White House manufacturing policy advisor Peter Navarro has an interview today to discuss the enforcement mechanisms behind the U.S-China trade agreement.
One of the interesting points Navarro raises is how the intellectual property provisions align with the newly initiated Customs and Border Protection “operation megaflex” where thousands of packages from China are opened looking for counterfeit goods.
According to Navarro the operation has identified a counterfeit rate of ten percent; fake goods and contraband narcotics. China prosecuting these identified companies becomes part of the compliance system to see if China is adhering to the agreement.
MAGAnomics – National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons describes how President Donald Trump has “delivered” for manufacturers, noting that “promises are being kept” on tax reform, regulation, and trade.
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The passage of USMCA in combination with incentives for domestic manufacturing investment in the U.S.; and overlayed with the framework of the China ‘phase-one’ agreement, has set the foundation for a competitive North American manufacturing alternative to southeast Asia. The capital investment will follow. America First! (more…)
Jumpin’ ju-ju bones this is the best recession ever! The Commerce Department announces U.S. housing starts in December jumped a whopping 16.9 percent in December with 1.608 million units. Blowing away forecast expectation of 1.375 million units; with the largest gain since 2006.
Cross referencing the latest median wage report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics [Table 4] shows that average wages in the construction sector in the fourth quarter increased 9.3%. There’s obviously a lot of demand for workers in the construction industry.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. homebuilding surged to a 13-year high in December as activity increased across the board, suggesting the housing market recovery was back on track amid low mortgage rates, and could help support the longest economic expansion on record.
There was also some encouraging news on manufacturing, with other data on Friday showing production at factories increasing for a second straight month in December.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the coolest cat in the crew, appeared tonight for a discussion on economics and trade with Lou Dobbs. Secretary Ross discusses the current status of the economy and how the two trade agreements have established the foundation for a completely restructured U.S. trade relationship for years to come.
Wilburine notes the Europeans are nervous thinking about the wolverine teeth that will soon be heading in their direction. Good Stuff. WATCH:
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What makes the Trump economic team so effective is their independence from any influence outside of the America-First agenda. President Trump, Secretary Wilbur Ross, and Secretary Steven Mnuchin were already independent billionaires -with wealth gained from private industry- before they entered office. There is no financial influence upon them except to see Main Street USA thrive…. (more…)
White House Manufacturing Policy Advisor, Peter Navarro, appears on Fox Business with Charles Payne to discuss the ramification of China ‘phase-one’ and the USMCA for the middle-class blue-collar economy. Excellent interview, WATCH:
Excellent sales report from the Dept. of Commerce reflects a 5.8 percent increase year-over year for December 2019. U.S. consumer sales drive two-thirds of GDP; the December result is another indicator the GDP growth in the fourth quarter will likely be much higher than expected.
(Via CNBC) […] The Commerce Department said on Thursday retail sales increased 0.3% last month. Data for November was revised up to show retail sales gaining 0.3% instead of rising 0.2% as previously reported. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales would gain 0.3% in December. Compared to December last year, retail sales accelerated 5.8%.
It is weird to see how CNBC takes the good news, cites the factual impact of retail sales on GDP, and then proclaims the economy is likely faltering. What the heck? (more…)
In advance of the Senate beginning the impeachment trial of President Trump, the upper chamber ratified the USMCA trade agreement with an 89-10 vote. The agreement now moves to the White House where President Trump will sign it.
The final ratification is the result of two-years worth of renegotiated trade reform, and the outcome gained bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. The only republican senator who voted against the deal was Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania who is concerned the USMCA will weaken the position of Wall Street multinationals.
Nine democrat senators did not support the agreement because there wasn’t enough verbiage to support their climate change priorities, and the USMCA does not align with the Paris Climate Accord. [Vote Tally Here]
USMCA gives American producers better access to Canadian dairy markets, and creates a cornerstone for a revitalized U.S. manufacturing base. The deal has much more strict rules of origination for the auto-sector with 75% of parts and materials must be made in north America. Combined with the requirement that 40% of those industrial parts must come from plants where workers make a minimum of $16/hr, the U.S. auto-industry will gain significant benefits. (more…)
After the signing ceremony to celebrate a historic U.S-China ‘phase-one’ trade agreement, President Trump and the U.S. trade delegation hosted Vice-Premier Liu He and the Chinese delegation for a luncheon. [Video and Transcript Below]
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[Transcript] – PRESIDENT TRUMP: I thought that we would do it the way other; that the more I thought about this, the better it is. It’s — you can get your arms around it better the way we’ve got it. I like it better the way we’ve done it.
I just want to say this is a great day for both China and the United States. This is an agreement that people have been talking about for 40 years and never were able to get even a piece of paper signed. And we never had an agreement. And this is going to be a great agreement for both countries. It’s far greater than $200 billion, and it’ll grow every year. It also unifies the countries.
White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow appears on FOX Business for his first interview since the signing of the U.S.-China trade deal. Mr. Kudlow is optimistic but also shares notes of caution for the compliance and enforcement aspects.
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In the background of the delegation it should be noted Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping sent a hard-line handler, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, to accompany the more moderate Vice-Premier Liu He. Zhong Shan was noted at the center of the signing ceremony and directly opposite Robert Lighthizer at the luncheon.
The two Beijing representatives highlight the ongoing Dragon -vs- Panda dynamic within China.
Internal to Chinese politics…. If the reformers are successful (Liu He) the compliance and enforcement mechanisms will succeed and ‘phase-one’ will lead to future negotiations. However, if the hardliners block reform (Zhong Shan), then the compliance and enforcement mechanisms will fail and ‘phase-one’ becomes a dead end. (more…)
Earlier today President Trump, together with his trade delegation and the delegation from China represented by Vice-Premier Liu He, signed a new, fully-enforceable Phase One Trade Agreement. This is the first ever trade agreement any nation has attempted to change the dynamic of how a free-market system (USA) can engage with the Communist system within China. [Video Below – Transcript ADDED]
While ‘phase-one‘ was structurally created to set the foundation, and test the principles of enforcement, this historic trade agreement will frame the text that all other free-market nations will follow in their own efforts to come to a substantive agreement with Beijing.
This is a really big deal on a worldwide scale of international commerce. Structurally the biggest changes inside China relate to Intellectual Property protections, U.S. ownership of assets, and changes within the Chinese legal system to stop Forced Technology Transfer.
During the ceremonial remarks Vice-Premier Liu read a statement from Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping to commemorate this historic trade agreement.
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[Transcript] PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. Please. We greatly appreciate your joining us at this White House event. This is a very important and remarkable occasion.
Today, we take a momentous step — one that has never been taken before with China — toward a future of fair and reciprocal trade, as we sign phase one of the historic trade deal between the United States and China. Together, we are righting the wrongs of the past and delivering a future of economic justice and security for American workers, farmers, and families.
