Podcasts about indo pacific economic framework

As global trade faces one of its most uncertain chapters yet, India and the U.S. are negotiating what could become a defining economic agreement of the decade: a bilateral trade deal aimed at scaling their trade volume to $500 billion by 2030, a fourfold increase from its value in 2024. But behind the diplomatic handshakes lie tough negotiations and clashing economic priorities.In this episode, host Anirban Chowdhury speaks with Bipin Sapra, Tax Partner and global trade expert at EY India, to break down what’s really at stake as both nations attempt to find common ground. At a time when Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs have rattled global markets, India and the U.S. have quietly signed the first terms of reference for this ambitious agreement. So, which sectors stand to gain or lose? Could this be a strategic disruptor to China’s dominance in global trade? And what does it mean for India’s role in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

米商務省、ワシントン【ワシントン時事】米商務省は２３日、日米、オーストラリアなど１４カ国が参加するインド太平洋経済枠組みで、全４分野の協定のうち、脱炭素を目指す「クリーン経済」と、汚職や脱税を防ぐ「公正な経済」が１０月中に発効すると発表した。 Agreements on clean economy and fair economy under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity will take effect on Oct. 11 and 12, respectively, the U.S. Commerce Department said Monday.

Agreements on clean economy and fair economy under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity will take effect on Oct. 11 and 12, respectively, the U.S. Commerce Department said Monday.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,883 on turnover of 3.1-billion N-T. The market continued its winning streak on Tuesday as, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing attracted strong investor interest amid lingering optimism over the company's outlook for this year. Interest also focused on electricity development related stocks in the electric machinery and optoelectronics sectors, to give the broader market with an additional boost. Tuvalu Affirms Ties with Taiwan In news from and about Taiwan this morning, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says senior government officials in Tuvalu have affirmed that the Pacific island country will maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The statement comes after Tuvalu's ambassador to Taiwan told the Australian newspaper that his country could sever (斷絕) formal diplomatic recognition with Taipei in favor of Beijing following its election this Friday. According to the ministry, the Tuvalu government has clarified that the ambassador's statement did not represent the country's official stance, and affirmed that its diplomatic relations with Taiwan remain strong. Tsai Call for Support of Taiwan's Participation in IPEF President Tsai Ing-wen is calling for support for Taiwan's participation in the US-led Indo Pacific Economic Framework. Speaking during a meeting with visiting members of the US-Taiwan Business Council in Taipei, Tsai said "Taiwan will continue to express its willingness to play a role in this initiative" and she hopes the business group "can support Taiwan's participation." The visiting delegation includes business council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers and Keith Krach, who served as under secretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment under Donald Trump's administration. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity was launched (發起) by U-S President Joe Biden on May of 2022. It currently has 14 partnering countries. SKorea: North Fired Missiles into Western Sea South Korea's military says North Korea fired several cruise missiles into the western sea as it continues a streak of weapons testing in the face of deepening nuclear tensions with the United States, South Korea and Japan. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff says the U.S. and South Korean militaries were analyzing the launches. The event followed a Jan. 14 flight test-firing of the country's first solid-fuel intermediate range ballistic missile, which reflected (顯示) its efforts to advance its lineup of weapons targeting U.S. military bases in Japan and Guam. UK House of Lords Votes Againt UKRwanda Treaty The House of Lords has voted against the Government's controversial UK- Rwanda Treaty. For the first time, the UK's upper house of parliament has voted to delay ratifying a Treaty, which is central to the Government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. Simon Gaitan reports. Mexico Train Project Damages Historic Limestone Caves Activists in Mexico have published photos of steel and cement pilings (地樁) from a government project driven directly through the roofs of sensitive limestone caves on the Yucatan peninsula. The cave networks and their underground rivers are both environmentally sensitive, and have been found to hold some of the oldest human remains in North America. Mexico's president had promised that part of his controversial $20 billion tourist train project would run on an elevated causeway (堤道) to avoid crushing or disturbing the caves. Authorities had claimed that studies would ensure the supports for the causeway wouldn't hit caves. But the activists say that was a lie, and the damage is irreversible. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 龍年HIGH起來！新光三越《龍舞卡利HIGH》獨享7%回饋

Epicor began the week by announcing its acquisition of Elite EXTRA, a provider of cloud-based last-mile delivery solutions. Oracle added new mobile capabilities to Oracle Fusion Cloud Inventory Management, part of Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM). Blackbaud kicked off its semi-annual Product Update briefings last week to showcase recent innovations and the future roadmap for Blackbaud's suite of software solutions. Infor announced a new partnership with DailyPay to seamlessly provide employees with easy and quick access to their earned wages. UKG announced a business update for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, ending September 30, 2023. Finally, Salesforce announced it has surpassed its commitment to provide 500,000 upskilling opportunities to women as part of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Upskilling Initiative.Connect with us!https://www.erpadvisorsgroup.com866-499-8550LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/erp-advisors-groupTwitter:https://twitter.com/erpadvisorsgrpFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/erpadvisorsInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/erpadvisorsgroupPinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/erpadvisorsgroupMedium:https://medium.com/@erpadvisorsgroup

The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports are taking action to reduce emissions from goods movement with $60 million available to purchase zero-emission trucks. Tune in to hear a discussion on the opportunities and challenges for greening international supply chains. Main Points - The LA and Long Beach ports will each contribute $30M from user fees to a "Clean Truck Fund" to support the purchase of zero-emission trucks. This could jumpstart a transition at a critical point in international supply chains. - Ports are a promising place to introduce emission-free vehicles due to their contained operating areas and short-haul routes. However, challenges remain around infrastructure, costs, and long-term viability. - Progress on the US-China Indo-Pacific Economic Framework remains slow and more work is needed to finalize agreements on climate, supply chain resilience, and other issues. Transitioning to green technologies in international logistics and trade will require coordinated global efforts. This episode explored some on-the-ground initiatives and ongoing discussions that aim to reduce emissions and build more sustainable supply chains over the long run. Enjoy the show. Host: Annik Sobing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annik-sobing-mba-b226251a2/  Host: Andy Shiles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyshiles/  Host/Producer: Lalo Solorzano: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lalosolorzano/  Co-Producer: Mara Marquez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mara-marquez-a00a111a8/ Contact SimplyTrade@GlobalTrainingCenter.com or message @SimplyTradePod for: Advertising and sponsoring on Simply Trade Requests to be on the show as guest Suggest any topics you would like to hear about Simply Trade is not a law firm or an advisor. The topics and discussions conducted by Simply Trade hosts and guests should not be considered and is not intended to substitute legal advice. You should seek appropriate counsel for your own situation. These conversations and information are directed towards listeners in the United States for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only and should not be In substitute for legal advice. No listener or viewer of this podcast should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information on this podcast without first seeking legal advice from counsel. Information on this podcast may not be up to date depending on the time of publishing and the time of viewership. The content of this posting is provided as is, no representations are made that the content is error free. The views expressed in or through this podcast are those are the individual speakers not those of their respective employers or Global Training Center as a whole. All liability with respect to actions taken or not taken based on the contents of this podcast are hereby expressly disclaimed.  

The APEC Economic Leaders Week culminated in a series of events that were both policy focused and social in nature. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework was showcased. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/james-herlihy/message

Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration says Israel will allow a four-hour humanitarian pause each day in its combat operations in northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee to the south. Global day of action held calling for ceasefire in Gaza, with protests in New York, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, and more. Democratic Representative Cori Bush of Missouri joined a group of veterans in front of the nation's capital today, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein announces her entry into the 2024 presidential race. Democratic senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia has announced that he won't seek reelection. Climate activists from the Bay Climate Action coalition gathered at Yerba Buena Gardens to hold a rally outside of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework negotiations ahead of next week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond held a Homeless Education Summit with lawmakers and educators to discuss the educational impacts caused by student homelessness amid the ongoing housing crisis in the state. A man sits on the rubble as others wander among debris of buildings that were targeted by Israeli airstrikes in Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. A new U.N. report paints a stark picture of the devastating collapsing Palestinian economy after a month of war and Israel's near total siege of Gaza. (AP Photo/Abed Khaled, File) The post U.S. President Joe Biden's administration says Israel will allow a four-hour humanitarian pause each day in its combat operations in northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee to the south – Thursday, November 9, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration says Israel will allow a four-hour humanitarian pause each day in its combat operations in northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee to the south. Global day of action held calling for ceasefire in Gaza, with protests in New York, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, and more. Democratic Representative Cori Bush of Missouri joined a group of veterans in front of the nation's capital today, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein announces her entry into the 2024 presidential race. Democratic senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia has announced that he won't seek reelection. Climate activists from the Bay Climate Action coalition gathered at Yerba Buena Gardens to hold a rally outside of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework negotiations ahead of next week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond held a Homeless Education Summit with lawmakers and educators to discuss the educational impacts caused by student homelessness amid the ongoing housing crisis in the state. A man sits on the rubble as others wander among debris of buildings that were targeted by Israeli airstrikes in Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. A new U.N. report paints a stark picture of the devastating collapsing Palestinian economy after a month of war and Israel's near total siege of Gaza. (AP Photo/Abed Khaled, File) The post U.S. President Joe Biden's administration says Israel will allow a four-hour humanitarian pause each day in its combat operations in northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee to the south – Thursday, November 9, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

The Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO is Partner and Chair of The Asia Group's Australia Practice. He most recently served as Australia's Ambassador to the United States, where he was closely involved in negotiations related to AUKUS, the Quad, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Amb. Sinodinos previously served as Australia's Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science and as Senator for New South Wales in the Australian Parliament from 2011 to 2019. He also served as Cabinet Secretary and Assistant Treasurer, as well as Chief of Staff and Senior Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Hon. John Howard AC.

USTR Chief Ag Negotiator Visits CaliforniaAfter speaking at the recent Agri-Pulse Conference, ABC was able to arrange orchard visits for USTR Chief Ag Negotiator Doug McKalip. The almond and walnut orchards outside of Sacramento were the perfect venue to discuss the impact of tariffs and technical issues on the shipment of almonds. An important point that was highlighted was the fact that despite increases in shipments to several key markets, growers are operating at a considerable economic loss. Ambassador McKalip was keen to learn more about the impact on rural communities in the area, as well as the competitive situation with Australian and European production. USTR is focusing on IPEF negotiations, which stands for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity and involves India, Japan, South Korea, and the US. The U.S. is also in parallel discussions for a trade agreement with Kenya. ABC will be holding further discussions with USTR on specific market access issues during the industry delegation trip to DC taking place later this month. Highlights from MRL Harmonization Workshop Several GTRA staff attended the annual MRL seminar put on by the California Specialty Crop Council that was held this year in San Diego. Participation included attendees from overseas, regulatory agency staff, chemical registrant companies, and commodity and trade associations. A big focus was on EU Farm-to-Fork policies, specifically, Sustainable Pesticide Use Directive, applying environmental factors to MRL settings, which contravene existing WTO norms, and applying Mirror Clauses to imported products.There was a growing understanding among attendees that in addition to building alliances with EU businesses and trade groups, stakeholders who rely on exports to the EU must also liaise with each other and respective government agencies to counter the EU's growing ambitions and attempts to influence policies in international fora such as CODEX and the WTO, as these would have a far-reaching impact on international food trade. For more information, please contact akulkarni@almondboard.com.Transportation/Labor Union UpdateDue to lower container freight volumes coming into the United States, some west coast ports have been dropping shifts and slowing productivity. Additionally, International l Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) has continued to undertake sporadic “job actions” as a leverage mechanism in the ongoing labor negotiations. Previously, these had been limited to actions at the Ports of LA/Long Beach, however, this tactic spilled over to Oakland in early June leading to a closure for a shift. Negotiations between the two sides have continued to drag on, with some progress being reported despite the occasional disturbances at the port. For more information, please contact bdensel@almondboard.com.

The Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO is Partner and Chair of The Asia Group's Australia Practice. He most recently served as Australian Ambassador to the United States, where he was closely involved in Australia's negotiations related to AUKUS, the Quad, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Ambassador Sinodinos previously worked as Australia's Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science and was a Senator for New South Wales in the Australian Parliament from 2011 to 2019. He also served as Cabinet Secretary and Assistant Treasurer, as well as Chief of Staff and Senior Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Hon. John Howard AC.

Today we hear some reflections on the cost-of-living crisis in a rural context from Dave Fox from the AMWU and Secretary of the Bendigo Trades and Labour Council We then draw the lens back to a world trade perspective, IPEF, the Indo Pacific Economic Framework and the most recent update from Trade Justice Fund America on the progress of IPEF the latest US economic pact being hammered out which includes Australia and 12 of our nearest neighbours.

