There are two stages to solving a trade dispute: Stage 1: Bringing your opponent to the table.Show that you have a case, that you are determined, that you will not flinch. Stage 2: Reaching an agreement. Finding common ground; showing respect and understanding; establishing trust and conveying reliability. Bullying is...
Before we launch into the respective positions of China and the USA, lets explore definitions: What’s a tariff? A tax on merchandise imported from other countries. A bargaining chip to negotiate a better trade deal Both of them are true, but note that a tax can be in place...
So, now that we have imagined a plausible end, it would be appropriate to understand more about the beginning. What started this trade dispute? Three main issues: A growing trade deficit: China sells a lot more goods to the USA than the USA sells to China. The trade deficit with...
Armageddon: “the prophesied location of a gathering of armies for a battle during the end times… The term is also used in a generic sense to refer to any end of the world scenario” - Wikipedia If you let your imagination run wild, and you try to picture where this trade conflict could...
In January I made a prediction on what would happen in March, namely: “… it will get better, … the new 25% tariffs will not be imposed and … previous tariffs will be reduced over time.” Time for me to eat humble pie. Here we are in June, and after...
There are many tools importers use to ensure success with a supplier. One of these tools is the Product Specification Sheet (PSS). This document is used to specify the buyer’s requirements and to ensure that they are implemented at the factory level by making them an integral part of the...
China has been heavy in the media lately, mostly because of the US-China Trade War. However, a recent article from the Economist’s Schumpeter blog caught our eye. In the midst of all the news on tariffs, this article, Chinese Firms are not all serial intellectual-property thieves, actually highlights some of...
In the last blog installment we published of this series, Made In China Quality and Perception: Improving Standards and Improving Quality – Part 4, discussed the recovery China made after dealing with major quality scandals and recalls between 2007 and 2008. This week, we continue the series and will examine...
