss President Trump’s upcoming choice to grant trade protection to a sliver of the US solar manufacturing industry. The episode describes cleavages within...

4: Holding the WTO Hostage, Trump Style Sep 22, 2017

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown focus on the Trump administration’s approach to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The episode describes US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s recently articulated positions...

3: Nerves of Steel: Waiting for Trump’s Trade War Sep 15, 2017

Soumaya Keynes (The Economist) and Chad Bown (PIIE) focus on the Trump administration’s risking a trade war, after the president started a Section 232 investigation into whether steel and aluminum imports are a threat to...

2: Trump Threatens the South Korea-US Trade Deal Sep 07, 2017

This week Chad P. Bown and Soumaya Keynes focus on the South Korea-US free trade agreement (KORUS) and President Donald Trump’s unhappiness with it, as his administration alternates between threats of withdrawal and renegotiation. The...

1: NAFTAnomics: The Economics of Three Big Fights Sep 01, 2017

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown discuss the economics of trade policy. This week they focus on three big fights in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations,...

Special Episode: Trump’s Unfair Trade Action against China Aug 18, 2017

Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown discuss the issues involved in President Trump’s triggering a “Section 301” investigation of China’s unfair treatment of American intellectual property. This special episode...

0: Introduction to the Weekly Podcast Aug 11, 2017

Soumaya Keynes of the Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown introduce a weekly and geeky podcast on developments in international trade and policy. This week’s episode covers the hosts’ favorite trade (short) stories...

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