For call center workers in the Philippines, attempts to unionize the workplace don't just entail confrontations with local management—but overseas US-based multinationals and the US federal government's foreign policy agenda as well. Since 2022, the Biden administration has promoted a new economic initiative known as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). Touted as a vehicle for “writing the new rules of the 21st century economy,” the IPEF links 14 nations across the Pacific Rim into an emergent bloc that has been compared to the defunct Trans-Pacific Partnership. Like the TPP before it, the IPEF attempts to build an exclusive economic regional pact that excludes China.In a special livestream panel, workers and organizers in the US and the Philippines discuss how trade policy and worker repression in the Philippines go hand-in-hand with the IPEF and the New Cold War on China. The event, moderated by Maximillian Alvarez, Editor-in-Chief of The Real News Network and Ryan Harvey, National Field Director for Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, is part of organizing efforts for two upcoming rallies in the U.S. during negotiating meetings for the Biden's administration's largest trade initiative, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). Those meetings and rallies will take place in Detroit in May and in Seattle in August. This event is co-hosted by Public Citizen, BAYAN USA, the BPO Industry Employees Network, and Communication Workers of America.Panelists include:Mylene Cabalona, President, BPO Industry Employees Network (Philippines)Kendra Williams, Member, Communications Workers of America, Local 6215 (US)Adrian Bonifacio, National Chairperson, BAYAN USA (US)Melinda St. Louis, Director, Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch (US)Maximillian Alvarez, Editor-in-Chief, The Real News Network (moderator)Ryan Harvey, National Field Director, Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch (moderator)Additional links:For more info about the May 20th Detroit IPEF/APEC rally: https://bit.ly/Detroit-IPEF / asiddiqui@citizen.orgFor more info about the August Seattle IPEF/APEC rally: julie@washingtonfairtrade.orgStudio Production: Cameron Granadino, Adam ColeyHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer: Donate: https://therealnews.com/donate-podSign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/newsletter-podLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnewsFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealnews

Today we are finding out about the Indo Pacific Economic Framework, the latest free trade deal being hammered out between the US and thirteen Indo Pacific Nations including Australia. We hear from Arthur Stamoulis, from Trade Justice Education Fund, for an overview of IPEFand then from Patrick Wadell, from AFL - CIO Technology Institute, for a look at the issues in a digital world when it comes to trade deals.Links to Trade Justice Education Fund actions and information:Write IPEF NegotiatorsLike and share on socials!TwitterInstagram FBOrganizational Sign-On Letter on IPEF

Leslie will be joined by Tom Conway, President of the United Steelworkers (USW), North America's largest industrial union.  They're 1.2 million members and retirees strong in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. They proudly represent men and women who work in nearly every industry there is. The two will have a broad conversation about how national security requires sound trade policy. Here are the subtopics that they'll be covering during the interview: Manufacturing in key sectors like steel and aluminum underpins national security, providing vital resources for our military and helping the nation meet its critical infrastructure needs. Section 232s have been an essential part of this since 2018. While there have been some modifications in relations to trading partners like the European Union and the United Kingdom, these measures remain an essential part in ensuring the U.S. can protect itself and rebuild its infrastructure. Facing global overcapacity, largely driven by China's unfair trade practices, 232 relief measures worked –and are continuing to work – as intended. - In steel, they improved industry conditions, spurred investments, and directly created thousands of new jobs. - They also allowed for needed capital investments so that U.S. steelmakers can continue to produce some of the best, cleanest steel in the world. - And domestic steel is underpinning the massive infrastructure upgrades we're making in communities across the country thanks to President Biden's vision and leadership. This is why a recent ruling by the World Trade Organization (WTO) was not only deeply flawed, but also dangerous. A recent decision by the dispute panel of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, (USMCA), raises similar concerns about overreach. - The WTO has no standing to interfere with national security, and its attempt to do so undermines the credibility of the entire organization. - Allowing China to join the WTO, more than 20 years ago, was a mistake that has allowed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to leverage its position and continue its predatory practices. - Overcapacity, dumping, and illegal subsidies remain urgent concerns – which the WTO again made clear it is not equipped to address. - Until we have a broader reform of our trade system, we must instead rely on the tools we have at our disposal like filing trade cases and keeping the 232 relief measures in place. The Russian invasion of Ukraine also reinforced how critical trade is to national security. - The U.S. aluminum industry was already struggling, and then last year Century Aluminum Company idled its smelter in Hawesville, Ky.. They were the last domestic producer of commercial quantities of military-grade aluminum remaining after decades of foreign competition undercut the U.S. industry. - Energy prices caused by the war are also hurting European Aluminum producers, leaving markets open to Russian exports. - Sanctions on Russian aluminum will be a critical part of keeping not only the U.S. but the whole world safe, as will bringing new smelting capacity online. As we look to the future, domestic production and sound trade policy will be essential in another aspect of our national security: meeting our energy needs. - There is tremendous potential in areas like offshore wind, and the Biden administration is working to build out our domestic industry and secure the supply chain this industry will need to be successful. - Europe has a significant lead. - And China is ramping up production. Chinese producers are currently able to produce relatively inexpensive products because they can rely on the country's overcapacity in steel, dominance in rare earths, and control over the supply chain, setting up a “race to the bottom.” - So the U.S. needs to act quickly. The previous administration made it clear that we cannot exist in a vacuum when it comes to trade, that we need careful coordination with trusted partners. This is why it is crucial that we're deliberate in our work in the Indo-Pacific region.  - The administration's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework contains important priorities, including strong labor and environmental standards. - However, it's essential that the agreement adheres to worker-centered values, and that the U.S. selects only partners who are serious about realizing these goals, and intend to meet its terms. - Only then will this new chapter make our trade policy sounder – and our nation safer. The website for the United Steelworkers is www.USW.org. Their handle on Twitter and Instagram is @steelworkers.

Leslie is joined by Tom Conway, President of the United Steelworkers (USW), North America's largest industrial union. They're 1.2 million members and retirees strong in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. They proudly represent men and women who work in nearly every industry there is. The two have a broad conversation about how national security requires sound trade policy. Here are the subtopics that they covering during the interview: Manufacturing in key sectors like steel and aluminum underpins national security, providing vital resources for our military and helping the nation meet its critical infrastructure needs. Section 232s have been an essential part of this since 2018. While there have been some modifications in relations to trading partners like the European Union and the United Kingdom, these measures remain an essential part in ensuring the U.S. can protect itself and rebuild its infrastructure. Facing global overcapacity, largely driven by China's unfair trade practices, 232 relief measures worked –and are continuing to work – as intended. - In steel, they improved industry conditions, spurred investments, and directly created thousands of new jobs. - They also allowed for needed capital investments so that U.S. steelmakers can continue to produce some of the best, cleanest steel in the world. - And domestic steel is underpinning the massive infrastructure upgrades we're making in communities across the country thanks to President Biden's vision and leadership. This is why a recent ruling by the WTO was not only deeply flawed, but also dangerous. A recent decision by the dispute panel of the USMCA raises similar concerns about overreach. - The WTO has no standing to interfere with national security, and its attempt to do so undermines the credibility of the entire organization. - Allowing China to join the WTO, more than 20 years ago, was a mistake that has allowed the CCP to leverage its position and continue its predatory practices. - Overcapacity, dumping, and illegal subsidies remain urgent concerns – which the WTO again made clear it is not equipped to address. - Until we have a broader reform of our trade system, we must instead rely on the tools we have at our disposal like filing trade cases and keeping the 232 relief measures in place. The Russian invasion of Ukraine also reinforced how critical trade is to national security. - The U.S. aluminum industry was already struggling, and then last year Century Aluminum Company idled its smelter in Hawesville, Ky.. They were the last domestic producer of commercial quantities of military-grade aluminum remaining after decades of foreign competition undercut the U.S. industry. - Energy prices caused by the war are also hurting European Aluminum producers, leaving markets open to Russian exports. - Sanctions on Russian aluminum will be a critical part of keeping not only the U.S. but the whole world safe, as will bringing new smelting capacity online. As we look to the future, domestic production and sound trade policy will be essential in another aspect of our national security: meeting our energy needs. - There is tremendous potential in areas like offshore wind, and the Biden administration is working to build out our domestic industry and secure the supply chain this industry will need to be successful. - Europe has a significant lead. - And China is ramping up production. Chinese producers are currently able to produce relatively inexpensive products because they can rely on the country's overcapacity in steel, dominance in rare earths, and control over the supply chain, setting up a “race to the bottom.” - So the U.S. needs to act quickly. The previous administration made it clear that we cannot exist in a vacuum when it comes to trade, that we need careful coordination with trusted partners. - The administration's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework contains important priorities, including strong labor and environmental standards.

Il presidente degli Stati Uniti Joe Biden l'ha detto più volte e molto chiaramente: la Cina è il competitor principale degli Stati Uniti e per questo serve uno sforzo strategico da parte di Washington in Asia. Biden ha così lanciato diversi progetti: alcuni di natura puramente economica, altri più ideologici nel tentativo di irretire i paesi asiatici in una specie di alleanza anti cinese. Ma i paesi asiatici sembrano essere titubanti di fronte a questa nuova strategia americana: temono una “crociata” in nome dei valori americani e sanno di non poter fare a meno economicamente della Cina. Gli inserti audio di questa puntata sono tratti da: Vice President Harris Delivers Remarks at the APEC CEO Summit, canale YouTube White House, 18 novembre 2022; Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Thailand, Cgtn, 17 novembre 2022; Usa-Wto: Clinton pushes for China's acceptance, Ap Archives, 21 luglio 2015; President Biden Launches the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, canale YouTube White House, 23 maggio 2022; Biden at the DNC: The days of cozying up to dictators is over, Cnn, 21 agosto 2022; President Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of G20 summit, Cbs, 14 novembre 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle speaks with Evan Laksmana about U.S.-China dynamics in Southeast Asia and Southeast Asian views of U.S. foreign policy in the region. Haenle and Laksmana touch on the role of ASEAN, the Quad, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework as well as China and the United States' competing visions of regional order.Evan Laksmana is a nonresident scholar at Carnegie China, where he examines U.S.-China dynamics in Southeast Asia and the broader Asia-Pacific. Laksmana is also a senior research fellow with the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. He is also a nonresident scholar with the Lowy Institute for International Policy. His research focuses on military change, civil-military relations, and Southeast Asian defense and foreign policies.If you enjoy listening to the China in the World podcast, consider checking out the Carnegie Endowment's suite of podcasts:https://carnegieendowment.org/the-world-unpackedhttps://carnegieendowment.org/events/carnegieconnectshttps://carnegieindia.org/interpretingindiahttps://carnegieendowment.org/grandtamashahttps://carnegieeurope.eu/europeinsideout

Listen to this SBS Hindi news from India. 28/09/22

Aufnahme vom 21 September 2022 Nachrichten aus Asien: Anhaltende Naturkatastrophen in Asien; Proteste gegen steigende Benzinpreise in Indonesien; President Xi's erste Auslandsreise seit COVID und das Treffen der Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), sowie ein Ministertreffen zum Indo Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) in den USA; und ein kurzer Einblick in das politische Geschehen in Thailand. Im Interview spricht Alina mit Ansgar Graw, Leiter der Medienprogramme Asien der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, über Journalismus in Asien und Europa. Viel Spaß, hört rein, teilt gerne - es lohnt sich!

