international trade news stories on Newser

US' New China Ambassador Vows Unity

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 08:52:10 CDT

Gary Locke was "humbled and honored" to today become the first Chinese American to serve as America's ambassador to China, showing a clear eye on cooperation between the two global powers in facing common challenges. "If our people, our business people, our scientists, our students can really join together," Locke...

S. Korea Blocks Trade With N. Korea

Jane Yager — Mon, 24 May 2010 03:15:00 CDT

Tensions on the Korean peninsula were ratcheted up today when South Korea suspended trade with the North, closing its waters to North Korean ships. Showing a newly aggressive stance, President Lee Myung-bak also called on Pyongyang to apologize for the torpedo attack that sank a South Korean warship in March,...

How Australia Dodged the Recession

Nick McMaster — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:42:30 CDT

Australia has weathered the financial crisis better than any other developed country. Last week its central bank raised interest rates, indicating its primary concern is now inflation, not growth. What were the keys? Phil Dobbie of BNET explains: Befriending China: Australia used to export much of what it made to...

G8 Pledges $20B for Farmers in Poor Countries

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:43:02 CDT

On the last day of a G8 summit stymied on climate change and trade, leaders have pledged $20 billion to farms in poor countries in the fight hunger, Reuters reports. Some $3.5 billion will come from the US, which wants to focus on farm aid instead of food aid....

Chinese Influence Grows in Latin America

Clay Dillow — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:58:19 CDT

Stepping into a gap created by the 1-2 punch of Bush administration neglect and worldwide recession, China is pumping billions of dollars into Latin America, helping to shore up slowing economies while the US plays catch-up in the region, the New York Times reports. "This is how the balance of...

Foreign Tech Firms Look to Cash In on Stimulus

Kevin Spak — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:19:23 CDT

A gaggle of foreign businesses are quietly clamoring for a piece of the $787 billion US stimulus package, the Washington Post reports. The bill sets aside billions for technologies pioneered by European and Asian companies, such as clean energy and high-speed transit. Many of those firms have significant US presences,...

Senate OKs Ron Kirk as Trade Rep

Ambreen Ali — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:34 CDT

The Senate today confirmed, in a 92-5 vote, former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk as US trade representative, the Dallas Morning News reports. With global trade declining for the first time in 27 years, Kirk has vowed to make countries fulfill their trade promises to the US. Kirk paid the IRS...

Recession in China Could Sink Regime

Kristina Loew — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:54:35 CST

Beijing's grip on power in recent years has relied on a simple agreement with its citizens: "Tolerate our authoritarian rule and we'll make you rich,” writes Joshua Kurlantzick in the New Republic . But with the nation's economy on the rocks, that agreement is now breaking down. If Beijing's $586 billion...

Somali Pirates Could Grinch Your Christmas

Sarah Quinn — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:49:01 CST

Attacks by Somali pirates have major shippers considering changing routes that run through the Suez Canal, Reuters reports, a move would add weeks to the time it takes ships to get to Europe from Asia and the Middle East. “It will really hit home when consumers in the West find...