United States Trade Research Articles

Major Insect Pests of Sweet Potatoes in Brazil and the United States, with Information on Crop Production and Regulatory Pest Management.

The sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] is considered one of the most important crops in the world as food, fodder, and raw material for starch and alcohol production. Sweet potato consumption and demand for its value-added products have increased significantly over the past two decades, leading to new cultivars, expansion in acreage, and increased demand in the United States and its export markets. Due to its health benefits, sweet potato production has multiplied over the past decade in Brazil, promoting food security and economic development in rural areas. Their adaptability and nutritional value make them a food of great importance for Brazil. As pest attacks and disease infection are the main limiting aspects that often cause yield loss and quality degradation in sweet potatoes, there is a great demand to develop effective defense strategies to maintain productivity. There is a critical need for research into non-pesticide control approaches that can provide safe, cost-effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly pest and disease management techniques. Pests which feed on roots have trade implications worldwide. For example, sweet potato tuber shipments infested with the sweet potato weevil are generally not allowed for trade in North and South America.

Leveraging friendshoring in response to sanctions: Essential insights for global managers

In the world that has become increasingly hostile and politicized, the use of sanctions has emerged as an often-used tool for enforcing global rules. Nevertheless, organizations engaged in international trade have found ways to circumvent imposed sanctions and deliver goods and services to the sanctioned markets through a variety of means including offshoring, nearshoring, and, most importantly, friendshoring. There has been a notable increase in these shoring phenomena, especially in the context of global disruptions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States and China trade conflicts, and sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine war. This study offers a rich account of how organizations overcome economic sanctions that lead to restrictions in trade among trading partners. After unique in-depth interviews with representatives from 44 organizations involved in trade in nine imposing, intermediary, and targeted countries, we synthesized six main friendshoring models often used in instances where sanctions are imposed. We end by offering prescriptive guidance for managers whose companies face difficult shoring decisions because of sanctions.

Conversion Factor Estimation of Stacked Eucalypt Timber Using Supervised Image Classification with Artificial Neural Networks

Stacked timber is quantified in-store units and then adjusted with a conversion factor for volume estimation in cubic meters, which is important for the wood trade in South America. However, measuring large quantities accurately can be challenging. Digital image processing and artificial intelligence advancements offer promising solutions, making research in this area increasingly attractive. This study aims to estimate conversion factors of stacked Eucalyptus grandis timber using supervised image classification with Artificial Neuronal Network (ANN). Measured data and photographs from an experiment involving thirty stacks of timber were used to achieve this. The conversion factor was determined using photographic methods that involved the applications of equidistant points and ANN and subsequently validated with values observed through the manual method. The ANN method produced more accurate conversion factor estimates than the equidistant points method. Approximately 97% of the ANN estimates were within the ±1% error class, even when using low-resolution digital photographs.

Factors influencing the prioritisation of access to medicines in trade‐related intellectual property policymaking in Thailand

AbstractThailand is facing ongoing trade‐related challenges that threaten access to an affordable and sustainable supply of medicines. Despite Thailand's history of balancing trade pressures and public health priorities, little is known about the factors that enable or constrain a focus on access to medicines in trade‐related intellectual property (IP) decision making. Using document analysis and qualitative interviews, and drawing on Kingdon's Multiple Streams Framework, this qualitative study examines the factors that have enabled or constrained Thailand from focusing on access to medicines in three case studies of trade‐related IP policy: Thailand's patent law and its amendments; its issuance of compulsory licences; and its decision‐making about TRIPS‐plus trade agreements including potential membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans‐Pacific Partnership. The degree to which access to medicines has been prioritised in Thailand's trade‐related IP policymaking has varied across different types of policymaking and over time. Integral to its successes has been the involvement of the Ministry of Health and sustained advocacy by access to medicines coalitions which exert political pressure, generate evidence, and provide technical assistance to support evidence‐based policy reform. In addition, Thailand's compulsory licencing was made possible by a policy entrepreneur with the motivation and authority to implement policy change. Constraints to Thailand's focus on access to medicines have included its trade dependence on the United States (US), ongoing US trade pressure to implement TRIPS‐plus measures, and intense lobbying from Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the organisation representing US‐based major pharmaceutical companies, to increase IP protection for pharmaceuticals in Thailand. Through the use of Kingdon's framework, this study's focus on three different types of trade‐related IP policymaking has provided a detailed picture of the factors that have influenced the prioritisation of access to medicines and how these have played out in Thailand. Thailand's mixed history with regard to the prioritisation of access to medicines could provide lessons for other low‐ and middle‐income countries facing similar challenges to access to medicines by ensuring that the conditions are right in each of the three streams for windows of opportunity to emerge.