The recently announced Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) includes commitments on four pillars, one of which relates to building an inclusive, free and fair trade in digital markets, also on free cross-border data flow. India decided against engaging on the fourth pillar of the IPEF at the moment, waiting for emerging contours and owing to ongoing process of firming up digital framework laws. The article discusses existing and forthcoming laws on data protections, judicial precedents and reports with specific emphasis on cross-border transfer conditions in light of the importance that trade agreements relating to digital economies such as IPEF accord to free flow of information, while protecting individual privacy.Audio Source : An article published on the LKS website in August 2022 https://www.lakshmisri.com/insights/articles/indo-pacific-economic-framework-and-future-of-cross-border-data-flows/#Authors: Prashant Phillips, Partner (LKS),  Sameer Avasarala, Senior Associate (LKS)Voice : Dikshita Damodaran, Senior Associate (LKS) 

Updates on transportation and Logistics, a new USTR Chief Negotiator and China's Decree 248 challenges in this month's Global Update from the Global Technical and Regulatory Affairs team at ABC. Transportation/Logistics Update The number of container ships headed for the California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach — a traffic jam that once symbolized American consumer vigor during the pandemic — declined to the lowest level since the bottleneck started to build two years ago. According to data from the Marine Exchange of Southern California & Vessel Traffic Service Los Angeles and Long Beach, eight vessels were in the official queue at the end of August. That's an all-time low, officials said in a statement, down from a record of 109 set in January and about 40 lined up a year ago. As a result, LA port officials want ships that diverted around the congestion to return. Long-term box freight rates continue to climb but are finally showing signs of coming under pressure. Data from the online platform Xeneta shows that long-term rates increased 4.1% in August, standing 121.2% higher than this time last year. Nevertheless, there are signs that new long-term contracted rates are actually starting to drop on key trading corridors. But given that they're replacing expiring agreements with considerably lower rates, the average paid by all shippers is still climbing. The Almond Alliance has worked with carriers and railroads in order to expand service options to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. CMA/CGM has announced the opening of weekly services to India and Asia via Union Pacific rail from the Oakland Ramp to the Port of Los Angeles. MSC is currently adding the Oakland Ramp as an export option in their online booking system. Evergreen has confirmed core services available via Oakland Ramp to Los Angeles and working towards LB. OOCL will rail direct to ship from Oakland to LA & LB or by truck to LA & LB. Services currently include China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Korea, Australia, and Vietnam. All of these services are now available both by booking direct or through SCTC contracts. For more information please contact the Almond Alliance staff@almondalliance.org or Brock Densel at ABC, bdensel@almondboard.com. USTR Chief Ag Negotiator Moving ForwardThe Senate Finance Committee voted unanimously to advance the nomination of Doug McKalip for chief agricultural negotiator at USTR. McKalip is currently serving as a senior advisor to the agriculture secretary and is a longtime agriculture department official. His confirmation hearing and following questions for the record had a major focus on market access in trade negotiations, particularly the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. McKalip pledged that he would push for market access, for IPEF's trade pillar to be a core piece of the framework, and for trade to be “a much larger percentage of the results” than the other pillars. He now awaits a confirmation vote from the full Senate. Meanwhile, there has been no further movement on the nomination of Alexis Taylor for the Undersecretary for Trade position at USDA. Update on China's Decree 248While most handlers were able to take advantage of the fast-track registration of their facilities and corresponding raw inshell and shelled almonds for shipment to China back in December 2021, China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) has become very slow in helping firms clear products that weren't approved in the initial registrations. Please be advised that if you are shipping products that have not been approved under your GACC registration, you may experience long delays in clearing products stuck in Chinese ports even with assistance from US FDA and USDA offices in Beijing. If you need help confirming which products are already covered under your GACC account or need assistance registering additional products or with the initial registration of your facility with GACC, please contact...

Citing elusive consensus and possible discrimination against developing economies prompted India to stay out of the trade pillar of the United States-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF.  Given that India is currently negotiating trade deals with the UK, Canada and EU, is the IPEF decision a step in the wrong direction? Also, what does this mean for India's ambition to become a larger player in global trade?  Staying with international trade, India is one of the largest producers of fruits and vegetables. But it has long been struggling to ramp-up its exports -- where smaller countries like Thailand are way ahead.  India is the world's second largest rice producer followed by China. But last week, the government imposed export duties on various grades of rice. Analysts expect that this protectionist measure will harm the profitability of rice-mill companies in the near-term. However, healthy rice harvest and sound fundamentals are expected to override negative sentiments in the long- haul.  Did you know that you can click a photo on any item and search similar products on the web? People are using visual search over 8 billion times a month. Find out more in this episode of the podcast.

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF, was formed jointly by the US and partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on the sidelines of the Quad Summit in Tokyo on the 23rd of May this year. IPEF is an important part of US President Joe Biden's strategy to counter growing Chinese clout in the Asian economic sphere. The first in-person ministerial meeting of the 14-nation bloc took place in Los Angeles last week. And its joint declaration was on the expected lines. India decided to join three pillars of the IPEC. These relate to supply chains, tax and anti-corruption, and clean energy.  However, it has decided to opt out of the trade pillar for now. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal cited the lack of a broader consensus on issues such as environment, digital trade, labour and public procurement. Stating that the final contours of the framework on trade were yet to emerge, Goyal said that India was yet to ascertain what benefits member countries would derive. And whether any of the conditions, for example on the environment, might discriminate against developing countries. The minister also pointed out that India was in the process of firming up its digital framework and laws, especially on privacy and data. According to Goyal, while India would continue to engage with IPEF on trade, it would wait for the final contours to emerge before finally associating with that particular pillar. Apart from India and the US, the 12 other members of the IPEF are Australia, Brunei, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. All the other member nations have joined IPEF's four pillars. The IPEF partner countries represent over 40 per cent of the global economy. The IPEF has four pillars. The first is supply-chain resilience. The second involves clean energy, decarbonisation, and infrastructure. The third deals with taxation and anti-corruption. And, the fourth one is fair and resilient trade. The US is also seeking to include issues like the cross-border flow and localisation of data under the framework.   According to a February report by the US Congressional Research Service, member countries have to sign up to all of the components within a particular pillar, but do not have to participate in all the pillars.  The “fair and resilient trade” pillar is being led by the United States Trade Representative and includes digital, labour, and environment issues, with some binding commitments. However, the IPEF does not include market access commitments such as lowering tariff barriers. IPEF is the first plurilateral deal that India has agreed to join after exiting the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, deal in 2019. The decision to opt out of the trade pillar for now may make sense since it is possible that India is not adequately prepared to handle negotiations on labour, environment standards and digital trade. After all, domestic regulations in all of these areas are yet to reach a level of maturity. But, there is need for a nuanced view because while India's domestic limitations may have driven its decision, there will be an impact on how member nations, especially the US, view it. Also, the impact of the decision on India's ambition to be a part of the global value chain needs to be looked at closely. While the decision may be the right step as far as India's domestic sensitivities are concerned in the short-term, there is also a counter argument when it comes to how competent the country is in negotiating on complex trade issues. Remember that at present, India is negotiating trade deals with the UK, Canada and EU. It has also agreed to including chapters regarding new-generation trade issues.

In today's DriveTime, we discuss the conclusion of the first in-person Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity Ministerial in Los Angeles and get an update on Alexis Taylor's nomination to be USDA's Trade Undersecretary.

The United States faces the most challenging trade environment in decades. Amid a complex domestic political environment, a more aggressive China, and varied trade views among U.S. allies to U.S. allies, the Biden administration has championed a new approach. In this complicated and fraught environment, what exactly is the worker-centered trade policy? Can trade really be designed to benefit American workers and the middle class? Can it effectively counter an emboldened China? And will the newly created Indo-Pacific Economic Framework revitalize U.S. trade strategy in Asia?Aaron sits down with the United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai to discuss the future of U.S. trade policy.

Japanese trade minister Yasutoshi Nishimura and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai agreed on Wednesday to strengthen cooperation between their countries ahead of a ministerial meeting next week of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity initiative.

【ワシントン時事】西村康稔経済産業相は３１日、米通商代表部のタイ代表とオンラインで会談した。 Japanese trade minister Yasutoshi Nishimura and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai agreed on Wednesday to strengthen cooperation between their countries ahead of a ministerial meeting next week of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity initiative.

コンテナが山積みになったロサンゼルス港、２０２１年１１月２４日、米カリフォルニア州ロサンゼルス【ワシントン時事】米国主導の新たな経済圏構想「インド太平洋経済枠組み」の参加各国は２０日、９月上旬に閣僚級会合を開き、正式交渉の開始を宣言する方向で調整に入った。 Countries participating in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity initiative on Saturday started arrangements to hold a ministerial-level meeting in early September to declare the start of formal negotiations.

Countries participating in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity initiative on Saturday started arrangements to hold a ministerial-level meeting in early September to declare the start of formal negotiations.

WASHINGTON – In Episode #34 (Segment 2 of 2) of his podcast, Thomas Fraser talks with Ted Osius about diplomacy, the history of America's reconciliation with Vietnam and business opportunities in Southeast Asia.  Osius is President and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council and, previously, US Ambassador to Vietnam.  Osius is also the author of the excellent new book “Nothing Is Impossible: America's Reconciliation with Vietnam.”In Part 1 of this episode, Osius discusses the remarkable transformation that has taken place in the US-Vietnam relationship. Thirty years after a brutal war, the United States and Vietnam enjoy fundamentally improved political, diplomatic and trade relations.  Successful diplomacy is about investing in relationships and building trust, Osius says.In Part 2, Osius describes business opportunities in the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries and how the US-ASEAN Business Council works with US companies to help them succeed in Southeast Asia.  With a projected annual growth rate of more than 5.5% per year, ASEAN is forecast to become the fourth largest economy in the world by 2030.“Nothing Is Impossible: America's Reconciliation with Vietnam” is published by Rutgers University Press.To learn more about the US-ASEAN Business Council, please go to www.usasean.org.  To learn more about The Tom Fraser Podcast and to listen to additional episodes, please go to www.tlfraser.com/podcasts.  This podcast is part of an ongoing series exploring economic development and investment in Southeast Asia.The information provided in this podcast does not constitute the provision of legal, tax or investment advice.  This information is provided for general informational purposes only.Copyright 2015-2022 Thomas L. Fraser.  All Rights Reserved.

WASHINGTON – In Episode #34 (Segment 1 of 2) of his podcast, Thomas Fraser talks with Ted Osius about diplomacy, the history of America's reconciliation with Vietnam and business opportunities in Southeast Asia.  Osius is President and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council and, previously, US Ambassador to Vietnam.  Osius is also the author of the excellent new book “Nothing Is Impossible: America's Reconciliation with Vietnam.”In Part 1 of this episode, Osius discusses the remarkable transformation that has taken place in the US-Vietnam relationship. Thirty years after a brutal war, the United States and Vietnam enjoy fundamentally improved political, diplomatic and trade relations.  Successful diplomacy is about investing in relationships and building trust, Osius says.In Part 2, Osius describes business opportunities in the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries and how the US-ASEAN Business Council works with US companies to help them succeed in Southeast Asia.  With a projected annual growth rate of more than 5.5% per year, ASEAN is forecast to become the fourth largest economy in the world by 2030.“Nothing Is Impossible: America's Reconciliation with Vietnam” is published by Rutgers University Press.To learn more about the US-ASEAN Business Council, please go to www.usasean.org.  To learn more about The Tom Fraser Podcast and to listen to additional episodes, please go to www.tlfraser.com/podcasts.  This podcast is part of an ongoing series exploring economic development and investment in Southeast Asia.The information provided in this podcast does not constitute the provision of legal, tax or investment advice.  This information is provided for general informational purposes only.Copyright 2015-2023 Thomas L. Fraser.  All Rights Reserved.

The last few months saw a buzz of activity in Asia. The Biden administration just launched its signature Indo-Pacific Economic Framework to jumpstart trade relations with regional partners. Meanwhile, China stirred the pot as it inked a controversial pact with the Solomon Islands. And just a few weeks ago, members of the G20 convened in Bali, while news of the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe shocked the world. At the forefront of the recent developments in the Asia Pacific has been State Department Counselor Derek Chollet. Counselor Chollet returns to The World Unpacked to talk about his trip with Secretary Blinken to Asia, Shinzo Abe's legacy, U.S.-China competition, and more.Follow Doug on Twitter @DouglasLFarrar.

Simon's live update for CNA with Paul Sng anchoring.

