Trump suggestion to ignore World Trade Organization indicates escalation of 'America First' trade policy, researcher says


LAWRENCE — President Donald Trump has suggested ignoring certain rulings by the World Trade Organization in a major shift in U.S. trade policy, it was announced Wednesday. The approach, sent to Congress, suggested the United States could unilaterally impose tariffs against countries it believes have unfair trade practices. The move could lead to a more difficult trading relationship with China and punish companies that move overseas and sell products on the American market.

Raj Bhala, associate dean for international & comparative law and Rice Distinguished Professor at the KU School of Law, is available to speak with media about the announcement, the shift it would cause in U.S. trade policy, trade relations with China and other countries, the World Trade Organization, tariffs, free trade agreements, U.S. trade law, trade sovereignty, potential reactions from trading partners and related topics.

“The recent statements from the new administration suggest a serious escalation in an 'America First' trade policy, from the level of free trade agreements like TPP and NAFTA to the multilateral level of the WTO,” Bhala said. “If the goal is to weaken, or even wreck, an institution — the WTO — that America was indispensable in creating, then the rhetoric seems to point in that direction.”

Bhala is a globally respected scholar in international trade law, having lectured around the world and authored dozens of journal articles as well as books on trade including Modern GATT Law, a leading textbook on international trade law, and “TPP Objectively: Law, Economics, and National Security of History’s Largest, Longest Free Trade Agreement.” He has practiced international banking law at the Federal Reserve of New York before entering academia and currently serves as a legal consultant to Chenerie Energy and other prominent organizations and firms and has worked in more than 25 countries around the world.

To schedule an interview, contact Mike Krings at 785-864-8860 or mkrings@ku.edu.

Thu, 03/02/2017

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Mike Krings

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