Estimating digital product trade through corporate revenue data

Despite global efforts to harmonize international trade statistics, our understanding of digital trade and its implications remains limited. Here, we introduce a method to estimate bilateral exports and imports for dozens of sectors starting from the corporate revenue data of large digital firms. This method allows us to provide estimates for digitally ordered and delivered trade involving digital goods (e.g. video games), productized services (e.g. digital advertising), and digital intermediation fees (e.g. hotel rental), which together we call digital products. We use these estimates to study five key aspects of digital trade. We find that, compared to trade in physical goods, digital product exports are more spatially concentrated, have been growing faster, and can offset trade balance estimates, like the United States trade deficit on physical goods. We also find that countries that have decoupled economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions tend to have larger digital exports and that digital exports contribute positively to the complexity of economies. This method, dataset, and findings provide a new lens to understand the impact of international trade in digital products.

US Trade Policy Uncertainty and Nigeria’s Participation in Global Value Chains: Evidence from Frequency Domain Causality, Wavelet Coherence Analysis, and Time-Varying Causality

AbstractThis study examines for the first time whether trade policy uncertainty emanating from the United States significantly predicts Nigeria’s participation in global value chains. It further examines the kind of global value chain participation in Nigeria (forward or backward linkages) that is most predictable by the United States trade policy uncertainty. To achieve the study objective, frequency domain causality, wavelet coherence analysis, and time-varying causality are employed in analyzing annual data sets over the period 1990–2019. The summary of the study findings is as follows; first, trade policy uncertainty emanating from the United States significantly predicts Nigeria’s overall integration into global value chains. Second, there is a positive association between Nigeria’s integration into global value chains and the United States trade policy uncertainty. Third, Nigeria’s overall integration into global value chains is highly correlated with the United States trade policy uncertainty in periods around the global economic crisis of 2007/08 and Nigeria’s recession of the late 2010s. Fourth, most of the predictability noticed in the relations between trade policy uncertainty generated by the United States and the overall global value chain participation is caused by the relations between the United States trade policy uncertainty and Nigeria’s forward linkage into global value chain participation.

An Analyzing of Deixis on Donald Trump’s Speech : “State of The Union Address”

This research is a descriptive qualitative research. The data in this study is speech of Donald Trump’s Speech analyzed.Data analysis was performed by categorizing data by type according to theory from Yule of type and function deixis.The goals of this research are to find out five kinds and functions of deixis used in Donald Trump’s Speech and the function of deixis. The techniques of the collecting data in this research are watching, writing and segmenting. After collecting the data the researcher analyzes the data that include five kinds of deixis. From the analysis the researcher found 567 deixis. Those are 404 person deixis, 90 time deixis, 35 place deixis, 18 social deixis and 20 discourse deixis. It found in Donald Trump’s Speech which contain five kinds of deixis: person deixis, time deixis, place deixis, social deixis and discourse deixis. Then, the researcher explains the data by descriptive explanation. The most dominant of types deixis appears in each speech of the person deixis (71,2%). It is becaused the utterance mostly refer to the person or the audience. The submissive of the data are the social deixis (3,1%) because the speaker used the person name more generally than social deixis as the surname. This speech is explaining about purposes and changes of United States. This speech more explain about smuggling, economy, illegal trade, terrorist and cancer in America.