Last year, President Biden announced that the United States would be exploring the development of an Indo-Pacific economic framework. The announcement was made during a virtual East Asia Summit back in October. That framework, known as IPEF, was officially launched last month. Over the intervening seven months, bits of information and broad concepts about IPEF […]

Photo:  Nautical from, Private Journal of a voyage to the Pacific Ocean, and residence at the Sandwich Islands, in the years 1822, 1823, 1824, and 1825 #StateThinking: The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is not sufficient. @MaryKissel Former Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State. Executive VP, Stephens Inc. https://thediplomat.com/2022/06/vietnam-eyes-pragmatic-gains-from-the-indo-pacific-economic-framework/

This week we talk about recent developments in local, state, federal, and international policymaking that aim to help scale up CDR. Joining the conversation is Greg Nemet. His 2019 book “How Solar Energy Became Cheap” traced the history of PV technology and the government policies that helped it become the cheapest form of electricity in history. At the book's conclusion Greg examined how the lessons from solar's rise could inform the effort to scale up DAC and other newer climate technologies. Greg was also an author of the IPCC's AR6 mitigation report, released in April. Radhika, Chris, and Greg discuss- LOCAL: Last month Boulder, Colorado, and Flagstaff, Arizona, announced a partnership to pool $300,000 to purchase carbon removals to help them meet their climate commitments. STATE: California's Governor Newsom proposed that the state spend $100 million in this year's budget to match funding for CDR projects that have received federal grants, specifically mentioning the recent federal infrastructure bill. FEDERAL: In April the Federal Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Act was introduced by two Democratic members of congress, and in May, two Senators introduced a version of the bill. If passed, this legislation would compel the federal government to directly procure carbon removal from various technological methods. INTERNATIONAL: Carbon removal found its way into two intranational agreements recently. In May, President Biden announced the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework with Australia, Japan, and South Korea. According to Brian Dees, the White House Director of the National Economic Council, this plan will promote “carbon removal purchasing agreements.” That same week the US Special Climate Envoy John Kerry at the Davos Conference announced an expansion of the “First Movers Coalition,” a group of corporations committing to supporting six hard-to-decarbonize sectors, including carbon removal. At this announcement, Alphabet, Salesforce, and Microsoft agreed to spend $500 million on carbon removal purchasing by 2030. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/carbonremovalnewsroom/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/carbonremovalnewsroom/support

In this episode, we talk about Biden's recent trip to Asia as the US attempts to (re)pivot back to this critical region despite the ongoing war in Europe. We start talking about the Yoon-Biden summit, which renewed and expanded security cooperation between South Korea and the US. Next, we discuss the real goal of the trip: the renewal of policies meant to contain China's growing regional influence. Here we discuss Biden's controversial statement on Taiwan and the announcement of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework–what is it, and will anything of substance come from it?Topics Discussed in this Episode:Colombian Run-off ElectionsNorth Korea and the Biden-Yoon SummitUS Defense of TaiwanEconomic Strategy for Containing ChinaArticles Mentioned in Episode:Foreign Policy QuizColombian Run-off Elections'TikTok King' challenges ex-rebel for Colombia's top job (BBC)North Korea and the Biden-Yoon summitBiden visit showcases hardened stances on North Korea (WaPo)China Containment and the Indo-Pacific Economic FrameworkAmerica's new Asian economic pact: just don't call it a trade deal (The Economist)Will Biden's Asia trip help the US meet its strategic objectives? (Brookings)Russia or China? The U.S. Has a Choice to Make.(NYT)

In this episode of GTI Insights, GTI Program Manager Marshall Reid interviews Dr. Prashanth Parameswaran, a fellow with the Wilson Center's Asia Program. In a wide-ranging discussion, Parameswaran shares his perspectives on ASEAN's approach to the Taiwan Strait, the recent US-ASEAN Special Summit, and prospects for greater Taiwan-ASEAN engagement in the wake of the announcement of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

This week, Mike is joined by Wendy Cutler, Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute, to unpack President Biden's economic strategy towards the Indo-Pacific and his May 2022 trip to Asia. The two discuss the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and regional reactions to its various pillars and incentives, prospects for a digital trade agreement, and China's bid to join CPTPP. How can the United States engage with allies and partners in the region to promote fair trade, supply chain resiliency, and other rules and norms? 

A version of this essay was published by Swarajya magazine at https://swarajyamag.com/world/the-quad-will-china-dominate-the-indo-pacific-as-the-us-reverts-to-atlanticism-what-can-india-doA lot has happened in the last week or two: POTUS Biden’s visit to Japan for a Quad summit and related economic moves; China’s outreach to Pacific Islanders for security pacts; and the World Economic Forum pow-wow in Davos. In some sense, the Ukraine war and related disruptions have taken a back seat, even though related inflation and shortages are a long-term story. In my opinion, the Biden Administration is pursuing self-defeating policies as far as the Indo-Pacific is concerned. On the one hand, it may be because (as is the norm in India) one political party wants to undo whatever their rival had done when they were in power. On the other hand, there is a curious lack of historical memory about great-power games: the US seems to be either blase about, or reconciled to, Chinese domination of Asia/the Indo-Pacific. None of this is good as far as India is concerned. In a harsh analysis of India’s clashes on the Kashmir/Tibet border with China, two anonymous but trenchant critics suggest India has been defeated already: “China-India Border Crisis Has Quietly Resulted in Victory For Beijing’, based on the fact that the Chinese military buildup is well-nigh impossible for India to overcome.Thanks for reading Shadow Warrior! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Meanwhile, there is increasing criticism of American involvement in – indeed responsibility for – prolonging the Ukraine war, surprisingly from the pro-Democrat, pro-war pages of the New York Times: “The War in Ukraine May Be Impossible to Stop. And the US Deserves Most of the Blame.” A slightly dated (April 1) article on “The Military Situation in Ukraine” had already given a cogent explanation of how reality on the ground was vastly different from the narrative.What I fear is that Ukraine will become a quagmire for not only Russia, but also the US. As the NYT op-ed said, it’s not much of a leap from a proxy war to a secret war. The US is rather good at getting into unfortunate messes like this, and then having to declare victory and run like hell: see Vietnam or Afghanistan. Two brutal articles from Tablet magazine, “Three Big Questions That the American Establishment Got Wrong” and “Wingnuts vs. Factions: The two theories of American government—one fantasy, one reality” purport to show how making bad, often really bad, decisions is par for the course for US administrations, in particular Democrats. All this presages the possibility that Ukraine will be a tar baby for the US and its NATO allies, and a drain on their national treasuries. It also means that their national attention will be riveted on Russia and Ukraine for the foreseeable future, leaving China free to run rampant in Asia. Democratic Party power brokers are anyway Atlanticists fighting the Cold War all over again. Let us, therefore, consider the Indo-Pacific from a perspective where the US is increasingly hors de combat. There is this theory of the “three island chains” in the Pacific as first propounded by American John Foster Dulles, according to CSIS.org, which further states that today we have to add two more island chains in the Indian Ocean. John Foster Dulles is attributed with designating the islands stretching from the Kurils, the Japanese home islands, and the Ryukyus to Taiwan, the Philippines, and Indonesia as the “first island chain” in the 1950s. The second chain stretches from Japan through the Marianas and Micronesia, and the third is centered on Hawaii...The addition of a fourth and fifth chain in the Indian Ocean would better describe emerging Chinese maritime strategy. Chinese naval planners hope to deny adversaries the ability to operate within the first island chain during a conflict, contest control of the second island chain, and operate as a blue water navy within the third island chain. A new fourth island chain through the middle of the Indian Ocean would reflect China’s ability to challenge its geostrategic neighbor India with dual-use facilities in Gwadar, Pakistan, and Hambantota, Sri Lanka. A fifth island Chain, originating from China’s base at Doraleh, Djibouti, would reflect Beijing’s ability to pursue its developing commitments afar, such as harnessing economic resources, conducting anti-piracy operations, and protecting Chinese living abroad. [emphasis added]This is alarming, as the ‘fourth island chain’ is basically the ‘String of Pearls’ intended to strangle India and tie it down in the so-called ‘South Asia’, by negating its undoubted geographic advantage of straddling the sea lanes in the Indian Ocean. The Chinese submarine pen at Hainan in the South China Sea, with easy access to the Indian Ocean via the Straits of Malacca, is already a threat to Indian interests and blue-water navy aspirations. In addition, China is currently in the middle of a furious ship-building frenzy, so they will also have surface ships, including aircraft carriers, capable of projecting force a long way into the Indian Ocean. Just as they have done in the Himalayas, and the South China Sea, China is using ‘below-the-threshold of war’ tactics to build up its capability until one day its foes are forced to submit. Degringolade.POTUS Biden has made it clear that his administration has very little interest in Asia. He made three trips to Europe before his very first trip to Asia: a quick visit to Japan (and South Korea), where he attended a meeting of the Quad and a coming-out party for the newest American-mooted economic proposal, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. This seems to be too little, too late, after the US exited the Trans-Pacific Partnership.The IPEF also seems like a face-saving measure, and it is increasingly evident that Biden’s alleged new enthusiasm for Asia is as empty as earlier POTUS Obama’s botched ‘pivot to Asia’, which was a lot of hot air with no substance. I also remember with fury Obama’s granting of hegemony over ‘South Asia’ to China: like the Pope once divided the world between Portugal and Spain. As though Obama were dispensing papal bulls. As Indian geostrategist Brahma Chellaney suggests on Nikkei Asia in “Biden’s empty Taiwan rhetoric reveals Quad’s core weakness”, Biden’s statement about US military support for Taiwan in case of a Chinese invasion may be mere bravado. There are two reasons. The first is that, as Biden’s minions clarified after his alleged gaffe, US military involvement is not within the scope of US agreements with Taiwan and/or China, which maintain the fiction of “One China”. The second is that, given its diminished industrial capacity (China has hollowed it out), the US cannot fight two major wars at once: Ukraine and Taiwan. To emphasize their disdain for the alleged ‘pivot’, the Chinese sent strategic nuclear bombers towards Japan while Biden was there, accompanied by Russian bombers. As I write this, China has just sent 30 warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense zone. The signals are clear: they threaten to invade Taiwan. Thank you for reading Shadow Warrior. This post is public so feel free to share it.In the meantime, China is attempting to expand its footprint in the Indo-Pacific. It scored a coup with the Solomon Islands where it signed a wide-ranging agreement. According to a podcast from The Economist, a leaked draft shows that the agreement allows Chinese police and soldiers to be deployed in the Solomons for a broad range of reasons. It stops short of setting up a military base, but only just.Beyond this, Chinese FM Wang Yi had a blitzkrieg in the Pacific, visiting 8 island nations over 10 days, and on May 30th, he signed agreements in Fiji with a consortium of 10 of them. A draft talked about trade, tourism, security, training of police, forensic labs, and cyber-security, according to The Economist podcast Base Motives? China in the Pacific.The entire Belt and Road Initiative was a covert effort to gain access to ports, and turn them into Chinese military bases (although it has stalled a little now because of its predatory debt-trap diplomacy side-effects, as best seen in Sri Lanka). Beyond Djibouti in 2017, Gwadar and Hambantota, there are others like Cambodia’s Ream military base where China has facilities.China is also quite likely causing the sharp spike in global food prices. Economist Shamika Ravi tweeted as follows, and this is a good reason why India did a U-turn on wheat exports: instead of enabling Chinese proxies to buy it up, India will only do government to government deals. Thus the picture is of a diffident America shuffling off into Atlanticist and Anglosphere dead-ends like AUKUS (Britain brings almost nothing to the picture in the Indo-Pacific), while a more confident China is expanding its reach. Its saber rattling threatens Taiwan immediately, and India, Japan and South Korea more indirectly. The context of the Quad is also a far cry from what Abe Shinzo first envisaged as a tight military and economic alliance. It is pretty much a mere talking-shop. For instance, it is clear that none of Australia, Japan, or the US will send a single soldier to fight China on India’s behalf on the Kashmir/Tibet border. The creation of AUKUS (there are rumors about JAUKUS with Japan and CAUKUS with Canada as well) basically means India is being left out in the cold. Again. It has to depend on itself. Atmnirbharata. There is talk of a Quad-Plus, including South Korea and New Zealand. But not Vietnam and Indonesia, which are more significant? New Zealand, especially under woke Jacinda Ardern, is marginal; in fact Australia is also of little interest in the Indian Ocean. There is also political instability in Australia: Scott Morrison was replaced by Anthony Albanese overnight.I can remember at least five-six Australian PMs in the recent past, including die-hard Sinophile Kevin Rudd. How can you have continuity in such a situation? How can anybody depend on Australia to deliver on Quad? Similarly, Japanese PM Kishida Fumio is a far cry from the sensibly militaristic and nationalist Abe Shinzo. In the US, the switch from Donald Trump to Joe Biden has meant chaos regarding the Indo-Pacific. And after this November’s elections, it is likely that Biden will be a lame duck: his approval numbers keep hitting new lows, and hostile Republicans are likely to take over the Senate, leading to a war of attrition: bad news for foreign policy.In the middle of all this political turmoil, it is hard to imagine that the Quad is going to get better.Meanwhile, the developed nations of the West are merrily carrying on with their old agenda as in the Davos shindig, as though there is no end in sight for the party. Rana Foroohar of the Financial Times sounded a warning, as if one were necessary in the wake of the carnage of stock market crashes and soaring inflation. But no, laissez les bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll!And that’s exactly what India is up against. The rest of the world (with the possible exception of Japan) does not care. India has to assume it can only depend on itself, Quad or no Quad. It has to build up its military and economic muscle, and industrialize while keeping a low profile. The Thucydides Trap is a likely scenario, and presumably it will exhaust both the protagonists, leaving the door open for India to ascend to the G3 and then to the G1.1850 words, June 1, 2022 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com

Another American administration, another much-vaunted pivot to Asia. Republicans and Democrats agree that America needs to respond to China's growing regional clout, but that's where the harmony ends. War in Europe is diverting attention, much of Asia has doubts about America's reliability and China warns that any attempt to build an “Asian NATO” is “doomed to fail”. What is the Biden administration's Asia strategy?Scott Kennedy, senior advisor on China at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, assesses the administration's long-awaited plans for countering Chinese regional influence. We find out how America pushed its Western defensive frontier all the way across the Pacific. And our US economics editor Simon Rabinovitch weighs up whether the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is a disappointing “nothing burger” or a vital seat at the table. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Jon Fasman.For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Subscribers can also sign up to our “Checks and Balance” newsletter at economist.com/newsletters See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Another American administration, another much-vaunted pivot to Asia. Republicans and Democrats agree that America needs to respond to China's growing regional clout, but that's where the harmony ends. War in Europe is diverting attention, much of Asia has doubts about America's reliability and China warns that any attempt to build an “Asian NATO” is “doomed to fail”. What is the Biden administration's Asia strategy?Scott Kennedy, senior advisor on China at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, assesses the administration's long-awaited plans for countering Chinese regional influence. We find out how America pushed its Western defensive frontier all the way across the Pacific. And our US economics editor Simon Rabinovitch weighs up whether the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is a disappointing “nothing burger” or a vital seat at the table. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Jon Fasman.For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Subscribers can also sign up to our “Checks and Balance” newsletter at economist.com/newsletters  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The United States and Taiwan have agreed to a new trade initiative after the island is excluded from the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework that President Joe Biden launched in May. Check out more audio articles. Listen Now for Free : https://ept.ms/3tcKKo2

U.S. Wheat Associates Analysis on Biden Administration's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

US Counters China With Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

The Biden Administration formally launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework with 12 other countries.

