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Yellen Says US Needs Answer To ‘China Cheating’
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Janet Yellen says China "our most important strategic competitor." And that to better compete with China, Biden "will soon come forward with a package to accomplish that by investing in our infrastructure, investing in our people, and create a more competitive economy." Read more -
The Long Arm of the CCP Law Stretches Through Zoom, FBI Investigation Says
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst An FBI investigation into a Zoom Videoconferencing senior executive shows how the company can, and will, censor private conferences on topics the Chinese government doesn't like. Read more -
Why Biden’s Sustainable ‘Green’ Economy Shouldn’t Forget EV School Buses
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst From cars to trucks, newly minted president Joe Biden is all about limiting fossil fuel use. If battery powered cars and trucks are made in the US, we are all for it. But a bill passed this summer to get public school buses off diesel has one thing missing -- no strong Buy America provision. We only have one EV bus maker in the US. Two, if you consider China's BYD in California. Read more -
Yellen’s Treasury: Strong Dollar is Here to Stay Despite the Jobs Cost
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Incoming Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen tells the Senate Finance Committee that she is against currency manipulating nations. Is the strong dollar here to stay? Read more -
Carnegie Study: Americans OK Paying More To Trade With Democracies
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Consumers are willing to pay as much as 20% more for goods if made by democratic allied nations, and surely not made by forced labor. Will companies hear them out, and give them a chance to Buy American from Home Depot to Target? Read more -
Ways & Means Democrats Say Economic Equity Should Guide Trade
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst In a House Ways & Means Committee report released this month, members from the Democratic Party say they're going to make economic inclusion and equity a priority. That should mean a domestic-focused manufacturing-led recovery, and reindustrialization geared towards blue collar job creation outside of the service and gig economy sectors. Read more -
Customs Installs Regional Ban On Xinjiang, China
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Homeland orders Customs and Border Protection to hit Xinjiang, China with a province-wide ban on imports of two of that state's most important commodities. More to come? Read more -
Trade Lawyers Convinced Biden Keeps Tariffs And Could Use Steel As EU Leverage
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Trade lawyers from Hogan Lovell and Bracewell believe the Biden Administration will keep China tariffs for now, but likely reduce them elsewhere. Subsidies and other measures may take their place to protect industries and sectors deemed strategic, or important to national security. Read more -
China’s Uyghur Population Control Begs The Question: Why Are We Doing Business In Xinjiang?
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Beijing is undertaking a form of population control in Xinjiang. This is not a country of diversity and inclusion and equity economics. At the very least, the treatment of Uyghur Muslims should force Customs and Border Protection to strongly consider a regional ban on US supply chains tied to Xinjiang. Read more -
The EU Investment Deal With China Means the US Can’t Trust Brussels
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst The European Union's bilateral investment treaty with China is an example of how a key ally really isn't going to put itself in a position to have to choose between Washington and Beijing. Read more -
November Trade Deficit Hits 14-Year High as $85B Goods Deficit is Worst Ever
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst The November trade deficit in goods and services rose 8% to $68.1 billion November, its highest since 2006 even as the US trade deficit in goods hit $85.5 billion, its highest on record. Read more -
Japan Wants Biden To Redo The TPP Trade Agreement
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst With new leadership in Washington, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is said to want the US to rejoin TPP soon. Read more -
US Deficits End 2020 In Worse Shape Than Ever
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Despite the trade war and record tariffs against imports, the US will end 2020 with record breaking deficits. A look at the numbers and why they might be as bad as they are. Read more -
Industry Groups Rally Around Vietnam, Wary Of Tariffs
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Nearly two dozen industry associations tied to everything from toy making to apparel, semiconductors to the US Chamber of Commerce itself, has asked the USTR to hear them out on whether or not to impose tariffs on Vietnam for currency manipulation. Read more -
Industry Analysis: The Future of the US Car Industry May Depend on 3 EVs You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Electric vehicles are said to be the next big thing, and the next sure thing in automotive. How will the US fare? Nissan leads the pack. Tesla is second. We have three startups that show promise. Meanwhile, China is gaining and setting itself up to be an indispensable part of the EV automotive supply chain. Two EV startups here are already dependent on China cash to survive. And two Chinese made EVs are now for sale in the US. Can these three American newcomers survive the race to bring EVs to mass market? Read more -
FDA Warning Letters For Foreign Drug Makers: All Bark Not Enough Bite
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst The Food & Drug Administration issues dozens of warning letters each year to foreign drug makers. Many of them have received these warnings multiple times, yet are still allowed to export medication to the US unless given an import alert notice. Read more -
MSCI Removing Sanctioned China Stocks From Its Indexes
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst MSCI and other indexes are taking steps to remove some Chinese companies from its index. Here's why. Read more -
Here’s What’s Really Wrong With The WTO, Outgoing US Ambassador Says
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst Outgoing US Ambassador to the World Trade Organization has some choice words for a group he believes might never be able to see eye-to-eye on anything trade related. Read more -
Vietnam Gets Labeled ‘Currency Manipulator’ By Treasury
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst In its final 2020 report on Congress, Treasury says Vietnam and Switzerland are manipulating their currencies as of June 2020. Ten countries are being watched for similar actions making them more competitive against the US. Read more -
FCC Moves On Getting Rid Of China Telecom In US Systems
By Kenneth Rapoza, CPA Industry Analyst By the looks of things, the days of China telecommunications companies operating in the US are numbered. China Telecom under review to be booted from US teleco operations. Read more