Navigating discrepancies in macaque trade reporting: A response to Kolby et al. (2024) and a call for enhanced transparency

We extend our gratitude to the commentators for engaging with our article [1] and offering valuable insights. While we welcome constructive criticism, we find it necessary to assertively address the points raised to ensure a clear understanding of our work.1)Importance of the Long-Tailed Macaque Trade: Our article aims to underscore the conservation and public health implications associated with the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) trade. We identified discrepancies in CITES reporting, raising concerns about the efficiency and reliability of the current system. The urgency lies in monitoring the legal wildlife trade, considering conservation, welfare, and safety aspects to safeguard biodiversity and prevent potential pandemics.2)Data Availability, Analysis, and Interpretation: Acknowledging valid concerns regarding CITES data, we concur that a comprehensive investigation into the disparities in live macaque trade reports from involved parties, including the United States and China, is imperative. The highlighted discrepancies in reported trade volumes, as depicted in Fig. 1 of the source article, emphasize potential issues in reporting accuracy, underscoring the necessity for a meticulous evaluation of CITES reporting practices. It is crucial to clarify that our intent is not to undermine the reporting system, but to draw attention to its inherent shortcomings, particularly when significant parties such as the United States display inconsistencies. Emphasizing the significance of timely reporting, our article endeavours to stimulate a thorough examination of the underlying reasons for delays in reporting by signatory parties.3)Statement about the Macaque Trade to the United States of America: Contrary to interpretations made by the commentary authors, our focus extends beyond the United States trade; rather, we delve into the global landscape of the long-tailed macaque trade. Our article highlights the shifting trends among exporting countries, notably the transition from China to Cambodia, prompting us to scrutinize current production capacities. While acknowledging recently released data detailing macaque movements between China and the United States, it is essential to note that these additions neither alter established trends nor provide conclusive answers to the queries posed in our original article.In conclusion, our article seeks to contribute to the improvement of wildlife trade data accuracy and reporting practices. We value the discourse sparked by the commentators and emphasize our commitment to transparent and evidence-based discussions for the betterment of global conservation and public health efforts.

Trade, institutional quality and economic growth in Africa: does China and United States trade matter?

We investigate the relationship between China and the United States’ trade with sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the region's economic growth (EG). The research analyzes trade dynamics, distinguishing between the effects of exports and imports, while highlighting the significant role of institutional quality (IQ) in shaping EG within the context of China–US trade with Africa. Despite increasing trade with China and the US, SSA’s growth has lagged, prompting exploration into the specific trade forms contributing to EG and the role of IQ. Using data from 30 SSA countries from 2002-2020, we employed AMG and IV-2SLS estimations for our analysis. The study reveals that IQ complements Chinese and US trade to promote EG. Importantly, Chinese and US imports from Africa consistently boost growth, with the impact of exports diminishing. Chinese trade proves influential in countries with strong institutions but lacks impact in those with weaker institutions at higher levels of IQ. In contrast, US trade benefits growth in both strong and weak institutional contexts. These findings are instrumental for policymakers, offering insights into the specific trade activities that drive growth in SSA. Additionally, we emphasize the pivotal role of robust institutions in ensuring the positive impact of trade on growth.

Study on the Fluctuation Spillover Effect between China's Carbon Market and New Energy Market

This project analyzes the volatility spillover effect of China's carbon market and new energy market, which is crucial to effectively prevent Systematic risk, promote low-carbon transformation of the energy market and ensure stable economic growth. Firstly, based on the spillover index model, we examine the dynamic interdependence between China's carbon market and the new energy market; Secondly, in order to capture market asymmetry, this project decomposes the total volatility into good volatility and bad volatility based on the GJR-GARCH model, and further explores the asymmetric spillover effects between these two types of markets. Finally, the marginal net spillover index (MNS) method is used to explore the main sources and paths of risk transmission in China's carbon market and new energy market under the impact of major events such as the China–United States trade war, the COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Therefore, this project has important practical significance in promoting the establishment of a national carbon market, low-carbon transformation of the energy system, and improving macro risk prevention measures.

The United States and Taiwan Sign Trade Agreement and Congress Enacts Law to Regulate the Negotiation and Approval of Taiwan Trade Agreements

The United States and Taiwan Sign Trade Agreement and Congress Enacts Law to Regulate the Negotiation and Approval of Taiwan Trade Agreements

Can industrial agglomeration affect biodiversity loss?