Amerika Serikat belakangan mengundang pemimpin negara-negara ASEAN ke Gedung Putih untuk pertama kalinya. Selain itu, AS juga mengumumkan Indo-Pacific Economic Framework dengan berbagai mitra di kawasan Asia. Apakah ini perwujudan dari usaha pivot to Asia-nya Barack Obama dulu? Apa untungnya ASEAN dalam skema ini? Gimana respons Tiongkok ke depannya? Dianalisis bareng Rafi, Ikhlas, Majiid, dan Shofwan di Podcast Bebas Aktif! Amerika Serikat lagi bersafari. Berbagai stakeholder di kawasan Indo-Pasifik diajak kumpul-kumpul, termasuk ASEAN. Kenapa ini signifikan? (02:46) AS bukannya lagi sibuk ngurusin krisis di Eropa? Emang sepenting apa sih Asia dan ASEAN di mata AS? (05:05) Sempet dilangkahi waktu AUKUS, sekarang AS justru ngundang ASEAN ke Gedung Putih untuk pertama kalinya. Biasanya, AS ngerangkul ASEAN kalo ada maunya. (08:19) Apakah rangkaian engagement dalam rangka pivot to Asia ini bakal berujung eratnya hubungan ASEAN dengan AS? (35:39) Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework: What the hell is that? (37:59) IPEF sepertinya dibentuk untuk mulai mengimbangi pengaruh Tiongkok di Indo-Pasifik. Apakah bakal efektif? (41:50) Apa untungnya IPEF untuk Asia? Apakah ini permulaan untuk sesuatu yang lebih besar, buat menggantikan TPP dan CPTPP? (44:15) Indonesia bakal untung atau nggak nih? (50:50) Tapi, gimana sih sebenernya posisi Indonesia dalam kompetisi AS-Tiongkok? (52:51) Instagram: @kontekstualcom Twitter: @kontekstualcom YouTube: Kontekstual Kunjungi kontekstual.com untuk berita HI paling aktual!

President Biden recently completed his first trip to Asia, during which he launched Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity with a dozen partners in the region. On this episode, David Dollar speaks with retired U.S. diplomat Susan Thornton about the pillars of the new framework, its relationship to existing trade relationships like CPTPP, RCEP, and ASEAN, and what incentives nations in the region have for cooperation with the U.S. and China. Thornton, a senior fellow in the Paul Tsai China Center at Yale Law School and a nonresident senior fellow John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings, also addresses U.S. economic diplomacy with Europe and how Russia's war on Ukraine may affect America's relationship with China and Asia more broadly. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3Go06eF  Dollar & Sense is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Send feedback to podcasts@brookings.edu, and follow us on Twitter at @policypodcasts.

The Quad leaders launched Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) at the recently held Quad summit in Tokyo. In this episode, Megha Pardhi and Manoj Kewalramani discuss various aspects of IPEF.Follow Megha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pardhimegha21Follow Manoj on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theChinaDudeCheck out Takshashila's courses: https://school.takshashila.org.in/You can listen to this show and other incredible shows on the new and improved IVM Podcast App on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/iosYou can check out our website at https://www.ivmpodcasts.com

So, it was my pleasure to sit down with my colleague, Lim Wonhyuk in the Virtual Studio. Lim Wonhyuk has just recently returned to the Republic of Korea (Korea) after two years of research and teaching at SAIS in Washington D.C. as a Visiting Professor. Given President Biden visiting the Asia-Pacific region for the first time since becoming President, it seemed opportune to sit down with my colleague Lim Wonhyuk to explore the consequences of the trip and focus more generally on the Biden Administration's Indo-Pacific strategy. Lim Wonhyuk is a professor at the KDI School of Public Policy and Management in South Korea most recently has served as Associate Dean, Office of Development Research and International Cooperation, at KDI School. Lim Wonhyuk recent publications include: Opinion Polarization in Korea (KDI, 2019, edited) and Understanding the Drivers of Trust in Government Institutions in Korea (OECD, 2018, co-edited), Lim Wonhyuk holds a PhD in Economics from Stanford University So come join us in the virtual studio to examine Biden's Indo-Pacific strategy including the development of the Quad and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and US relations with Korea, and others including China.

The sixty-sixth episode of the DSR Daily Brief. It's a holiday weekend. So instead of giving you the news in 10 minutes or less, we are sharing an interview similar to what we provide members in the bonus brief. For this interview, DSR Daily Brief Hosts Grant Haver and Chris Cotnoir talk with Kevin Klyman, a Research Analyst at Harvard's Belfer Center about his recent op-ed "Biden's Successor to TPP Is a Boon for Big Tech". What is the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework? How can the Biden administration make it better? Will big tech ever be reined in? Find out in this jam-packed episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's high-profile trip to the United States is coming to an end. The Detail asks, what's in it for New Zealand, what's in it for the US, and where to next for the relationship?

Radar podcast host Steven Van Belleghem and his #nexxworks friends Pascal Coppens and Julie Vens - De Vos discuss the highlights from our Web3 tour in London, the metaverse, a VR literate generation, China's endless shopping festivals and Chinese Valentine, the Return-to-Office War, the Great Resignation, rituals at work, a record-high number of college graduates unable to find work in China and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. For more inspiration about business and technology, go to nexxworks.com.

We talked about: 1. The QUAD smit in Tokyo. 2. Indo Pacific Economic Framework. 3. World of work report by ILO. 4. Tour of duty scheme for military service. ✌️ cc @siddharthsigroha @fallen_bruce @profvyas. Timestamps: 1. The QUAD smit in Tokyo(3:17). 2. Indo Pacific Economic Framework(22:34). 3. World of work report by ILO(33:25). 4. Tour of duty scheme for military service(44:28).

Key Ag Senator, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, believes the Presidents new Indo Pacific Economic Framework is a poor substitute for the TPP.

This week on Sinica, Kaiser welcomes veteran Asia reporter Demetri Sevastopulo, who covers the U.S.-China relationship for the Financial Times. They discuss some of Demetri's scoops, like the news that Vladimir Putin had requested military aid from Xi Jinping, leaked just before National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's meeting in Switzerland with State Councillor Yang Jiechi and just three weeks after Russia's invasion; and the news that China had tested a hypersonic glide craft in October of last year. But the focus of the discussion is on the Biden administration's China policy and its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework — an Asia strategy that, by all accounts, has met with a tepid response in the region.1:47 – How Demetri landed a beat as U.S.-China relations correspondent5:24 – How the FT scooped the story on Putin's military assistance request to Xi Jinping in March 202212:05 – The Chinese hypersonic glidecraft24:42 – The DC China policy scene: A dramatis personae40:11 – The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework: all guns and no butter52:54 – The Quad and AUKUS: American-led security arrangementsA full transcript of this podcast is available at SupChina.comRecommendationsDemetri: Gunpowder, an Irish gin from County Leitrim; and Roku, a Japanese whiskey by SuntoriKaiser: Chokepoint Capitalism, a forthcoming book on how monopolies and monopsonies are ruining culture, by Rebecca Gilbin and Cory DoctorowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Andrew Schwartz and Victor Cha are joined by Christian Davies, Seoul Correspondent for the Financial Times to discuss the Biden-Yoon summit on May 21 as well as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, North Korea's missile and nuclear threat, and China's response to Biden's active agenda in Asia.

Thursday's AOA began with Deb Calhoun, Secretary of the National Waterways Foundation about a study they had commissioned on the current state of America's inland waterways compared to others around the world. Dr Joseph Yaros, President of Pipestone Veterinary Services China Division about the staggering levels of biosecurity on Chinese hog farms since the advance of ASF. In segment 3, Andrew Brandt, US Grains Council Director of Trade Policy joined the show to break down the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework currently under discussion; and we closed the show with DuWayne Bosse of Bolt Marketing in South Dakota about the market moves happening today.

5-25-22 AJ DailyAngus Hair Shed EPD to Go Live Friday Adapted from a release by Miranda Reiman, senior associate editor, Angus Journal AFBF Welcomes New Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Adapted from a release by the American Farm Bureau Federation Retail Meat Prices Remain High Adapted from a release by Adam Russell, Texas A&M AgriLife Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, Angus Journal. For more Angus news, visit angusjournal.net. 

US President Joe Biden held his debut East Asian tour this week, and sparked a furious response from China when he appeared to suggest that the US would intervene militarily if Taiwan were attacked. This marked a departure from the previous White House position of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan. We discuss the implications of Biden's comments and broader takeaways from his visit to South Korea and Japan, including the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework with Tokyo-based journalist William Pesek.Image credit: EPA-EFE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday put the stamp on India's entry into the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. India has joined the bloc along with 12 other nations -- including the US -- to create a geostrategic counter to China's growing clout in the region by ramping up economic cooperation. While these are early days and the final contours of India's participation are yet to emerge, there could be some areas of friction too.Why India should tread with caution? From the negotiation tables in Tokyo, let us turn our focus to a storm brewing on the dining tables of restaurants back home. It is obviously over the bills. On Monday, the government said that eateries were illegally charging service tax from consumers. The eateries association, on its part, has denied it, saying that it was a matter of individual restaurant policy. So are eateries taking service charges illegally. We take a dive into this debate and find out more.   After the debate over services tax at eateries, let us turn our focus to markets. Soaring inflation, global central bank policies and the Russia-Ukraine war have dampened sentiment across global financial markets. So how does one navigate this uncertain phase? Will investors have to endure more pain ahead as their returns get pruned? What does S Naren, executive director and chief investment officer at ICICI Prudential AMC think of the developments. Business Standard's Puneet Wadhwa caught up with him to understand his investment mantra. Pandemic and subsequent war in Ukraine has indeed wreaked havoc on markets, with no relief in sight. Meanwhile, the threat of another virus is looming large over Europe. Over 170 cases of monkeypox have been reported in Europe and in four other countries outside the union. India too is on the guard. Let us find out more in next episode of the podcast.  Watch video

