NEW ARTICLE
What we know about Trump’s reciprocal tariffs – and what we don’t
by Deborah Elms, Head of Trade Policy, Hinrich Foundation
NEW ARTICLE
Protect de minimis not through tariffs, but reform and equal treatment
by Merle A. Hinrich, Chairman, Hinrich Foundation
NEW PAPER
Trump’s China policy: Phase Two or Phase Nil?
by Matt Gertken, Chief Strategist, BCA Research
Scholarship Opportunity
Nanyang Technological University Singapore
Master of Media and Communication
Advancing sustainable global trade
By Tinglong Dai, Christopher Tang, and the National Bureau of Asian Research
Understanding global trade
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Trade distortion and protectionism
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Trump’s "reciprocal" tariffs took root in the WTO's failings
11 February 2025
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Technological innovation as a pathway to sustainable trade
11 February 2025
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TSMC in Japan: Geopolitics, inward investment, and semiconductors
11 February 2025
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Navigating digital trade fragmentation in the age of geoeconomics
11 February 2025
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Preserve trade, not exploitation: Why de minimis reform is critical for global commerce
04 February 2025
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Two (maybe three) things transshipment ports need to know about securing global trade
04 February 2025
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Why the development debate at the WTO has become a crisis
28 January 2025
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How would the DEFA add value to Asia-Pacific trade?
10 September 2024
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Five things to watch in data governance in the Asia-Pacific in 2025
07 January 2025
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How much of China’s investment into Africa is real?
15 October 2024
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2024 Journalists Trade Training
Taking place from 23 to 26 June in Singapore, the 2024 National Press Foundation (NPF) International Trade Fellowship journalism training workshop convened 25 Asia-based journalists in an immersion in issues related to sustainable global trade. This . . .
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In the news
Media come to us for fresh thinking and deep analysis into the issues impacting global trade outcomes. Read our recent experts’ commentaries. Drawn from a wide range of disciplines and sectors, our experts offer valuable views and opinions on achieving sustainable global trade.
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Christmas ends early for Chinese exporters as Western demand slumps
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19 December 2023
As big spenders in the US and Europe seek price cuts, emerging markets in Southeast Asia and domestic consumption will become more and more important for Chinese traders, says Senior Research Fellow Stephen Olson. Overall, exports are likely to become less important as a growth engine for the Chinese economy.
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4 questions we must ask as values move to the centre of the trade agenda
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14 December 2023
A profound shift in global trade is underway, away from exclusively economic considerations towards a values-based approach to trade. While often well-intentioned, this also comes with significant complications beyond the obvious economic ramifications, Stephen Olson writes in this op-ed.
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Biden Declares Victory Over Supply Snarls Just as New Delays, Costs Emerge
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28 November 2023
Bloomberg announced their winning of the 2023 Hinrich trade reporting award. One story explored the subtle structural shifts in global commerce. Another told of how Brazil was turning to China for foreign investment. A third dug into data showing how the world is reorganizing into rival blocs.
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America’s crumbling trade initiative in Asia
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23 November 2023
There is no lack of American engagement in Asian capitals on security and geopolitics. There has been much less evidence of an economic dimension to the US’s Asian diplomacy—despite a strong desire for one across the region. Hinrich Foundation Head of Trade Policy Deborah Elms comments.
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Old photo, birthday wish, ravioli lunch: Personal diplomacy on display during Xi-Biden meeting
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17 November 2023
The many touches of personal diplomacy on display during the highly anticipated meeting between Presidents Biden and Xi are attempts to emphasise the more cooperative aspects of Sino-US relationship, noted Stephen Olson. But the fundamental points of conflict exist and will not disappear overnight.
Canada-in-Asia Conference 2025
20 February 2025
Canada-in-Asia Conference returns to Singapore on 19-21 February 2025. Join Stewart Paterson, Senior Research fellow at the Hinrich Foundation, as he shares his insights on global supply chain uncertainty and rising demand for critical minerals. Sign up here.
Unveiling the ambitions of Trump's 'America First' trade policy
27 February 2025
The Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA is hosting a webinar featuring the Hinrich Foundation’s Head of Trade Policy Deborah Elms, moderated by Ryohei Yasoshima, Washington bureau chief for Nikkei Asia, to unpack the strategic direction of US trade policy and its global implications of Donald Trump's 'America First' agenda.
Staying principled in a complex world
28 January 2025
The Hinrich Foundation hosted Singapore’s Second Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Secretary for Law Luke Goh to a closed-door roundtable on navigating an increasingly complex world, co-organized with the Singapore Business Circle last week. It explored the many policy tradeoffs between pragmatism and principle in an age of geopolitical uncertainty.