Reducing the rate of species extinction and protecting biodiversity are major international concerns. The loss of biodiversity is closely related to international trade as an inevitable result of industrial agglomeration and improvements in green economy efficiency. In contrast to previous studies on biodiversity loss from the perspectives of deforestation, hunting, and fire, this study examines biodiversity loss from an international trade perspective, calculates the biodiversity footprint of each country as an indicator of biodiversity loss, and innovatively elaborates on the theoretical mechanisms of industrial agglomeration, green economy efficiency, and biodiversity loss. An empirical analysis used panel data from 148 countries from 2006 to 2020. This study identifies that industrial agglomeration directly and indirectly aggravates biodiversity loss through green economy efficiency, which mediates the relationship between industrial agglomeration and biodiversity loss. The effects of industrial agglomeration and green economy efficiency on biodiversity loss driven by export trade in developed and developing countries are consistent with the benchmark test results. The effect of industrial agglomeration on green economy efficiency is positive in developed countries and vice versa in developing countries. By region, green economy efficiency can significantly mitigate the embodied biodiversity loss in the export trade in Asia, Africa, and North America, whereas its influence in Europe and North America is insignificant. This study extends the perspective of biodiversity research from the natural to economic fields, delves into the underlying economic causes of the current state of trade-driven biodiversity loss, and provides important evidence for reducing biodiversity losses caused by international trade.

Gender and Violence in Toni Morrison’s A Mercy, Elena Ferrante’s Tetralogy My Brilliant Friend and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus

This paper explores the portrayal of violence and gender in its relation to different historical periods, countries, cultures, and religions. The aim is to determine the role these different aspects have in forming of characters’ identities and more specifically how it is all related to gender. The research will focus on Toni Morrison’s A Mercy, Elena Ferrante’s Tetralogy My Brilliant Friend, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. All three novels, regardless of the different periods they fictionalize and discuss, and the literature they belong to, are connected by the captivating darkness that runs deeply through their fictional fiber and portrays the horrible conditions and struggles women have to go through because of the violence they were succumbed to, but also the violence they have to resort to to survive and even thrive in the ever-changing, but always firmly men’s world. Morrison’s novel is set in the early stages of the slave trade in America when racial, religious, and class tensions were just beginning to form, Ferrante’s tetralogy focuses on the post-WWII Italy, poverty-stricken and violent neighborhoods of the outskirts of Naples, and Purple Hibiscus is set in postcolonial Nigeria, a country struggling with political instability and economic difficulties. All three authors with their respective novels render vibrant pictures of the lives of young girls and grown women, mothers, daughters, and friends, across times, countries, but also classes, that offer plenty of space for comparative research focusing on the presence and role of violence in their lives.

Will Substantial Revaluation of Chinese Currency Be Helpful in Attenuating the United States’ Trade Deficit with China? New Evidence from the Dynamic Threshold Kink Model

ABSTRACT This study explores the possible existence of threshold kink effects in the impact of the real dollar-renminbi exchange rate misalignment on the bilateral trade flows between the United States and China. Empirical results show a significant threshold effect, with differential effects of undervaluation and overvaluation. Specifically, our findings suggest that while an overvaluation of the Chinese currency over 2.83% will attenuate the United States’ trade deficit with China, an undervaluation greater than 4.04% will deepen it. This suggests that a revaluation of the renminbi against the dollar would be helpful in improving the United States trade balance with China.

Trade Shocks, Labour Markets and Migration in the First Globalisation

Abstract This paper studies the economic and political effects of a large trade shock in agriculture—the grain invasion from the Americas—in Prussia during the first globalisation (1870–913). We show that this shock led to a decline in the employment rate and overall income. However, we do not observe declining per capita income and political polarisation, which we explain by a strong migration response. Our results suggest that the negative and persistent effects of trade shocks we see today are not a universal feature of globalisation, but depend on labour mobility. For our analysis, we digitise data from Prussian industrial and agricultural censuses on the county level and combine them with national trade data at the product level. We exploit the cross-regional variation in cultivated crops within Prussia and instrument with Italian and United States trade data to isolate exogenous variation.

Should digital taxation be in sync with the OECD-G20 Two-Pillar Framework? An Analysis of the Equalization Levy in India and Its Aftermath.

The flourishing growth of the digital economy in India has made digital taxation an indispensable system in India’s revenue generation. The study provides a detailed assessment of the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)- G20(Group of 20) group’s initiatives on digital economy taxation. Furthermore, there is an in-depth analysis of the limitations of the Indian ‘Income Tax Act 1961’ and the subsequent adoption of the equalization levy. The effect of equalization levies on tax treaties, rules, and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) are examined in detail. The economic impact of the equalization levy is also evaluated by analyzing the digital trade restrictiveness index. Finally, an evaluation is carried out on the OECD- G20 Two-Pillar framework on the background of the problems of digital taxation. The study also examines the growth of the equalization levy in India and assesses the USTR (United States Trade Representative) report in light of the equalization levy.