News Briefing-Memorial to mark the 13th death anniversary of former president Roh Moo-hyun in Gimhae-Joe Biden announced the official launch of the IPEF, Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, in Tokyo -An aftermath of South Korea's joining the IPEF-Health Minister Nominee Jung Ho-young finally resigned yesterday-Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik under investigation-Yoon's team at the prosecution-김해에서의 노무현 전대통령 13주기 추도식-조바이든, 미국 주도의 IPEF일본에서 출범했다-한국의 IPEF참여 여파-보건복지부 장관 후보자 정호영, 결국 자진사퇴-임의취업 의혹, 공직자 윤리위 심판대 서는 고용부 장관-검찰 전면에 나선 윤 사단Guest: Dahae Jung, ReporterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yesterday, the Game Workers Alliance (a union of quality assurance workers at Activism subsidiary studio Raven Software) won their vote to form a union. This may not seem like such a big deal, but it is. The games industry is large and growing. Quality assurance testers do the grunt work of rooting out bugs and potential problems in the weeks and months before games are released publicly. These jobs are typically among the lowest in the game industry, with demanding workloads finding and cataloging issues within a project's timeframe. That these workers are unionizing marks a major turning point in worker organizing of the new economy. Meanwhile, Starbucks Workers United has now unionized more than 80 Starbucks stores across the United States, and filed over 100 cases of unfair labor practices against the Seattle-based coffee giant. Howard Schultz, who returned to head the company in April, has a union busting record that goes back to the origins of the company, and is vowing to stop the drive toward unionization. But he can't stop it. Workers at a Trader Joe's branch in Hadley, Massachusetts have begun organizing at the upscale supermarket chain. It would be the first unionized Trader Joe's store out of more than 530 locations in the US. “We organized ourselves. With the same instinctive teamwork we use every day to break pallets, work the load, bag groceries, and care for our customers, we joined together to look out for each other and improve our workplace together,” workers wrote in an announcement letter to Trader Joe's CEO, Dan Bane.Workers at Amazon warehouses continue to organize, against fierce anti-union headwinds coming from Jeff Bezos and other Amazon executives. Unions are coming to the new economy of grunt jobs in high-end corporations. Between October 1, 2021 and March 30, 2022, the National Labor Relations Board recorded a 57 percent increase in workers filing for the petitions to allow union elections. What's going on?1. Part of the reason for the upsurge is the so-called “labor shortage” which — as I've stressed — is actually a shortage of jobs paying living wages. At least for now, workers have bargaining leverage to demand better pay. 2. Another part is related to the pandemic and its psychological effect on many workers who have begun asking themselves why they've settled for lousy jobs and often unsafe working conditions, especially when corporations are scoring record profits and CEOs of big firms are taking home record multiples of the typical workers' wages. More than at any other time in the last three decades, workers are telling employers “you can take this job and shove it.” 3. A third part of the revival of unions relates to America's retreat from globalization. Four decades ago, when corporations began to move (or threaten to move) their operations offshore to hire lower-wage workers, American blue-collar workers lost their bargaining clout. Unions went into retreat. But starting with Trump and continuing with Biden — along with global supply bottlenecks that are now convincing corporations to bring suppliers home — outsourcing is in sharp decline. (Yesterday, Biden announced an agreement that he hopes represents the future of trade policy, known as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which focuses on increased cooperation in areas like clean energy and internet policy rather than opening markets.)4. A fourth reason: More college graduates are now in blue-collar jobs, many leading unionizing efforts. 5. A fifth reason is a new appreciation of the importance of power in driving wages, and the fraudulence of the economic idea that “you're paid what you're worth.”The old economic mainstay that people are paid what they are “worth” is finally revealing itself to be an ideology grounded in nothing but power. Let me pause here to spend a bit of time on this one, because it's important. According to this old mythology, minimum wage workers aren't “worth” more than the $7.25 an hour federal minimum many now receive. If they were worth more, they'd earn more. Any attempt to force employers to pay them more will only kill jobs. According to this same ideology, CEOs of big companies are “worth” their giant compensation packages, now averaging 350 times pay of the typical American worker. They must be worth it or they wouldn't be paid so much. Any attempt to limit their pay is fruitless because their pay will only take some other form. Fifty years ago, General Motors was the largest employer in America. The typical GM worker then received over $35 an hour (in today's dollars) — which came to over $70,000 a year (in today's dollars). By contrast, America's largest employers are now Walmart (whose typical worker earns about $15 an hour, or $30,000 a year for a full-time employee) and Amazon ($17 an hour, or $35,000 a year).Does this mean GM employees a half-century ago were “worth” more than twice what today's Walmart and Amazon employees are worth? Hardly. Those GM workers weren't better educated or more productive than Walmart or Amazon workers are today. Fifty years ago, most GM workers hadn't graduated from high school, and they worked on slow-moving assembly lines. Most of today's Walmart and Amazon workers have graduated from high school; many have attended one or two years of college. And they're surrounded by digital gadgets – mobile inventory controls, warehouse search engines, instant checkout devices – that make them enormously productive. The real difference is GM workers a half-century ago had a strong union behind them that summoned the collective bargaining power of all autoworkers, enabling them to command a substantial share of company revenues for its members. And because more than a third of workers across America then belonged to a labor union, the bargains unions struck with employers raised the wages and benefits of non-unionized workers as well. (Non-union firms knew they'd be unionized if they didn't come close to matching the union contracts.)Most of today's Walmart and Amazon workers don't have a union to negotiate a better deal. They're on their own. And because only 6 percent of America's private-sector workers today are unionized, non-union employers across America don't have to match union contracts. This puts unionized firms at a competitive disadvantage. The result has been a race to the bottom. By the same token, today's CEOs don't rake in a record 350 times the pay of average workers because they're “worth” 350 times the pay of average workers. CEOs are getting these giant pay packages (and top executives just behind them raking in almost as much) because they appoint the compensation committees on their boards that decide executive pay. Their boards also want investors to see that their company pays their CEO more than the average CEO at their major competitors, showing that their CEO is worth more. It's the Lake Wobegon effect, where all CEO pay is above average. The result has been a CEO race to the top. If you still believe people are paid what they're “worth,” take a gander at Wall Street. Last year's average bonus was up 20 percent over the year before, to more than $257,500 — the largest average Wall Street bonus since the 2008 financial crisis. (Remember, we're talking bonuses, above and beyond salaries.)Are Wall Street bankers really “worth” it? Not if you figure in the hidden subsidy flowing to the big Wall Street banks that ever since the bailout of 2008 have been considered too big to fail. People who park their savings in these banks accept a lower interest rate on deposits or loans than they require from America's smaller banks. That's because smaller banks are riskier places to park money. Unlike the big banks, the smaller ones won't be bailed out if they get into trouble. This hidden subsidy gives Wall Street banks a competitive advantage over the smaller banks, which means Wall Street makes more money. And as their profits grow, the big banks keep getting bigger. How large is this hidden subsidy? Researchers have calculated that it's about eight tenths of a percentage point. This may not sound like much but multiply it by the total amount of money parked in the ten biggest Wall Street banks and you get a huge amount – well over $83 billion a year. That hidden subsidy going to Wall Street banks because they're too big to fail is almost twice what Wall Street paid out in bonuses (a total of $45 billion). Do the math. Without the subsidy, no bonus pool. By the way, the lion's share of that subsidy goes to the top five banks – JPMorgan, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo. and Goldman Sachs — which just about equals these banks' typical annual profits. In other words, take away the subsidy and not only does the bonus pool disappear, but so do the profits.  The reason Wall Street bankers got fat paychecks plus $45 billion in bonuses last year wasn't because they work so much harder or are so much cleverer or more insightful than most other Americans. They cleaned up because they happen to work in institutions – big Wall Street banks – that hold a privileged place in the American political economy. And why, exactly, do these institutions continue to have such privileges? Why hasn't Congress used the antitrust laws to cut them down to size so they're not too big to fail, or at least taxed away their hidden subsidy (which, after all, results from their taxpayer-financed bailout)? Could it be because Wall Street also accounts for a large proportion of campaign donations to major candidates for Congress and the presidency of both parties? America's low-wage workers don't have privileged positions. They work hard – many holding down two or more jobs. They can't afford to make major campaign contributions, and they have zero political clout. Unions built the American middle class. Their demise almost exactly tracks the demise of America's middle class and the growing share of total income going to the richest 10 percent. This graph makes this clear: The “paid-what-your-worth” mythology ignores power, which means it ignores the single most important reason why hourly workers today are earning so little while corporate top brass are earning so much. For years, this ideology has lured the unsuspecting into thinking nothing should be done to change what people are paid because, they assumed, nothing could be done. That's finally changing. The revival of union activism across America suggests that workers are getting the message: If they want higher wages and better working conditions, they need the power to get them. To have power, they need a union. What do you think? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Get the latest agriculture news in today's AgNet News Hour, hosted by Sabrina Halvorson. Today's show highlights the ag industry's support of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, information on potential non-fumigant nematicides for carrots, and potential impacts to the cotton industry from the latest DPR proposal for neonicotinoids. Tune in to the show for these news stories, interviews, features, and more

Inside Agriculture Segment 1

In today's The Breakfast Brief, tech stocks continue to be under pressure after a gloomy outlook from Snap, Starbucks joins McDonald's and other companies by withdrawing from Russia, and US president Joe Biden is thinking about reducing tariffs on products from China, while skepticism surrounds his Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're starting the week off running with two great guests, so don't be late today. We'll begin the week with an old friend of the show, John Fugelsang! He used to come on with me weekly, but then got too busy... We hadn't spoken in a while when I reached out this morning, and he said Yes. So, we have about 7 years to catch up on. Of course, I think I want to talk to him about the perversion of religion that's exploded during that time... In today's news, I noted that President Biden this morning in Japan announced a new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEFP) trade deal! Was I asleep at the wheel? Why didn't I know this was coming? We closely scrutinized past trade deals like the TPP, NAFTA, CAFTA, USMCA etc... why am I just now hearing about IPEFP and what should we know about it? There's only one person to ask. Lori Wallach is now Director of Rethink Trade, and will tell us all we need to know...

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is between the U.S. and 12 nations; Biden says considering cutting tariffs on Chinese imports; military transport plane delivers first shipment of baby formula to U.S. - May 23, 2022

NTD News Today—5/23/2022 1. Biden Announces Indo-Pacific Econ. Framework 2. Biden Commits to Defending Taiwan From China 3. Milley Warns of Likely War With Russia, China 4. Australia's Albanese to Meet Quad Leaders 5. Biden Comments on Spread of Monkeypox Virus

Korea24 – 2022.05.23. (Monday) News Briefing: President Yoon Suk Yeol has officially confirmed South Korea’s participation in the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework during a virtual summit launching the US-led initiative. (Eunice KIM) In-Depth News Analysis: US President Joe Biden wrapped up his three-day visit to South Korea on Sunday. After the summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday, a joint statement was released, where it was revealed that joint military exercises could be expanded and that strategic military assets would be deployed to the peninsula. There were also statements on enhanced economic and technological cooperation. South Korea’s Former Ambassador to the US, Ahn Ho-young, joins us on the line to review the summit outcomes, and discuss how North Korea and China might respond. Korea Trending with Walter Lee: 1. The weather is expected to be hotter than usual this summer, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration’s climate prediction models. (올 여름, 평년보다 더 덥다) 2. President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Kun-hee attended KBS’ “Open Concert” on Sunday, held to commemorate the opening of Cheong Wa Dae. (尹대통령 내외, 청와대 '열린음악회' 관람…"靑은 여러분 것") 3. According to the WHO, more than 100 cases of monkeypox have been found in some dozen countries outside of Africa since May 13th. (‘원숭이두창’ 14개국 확산) Monday Sports Round-up: Football star Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur has become the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot. Sports reporter Yoo Jee-ho from the Yonhap News Agency joins us on the line to discuss this historic feat. He also briefs us on the South Korean men’s national team roster that was announced for four friendly matches coming up in June, and the latest from the local KBO baseball season. Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin: - In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Park Han-sol reports on an exhibition by two artists of Korean descent, challenging ideas around race, gender, sexuality and nationality. - Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features an interview by Jie Ye-eun with Ha Dong-gu, the CEO of the high-end fashion rental company Reebonz, on how Millennials in South Korea are preferring to rent luxury products rather than buying.

*) Biden launches Asia trade initiative, reinforces Japan ties President Joe Biden has said that the US would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, warning China against what he called "flirting with danger". In Tokyo, Biden also announced the launch of a new Asia-Pacific trading network with 13 countries, including India and Japan. Ahead of the unveiling of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, Biden met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. He praised Japan as a "key global leader" for joining US-led pressure on Russia over its Ukraine offensive. *) UN: More than 100 million people forcibly displaced Russia's assault on Ukraine and other deadly conflicts have pushed the number of forcibly displaced people around the world above 100 million for the first time ever. UN refugee agency UNHCR said the "alarming" figure must shake the world into ending the conflicts. Since Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, over eight million people have been displaced within the country, while more than six million have fled across the borders. *) First 'war crimes' verdict looms in Russia-Ukraine conflict A panel of judges in Kiev will determine the fate of Russian Sergeant Vadim Shishimarin, who has admitted to killing a 62-year-old civilian. The verdict expected on Monday will be the first in a case involving what Ukrainian authorities describe as Russia's war crimes. Shishimarin's lawyer has argued for an acquittal, saying his 21-year-old client was carrying out what he perceived to be a direct order that he initially disobeyed. Prosecutors, who have asked for a life sentence, said he was "well aware" he was executing a "criminal order". *) Anthony Albanese sworn in as Australia's prime minister Australia's new centre-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has taken office a few hours before flying out to attend an international summit in Tokyo. The 59-year-old prime minister was sworn in at a brief ceremony in Government House, Canberra. Albanese, who says Australia is willing to engage with the world on climate change, will join a summit on Tuesday with the US, Japanese and Indian leaders, known as the Quad. And, finally... *) Man City win Premier League title after epic fightback on final day Manchester City have won the Premier League for the fourth time in five seasons after a close title race reached a dramatic conclusion. Pep Guardiola's side were on the brink of blowing the title after falling 2-0 behind against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. But the champions staged an incredible comeback to beat their opponents 3-2. City finished with 93 points, just one ahead of Liverpool. And that's your daily news brief from TRT World. For more, head to trtworld.com

An international affairs expert believes the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework could cause its allied countries to cut trade ties with China. We hear from Robert Ayson, who is a professor of strategic studies at Victoria University of Wellington

New Zealand has joined an economic alliance of Asia-Pacific nations, which the United States hopes will counter China's dominance and boost its own influence in the region. More than a dozen countries have signed up to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which was launched in Japan last night. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - who is on her way to the US - says it's an opportunity to enhance New Zealand's partnerships with major regional economies.

The Prime Minister is en route to the United States on a whirlwind trade mission - but a visit to the White House is still to be confirmed. Jacinda Ardern will travel to multiple cities, meeting with politicians, tech heavyweights, as well as making another cameo on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. It comes as New Zealand joins the newly-launched Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. The plan seeks to expand the US' economic influence in the region, but it isn't quite the trade agreement many had hoped for. We hear from Jordan Small, executive director of the NZUS Council.

President Joe Biden in Tokyo is launching a new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) with 12 other countries in the region, who together are signing up as the first members of the economic partnership focusing on the Asia-Pacific. “This framework is a commitment to working with our close friends and partners in the region on challenges […]

March 2021, a table top exercise for a high consequence biological event was done: monkey pox. Scientists are baffled by this new strain of monkey pox. Biden announces Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. #nnn #netnewsnetwork #trendingnews #monkeypox #biologicalthreat #biden #ipef #worldnews #headlinenews #breakingnews #headlines #breaking #newspodcast #pandemic #behindtheline --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/behindtheline/support

California livestock producers could have access to Asian markets if talks with trading partners in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework go well.

Australia and India ink new Trade AgreementIt has been in the works for a long time, but it appears Australia and India have finally concluded their Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAusECTA) on April 2, 2022. The agreement provides for competitive tariff elimination or reduction on a wide range of goods including Australian almonds. The aim is to enhance bilateral trade to $54 billion in the next five years which is currently at $27.5 billion. As soon as the Agreement is ratified by both parliaments, India has agreed to create a combined annual tariff rate quota up to 34,000 MTs for shelled and inshell Australian almonds. From the information available, it appears importers will be required to obtain import licenses to utilize the TRQ. The in-quota rate will be 50% of the current MFN rate which would equate to 17.5 rps/kg for inshell and 50 rps/kg for shelled almonds. Meantime, the U.S. duties, given retaliatory tariffs, remain at 41 rps/kg for inshell, and 120 rps/kg for kernels. This is only the second agreement that India has signed in the last 10 years. The last agreement India signed was with Japan in 2011 followed by the UAE and now Australia in 2022. The deal with India removes tariffs on more than 85% of Australian goods exported to India, worth US$9.4 billion, rising to almost 91% over 10 years. Tariffs will be eliminated on sheep meat, wool, copper, coal, alumina, fresh Australian rock lobster, and some critical minerals and non-ferrous metals to India. It will see 96 percent of Indian goods imports enter Australia duty-free. Australia is currently negotiating nine FTAs including bilateral agreements with three of its largest trading partners, China, Japan and South Korea. Meanwhile, the United States is waiting to engage in talks related to the proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Transportation-Logistics Update The Senate unanimously approved the Ocean Shipping Reform Act in a vote last week. The bill's support comes at a time of peak congressional concern over the resiliency of American supply chains, which has become an even more critical issue in light of the Ukraine/Russia conflict. The bill, which aims to ease maritime supply chain issues, “is designed to support the growth and development of U.S. exports and promote reciprocal trade in the common carriage of goods by water in the foreign commerce of the United States.” The bill now goes into a process to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions. Once the differences are worked out, the bill will need to pass both chambers a second time. Have logistics updates you want to share? Please contact: bdensel@almondboard.com The EU hits “Pause” on its Sustainable Food Strategy The war in Ukrane has “pressed the pause button” on the EU's flagship food policy, the Farm to Fork strategy, but the long-term ambition for the sector remains unchanged, according to the EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides. Between skyrocketing food prices and shortages of key inputs such as fuel and fertilizer, the war has sent the EU agri-food sector reeling. “We're working hard to address global food security and for food affordability in the EU, including finding alternative feed sources for the short term,” said EU Health Commissioner Kyriakide. EU Commission and European industry have been meeting frequently to identify those temporary measures and policy implications brought about by the war and disruption to food supply systems. Several short-to-medium term measures are being considered to minimize disruption, which includes allowing farmers to plant crops on marginal/set-aside lands, packaging label changes, etc.

In this episode of NBR's Asia Insight, NBR counselor Charles Boustany is joined by Wendy Cutler and Robert Holleyman to discuss the latest developments in Indo-Pacific trade, including the Biden administration's proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, challenges around market access and digital trade, and how to overcome political obstacles in the United States to allow for more effective trade policy to be implemented.

In part two of our conversation with Ashley J. Tellis, we discussed opportunities for the United States and India to expand their relationship through greater cooperation on trade, technology, and security. We also discussed India's views on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the outlook for a visit to India by U.S. President Joe Biden, Pakistan's changing role in Indian security considerations, and more. Ashley holds the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Previously, he served on the National Security Council (NSC) as special assistant to President George W. Bush and senior director for strategic planning and Southwest Asia. On the NSC he was a top negotiator of the pivotal 2005 U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement – a landmark agreement that helped transform the U.S.-India relationship. You can watch the full video of our conversation at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwSvkY8tzvEq21kNOjYILXQ

In part two of our conversation with Ashley J. Tellis, we discussed opportunities for the United States and India to expand their relationship through greater cooperation on trade, technology, and security. We also discussed India's views on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the outlook for a visit to India by U.S. President Joe Biden, Pakistan's changing role in Indian security considerations, and more. Ashley holds the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Previously, he served on the National Security Council (NSC) as special assistant to President George W. Bush and senior director for strategic planning and Southwest Asia. On the NSC he was a top negotiator of the pivotal 2005 U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement – a landmark agreement that helped transform the U.S.-India relationship. You can watch the full video of our conversation at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwSvkY8tzvEq21kNOjYILXQ

On April 14, Elina and Greg sat down with the Trade Guys to discuss the Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). We are re-publishing the conversation with their permission. Don't forget to check out The Trade Guys- releasing every week on the CSIS network.

This week, the Trade Guys and their guests, Elina Noor from the Asia Society Policy Institute and Greg Poling from CSIS' Southeast Asia program, discuss the complexities of the Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

Two hundred members of the U.S. House of Representatives have shown their support for Taiwan's inclusion in the Indo–Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) that the Biden administration plans to launch early this year. https://ept.ms/3IRetb7 Taiwan, United States, Indo–Pacific Economic Framework, House of Representatives, participation, Indo–Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), economic engagement, vital region, Indo–Pacific, supply chains, 

Veerle is joined by Lisa Curtis, Senior Fellow and Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Programme at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). The Biden administration's new strategy highlights the importance of prosperity. However, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework still lacks details, while the Ukraine conflict is testing allies and partners both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Once again, the ties between the two regions are evident and place the US Indo-Pacific Strategy in a renewed context.

Originally published 2 March 2022. Veerle is joined by Lisa Curtis, Senior Fellow and Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Programme at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). The Biden administration's new strategy highlights the importance of prosperity. However, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework still lacks details, while the Ukraine conflict is testing allies and partners both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Once again, the ties between the two regions are evident and place the US Indo-Pacific Strategy in a renewed context.

On this week's episode of the Trade Guys, they discuss the US-Japan deal on steel, trade with China following the release of new data about purchases under the Phase One deal, and a request for consultations under USMCA regarding an endangered species.