Ultra-deep sequencing of 45S rDNA to discern intragenomic diversity in three Chrysodeixis species for molecular identification

Species identification is necessary to prevent introductions of exotic plant pests through global trade. Many of these pests are understudied and lack publicly available DNA sequence data on which rapid molecular identification methods can be based. One such lineage is the genus Chrysodeixis, which includes three species of potential concern for United States trade initiatives: C. includens, C. chalcites, and C. eriosoma. Here we describe a method to generate robust 45S rDNA profiles using long read sequencing in order to clarify evolutionary relationships and develop a real-time PCR identification technique. Such an identification tool will be useful in rapidly differentiating between Chrysodeixis species of quarantine concern where traditional morphological identification methods are insufficient. Molecular methods such as this greatly reduce the time spent identifying each specimen, allow for detection of eDNA, vastly increase throughput, and increase the probability of detection. The methods presented here will be generally adaptable to any understudied lepidopteran taxa that necessitates a molecular diagnostic assay and, with adjustment or testing of the primers, could be applied to any group for which development of rDNA profiles in a benchtop setting would prove useful.

Research on the Impact of Global Economic Policy Uncertainty on Manufacturing: Evidence from China, the United States, and the European Union

Events such as COVID-19 and the Russia–Ukraine conflict have significantly increased the uncertainty and volatility of global economic policies. In the context of economic globalization, the key question we investigate is whether global economic policy uncertainty will have different impacts on the manufacturing of the three major economies in China, the United States, and Europe Union. This study employs the time-varying parameter vector autoregressive (TVP-VAR) model to examine how global economic policy uncertainty (GEPU) affected manufacturing from March 2008 to March 2023. The empirical results show that the effects of GEPU are time varying; its short-term effects on Chinese manufacturing are slightly greater than its medium- and long-term effects, whereas its medium- and long-term effects on manufacturing in the United States (US) and European Union (EU) are significantly greater than its short-term effects. The impact of European debt crisis, the China–US trade war and Russia–Ukraine conflict on EU manufacturing is higher than that of China and the US, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on China’s manufacturing is much smaller than that of the US and the EU; thus, Chinese manufacturing has a greater capacity for risk mitigation than US and EU manufacturing. This study not only provides a new perspective on the study of global economic policy uncertainty; it also provides new empirical evidence on how global economic policy uncertainty affects the manufacturing sector in China, the US and Europe and provides policymakers with guidance for decision making.

Lessons from US–China Trade Relations

We review theoretical and empirical work on the economic effects of the United States and China trade relations during the past 20 years. We first discuss the origins of the China shock and its measurement and present methods used to study its economic effects on different outcomes. We then focus on the recent US–China trade war. We review methods used to evaluate its effects, describe its economic effects, and analyze whether this increase in trade protectionism reverted the effects of the China shock. The main lessons learned in this review are that ( a) the aggregate gains from US–China trade created winners and losers; ( b) China's trade expansion seems not to be the main cause of the decline in US manufacturing employment during the same period; and ( c) the recent trade war generated welfare losses, had small employment effects, and was ineffective in reversing the distributional effects due to the China shock.

Trump and Modi and the ideological, political and economic underpinnings of the India–United States trade dispute

This article seeks to provide answers to questions: why did India and the United States have a trade dispute under Trump and Modi administrations, and why were the two countries unable to resolve the trade dispute under Trump and Modi administrations? The article asserts that the primary reason for the trade dispute/disagreements between the two countries is the domestic economic and political environment and ideological considerations in the Trump and Modi administrations. This has manifested itself in a clash between Trump's ‘America first’ stance with the aim of ‘Making America great again’ and Modi's ‘Make in India’ initiative which envisions creating India as a manufacturing powerhouse and increasing the economic prosperity of Indian citizens. The article highlights each country's concerns and grievances regarding the other side's trade policies and what kind of trade access India wants from the United States and vice-versa.