一週財經聚焦 一、就在拜習視訊峰會之後，美國商務部長Gina Raimondo立刻訪問了日本、新加坡與馬來西亞。她說美國沒有考慮重返《跨太平洋夥伴全面進步協定》（CPTPP），而是會另起爐灶，在印太地區創設一個全新經濟架構。這個構想意味著什麼？背後有什麼深層含義嗎？ 國際媒體相關報導 ●Barrons巴倫週刊：〈China Is Racing Ahead to Lock in Asian Trade. Time to Worry.〉(中國搶先鎖定亞洲貿易。是時候擔心了。) ●Bloomberg彭博新聞社：〈U.S. Needs More Substantive Asia Economic Plan, Singapore Says〉(新加坡稱，美國需要更實質性的亞洲經濟計劃。) ●Reuters路透社：〈U.S. commerce chief sees Indo-Pacific economic framework early next year〉(美國商務部長表示，將在明年初看到新印太經濟框架。) 分析解讀 中國大陸在9月16日突然宣佈加入跨太平洋夥伴全面進步協定(CPTPP)之後，引起各國高度關注。美國政府立即聲明，中國大陸欲加入CPTPP，應由CPTPP成員所決定，美國現階段並沒有洽簽自由貿易協定(FTA)的意向。 中國大陸確實藉著FTA到處插旗，包括區域全面經濟夥伴協定(RCEP)、跨太平洋夥伴全面進步協定(CPTPP)。此外，中國也與不少一帶一路軸線國家，廣簽雙邊FTA。 反觀美國在亞太地區幾無進展，特別是CPTPP，前身是美國一手打造的跨太平洋夥伴協定(TPP)，目的是在增加美國在亞太地區影響力，以制衡中國。到底美國近期有何打算？ 不過美國商務部長Raimondo最近宣稱美國不加入CPTPP，這是美國對CPTPP有史以來最明確表態，也是最直接的否定，顯示拜登仍沿襲川普不參加FTA的策略。 美國當然更不可能申請在2022年生效，但規定生效一年半才吸納新會員的RCEP。所以直到2024年拜登總統第一任期結束前，美國在大型FTA進展將成真空狀態。 但這不是代表美國缺席，它在籌組成立一個超越CPTPP，比傳統FTA更穩固的新經濟聯盟。 最近拜登總統宣佈，美國將建構印太經濟架構。目前雖然尚未公佈內容，輪廓仍未確定，不過重點將不在傳統FTA市場開放部分，而是聚焦在新興項目諸如數位科技、供應鏈領域，建立成員更緊密的合作關係，以強化對中國大陸的制衡。 Indo-Pacific economic framework（印太經濟架構）也可視為FTA的升級版。雖然目前FTA大部分都包含產業合作專章，只不過大多只是聊具一格，重點仍在市場開放。即使在高品質的CPTPP下，產業合作內容也相當簡單。 而在美中貿易戰及新冠肺炎衝擊下，建構韌性供應鏈，確保經濟安全的重要性大増。美國認為必需超越FTA架構，打造以美國為主軸的經濟體系，才符合美國的需求，此也可以視為美國推動的印太戰略重要的一環。 未來印太經濟聯盟涵蓋成員廣，包括先前因顧慮對中國開放市場衝擊太大，因而退出RCEP的印度，印太經濟聯盟若能具體到位，影響力不容忽視。 美國在WTO第12次部長會議前夕宣佈建立印太經濟架構，多少也顯示美國未來將跳過世界貿易組織(WTO)，來重新架構全球經濟結構。因為中國沒有履行當初2001年加入世界貿易組織（WTO）時的承諾--推動結構性改變，轉型成市場經濟體，所以，美國發現透過貿易談判，簽署所謂的第一階段貿易協議，根本不能解決問題。因為中共無意認真執行協議，也因此美國一直以來都有把中國踢出世界貿易組織的想法。 但是真正要解決問題，恐怕還是要成立新的國際經濟組織，訂好條件，讓中國無法加進來。例如構想中的印太經濟架構，可以設定必須是市場經濟議題，而且資訊透明，才可加入，如此正好可將中國排除在外。 很明顯的，這次美國的一連串動作還是針對中國。印太經濟聯盟將會是美國制衡中國的重要平臺，未來發展值得關注。 Raimondo描繪美國想要成立的「印太經濟架構」，說這不同於像CPTPP這類以自由貿易協定為基礎的傳統經貿組織，而是會進一步包括供應鏈韌性、半導體、基礎設施、網路安全、隱私權，以及技術標準制定等領域，特別強調是以戰略方式，協調區域內的供應鏈合作與管理。 我認為，美國這個構想結合了地緣政治與地緣經濟，恰好又對台灣有重要意義，值得進一步推敲。 現在推出印太經濟架構，強調供應鏈安全與半導體，等於是在為台灣量身訂做一樣，有把台灣正式納入的意味。與此同時，這個架構將會強調網路安全、隱私權與技術標準，顯然是針對中國而來。 以2020年全球半導體供應國的市占率來看，美國位居第一，為42.9％；臺灣位居第二，為19.7％。臺灣半導體業中的晶圓代工、半導體封測市占率則分別已超過七成、五成以上，確實在全球半導體供應鏈中扮演舉足輕重的地位。 此外，美國掌握了半導體的關鍵技術專利及資本，日本掌握了關鍵材料，而臺灣理所當然，就是美日印太區域經濟架構及「供應鏈韌性」不可或缺的要角。所以臺灣必須要發揮其在美日印太戰略中的科技、地緣、民主等三大價值，以及足以對中國造成重大政經影響力的優勢，與美日相互緊密鏈結。 美國拜登政府這一年來積極推動印太戰略，在政治、外交甚至軍事方面成果豐碩，唯獨經貿領域乏善可陳，一直被質疑。最近終於提出明年將啟動「印太經濟架構」（Indo-Pacific Economic Framework）協定的構想，想藉此重返領導地位，對台灣、對亞太都是值得注意的發展。 從川普任期後半段到拜登上任，美國在印太地區動作頻繁。過去一年，跟日本、澳洲、印度領袖舉行了二次的四方安全會談（QUAD）；跟韓國、日本及東協都有簽署FTA，並舉行峰會互相拜訪；甚至建立了引發爭議的美英澳防衛協定（AUKUS）。但在經貿領域卻缺乏實質的進展。拜登總統於10月拋出將推動「印太經濟架構」，而商務部長Raimondo再度於11月有更具體的說明，終於對美國印太戰略的經濟面提出較為清晰的政策輪廓。 我們該如何解讀美國的這個新佈局？我認為有以下幾個重點： 首先，看來重返CPTPP不再是美國的選項，未來將以印太經濟架構為主軸。 第二，美國預計於明年2月開始啟動，而且印太經濟架構不是只有對話，將會以「協定」（agreement）的方式呈現。 第三，印太經濟架構不是傳統經貿協定，而將以如供應鏈韌性等新興區域性經貿議題為主。 這樣充滿創意的協定，是否能做為美國重返駕駛座的支援，尚待觀察；但可以預見的是，未來美國與印太盟友將會進入更有組織、更有方向的經貿問題討論，而且所談的問題以及解決方案，可能會脫離關稅、投資自由化以及貿易規則等我們熟悉的領域，進入一個全新模式。 面對這個新領域，臺灣必須注意： 1，必須熟悉新機制的影響與因應 無論物流之亂還是供應鏈韌性，在診斷問題時，不可避免的會以資訊蒐集與交換為基礎，以具體掌握瓶頸所在、研商可能的處理方式。也就是，近期台積電被要求「自願」提供產能資料的情況，有可能會成為印太經濟架構之下常態性、制度性的機制。 物流之亂的解決對台灣當然有益，而提高供應鏈韌性也有助於維持我國參與，但在過程中對於這些不熟悉新機制的影響及因應，也是台灣需有所準備之事。 2，盡早準備，以參與數位經濟與標準化制定 印太經濟架構的重點似乎不再是數位貿易規則，而是涉及資料跨境傳輸、資料保護、平臺互通及加密技術等國際標準的制訂。標準化是數位經貿規則的重要基礎，也是目前國際間進展較為不足的領域，台灣在標準化方面過去參與較少，也需提早準備。 3，面對已申請加入的CPTPP及未來的印太經濟架構，台灣要更靈活有彈性 印太經濟架構與CPTPP並不衝突，甚至有互補性。不過對於如供應鏈韌性、數位貿易標準化等面向上，在美中進入戰略競爭關係的局面下，美國主導的印太經濟架構可能形成與沒有美國參與的RCEP及CPTPP的競爭態勢。我國目前已正式申請加入CPTPP，對於印太經濟架構更有積極參與的重要性；同步準備積極爭取，是台灣應有態度。 二、歐洲商會近日向政府提出年度建議書，要求政府針對170項議題改善，其中118項是曾經提出的問題，52項則是新提出的議題。台灣有什麼啓發？ 國際媒體相關報導 ●Focus Taiwan中央社：〈EU business group urges Taiwan government to ease border controls〉(歐盟工商團體敦促台灣政府，放寬邊境管制) ●南華早報：〈EU shelves Taiwan trade upgrade amid high-wire balancing act on China〉(歐盟擱置台灣貿易升級，以應對中國採取高線平衡措施) ●聯合報：〈歐洲商會期盼提升能源 蔡其昌：努力中〉 分析解讀 台灣政府其實應高度重視這些建議，除了這是外資的客觀建議之外，也代表台灣過去習慣的海島思維自嗨心態，是時候該改變了。 歐洲商會的建議之所以如此重要，因它是台灣最大的外僑商會，包含400家企業和860位個人會員、30個產業和倡議委員會。歐洲雖和美、日同列為台灣三大外資（直接外來投資）來源，但台灣外來投資的首要來源，並非許多人想當然耳的美國或日本，而是歐洲。 以經濟部投資統計觀察，歐洲來台投資，在最新一年累積共有607億美元，遠超過美國的240億美元和日本的232億美元。若只看過去五年（2016-2020）的年平均投資，歐洲也以51億美元遠勝日本的9.4億美元和美國的2.5億美元。美國對台友好的「口惠」，並未像歐洲國家一樣落實在投資「行動」上。 而歐洲國家對台灣的巨額投資，也出乎許多人意料地，不是以德、英、法這些大國領先，而是由荷蘭領軍。荷蘭在台投資了近800件，金額達363億美元，佔全歐來台投資過半。這當然和荷蘭是歐洲電子業相對最盛的國家有密切關係，如荷蘭飛利浦就是台積電設立時的最大民間原始股東，迄今仍是台灣外資的領頭羊。 而台積電關鍵設備供應商－荷蘭的艾斯摩爾（ASML）去年也在台灣擴大投資，已僱用超過3,000名員工。 歐洲居次的德國雖有近千件投資，但總金額不過44億美元，只是荷蘭的12%；法國的700案只帶來13億美元投資， 反而是盧森堡（30億）和丹麥（33億）超前，這應和它們在金融和風電的全球化有關。這也意味著對德、英、法等大國的引資尚有極大潛力，有待政府和企業界共同努力。 雖然歐洲這幾年經濟表現看起來老態龍鍾，但以今年前十月的歐洲來台投資而言，主要分佈在電子零件業的2.7億美元、金融保險業的2.5億美元，以及批發零售業的2.4億美元，充分顯示歐洲一般企業對台灣的瞭解非常不夠，值得政府加大力道，促進歐商對台灣的瞭解，以發展針對歐洲的招商引資。 說到歐洲，很多人不知道歐洲佔全球GDP的份額高過了四分之一，本來歐洲企業在全球所有的創業投資 (VC) 的份額中只佔據不到十分之一，但現在情況正在發生改變。 數據提供商Dealroom表示，今年許多歐洲地區的創投交易都在猛增，歐洲今年成功吸引了全球18%的創業投資，這創下了歐洲的歷史新高，也為歐洲新創公司創造了更大的價值。歐洲現在已經出現了65個城市擁有獨角獸，這比全球任何地區都要來得多。 針對歐洲商會的建議，媒體的關注焦點，只放在其建議台灣防疫邊境管制應逐步廢止，為關鍵業務職位提供入境管道，讓企業得以維持業務營運和人才流通。我覺得這樣的觀點太過偏頗。 的確，台灣的疫情管制目前有點嚴苛，對大多數的外商來說很不友善。因管制機構不必承擔任何管製成本，導致企業付出了額外代價；特別是台灣今年高科技製造業的景氣特好，這種成本不會反映在成長率上，但從許許多多倒閉的服務業案例，卻可以看出這種額外代價。 歐洲商會的2022年建議書，主題為「台灣揚名全球的契機」，今天是由歐洲商會理事長張瀚書將建議書交給代表政府出席的國發會主委龔明鑫。這份建議書合計提出170項議題，議題範圍則廣泛包含了台灣沒有和國際接軌的規範或執行、外商進出臺灣的方便性和居留面對的困難、外商在台生活面對的困擾或阻礙等等。 在這170項議題中，很多人討論的是放寬邊境，但我認為最重要的其實是第一條--台灣應該更努力和國際接軌。因為若沒有高度的國際接軌，台灣就無法因引更多的國際投資和資金。這一點，我一直覺得台灣的努力還不夠。 例如在邊境管制方面，歐洲商會指出，台灣的成功得益於獨特的地理及經濟環境，因此置身於疫情最惡劣影響之外。如今疫情威脅程度已逐步趨緩，台灣不能再僅憑恃此優勢以維繫經濟運轉。台灣與國際間密切合作十分成功，但目前策略應配合局勢隨機應變，邊境限制應逐步廢止；而首要之務，是為關鍵業務職位提供進入管道。比起逐案審查，政府應制定明確的入境標準，讓企業得以維持業務營運和人才流通。 歐洲商會理事長張瀚書則說，希望政府針對整體規劃有比較有明確標準，畢竟企業需要的人才必須有方式讓他們入境，他們也會遵守相關控管。他舉了一個例子：有個總經理離開台灣被調去新加坡，但從國外派過來的接替人選卻進不來，公司陷入尷尬處境。後來用專案方式，才獲得批准入境。 另外，報告中還提到台灣的能源問題，並提出多項建議，例如，台灣2050淨零碳排的路徑草案到底是什麼？台灣未來的能源政策主軸又是什麼？這些問題，都值得台灣政府重視。 《經濟學人》總評 細看這一期的封面設計，你會看到在黑漆漆的封底前，是縱橫交錯的六條黃色封鎖線，封鎖線上用病毒圖案區開來的三個英文字，分別是OMICRON變種病毒、INFLATION通貨膨脹，以及CHINA SLUMP中國衰退。 經濟學人認為，這三個是現今全球最大的不確定因素。果不其然，中間幾個字說明了這次的封面故事焦點：「The threats to the world economy」(全球經濟面臨的威脅)。 在Covid-19疫苗問世以及取得臨床試驗成功不過剛剛滿一年，不料恐懼感又再次席捲了全球大部分的地區。11月24日首度在南非發現的Omicron變種病毒，似乎能夠成功繞過新冠疫苗所建立的防禦系統。世界衛生組織WHO已經宣稱Omicron 構成了「Very High非常高」的全球風險，默德納的老闆甚至警告說，現有的疫苗都很難成功抵禦這個深度變種的新冠病毒。 面對著更多的封鎖、邊境關閉和消費者焦慮的可怕前景，投資者能夠做的，就是拋售航空公司和連鎖旅館的股票。石油價格更是已經下跌了約每桶10美元，這種跌法，通常顯示的未來有可能會經濟衰退。 確實，現在要去判斷Omicron的變種突變是不是真的比Delta 變種病毒更具傳染性或致死率，目前還為時過早，隨著科學家未來幾周的分析數據出爐，流行病學界的看法將更加清確。但迫在眉睫的問題是，疫情蔓延的威脅將再次籠罩全球經濟，並放大原本就存在的這三個威脅。 首先，是富裕國家更嚴格的封鎖隔離，肯定將傷害經濟成長。在變種病毒的消息傳出後，各國已經開始阻止來自南非的旅客—這是最早發現Omicron的國家。 其次，不平衡的經濟復甦，可能加劇第二個危險，也就是這個變種病毒很可能會加劇已經很高的通貨膨脹，而且美國面臨的壓力將會最大。 最後一個危險最容易被人輕忽，那就是全球第二大經濟體中國的經濟放緩。如果事實證明 Omicron比Delta變種病毒更具傳染性，那將使中國目前的清零策略難以繼續，正在進行的各種管制政策，更會讓經濟增長雪上加霜。 總而言之，經濟學人這期的封面議題給了我們一個非常嚴肅的呼籲--全球經濟體系正在面臨著一系列接踵而至的新威脅。 Powered by Firstory Hosting