Economics - Audio

In this episode, the Trade Guys and Andrew discuss some silver linings coming out of the COVID-19 crisis. They also break some bad news about the economy coming out of the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) invites you to attend the inaugural event in our Synthetic Biology: The Ongoing Technology Revolution Series. This initial event will introduce the science of synthetic biology, as well as the opportunities and risks it presents to both national security and the global economy. This event will serve as the first of four events, which will convene a diverse set of experts to discuss the security and economic policy implications of this critical emerging technology.   Synthetic Biology: The Ongoing Technology Revolution Series   Emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G, and synthetic biology—drive security and economic competition and are increasingly shaping national strategies. To develop an effective strategy for synthetic biology, policy makers and the general public need a better understanding of synthetic biology’s underlying capabilities, state of development, and diverse applications. Through a series of four symposia, CSIS will explore synthetic biology’s wide-ranging applications—from advanced microelectronics and materials to nutrition and cosmetics —and opportunities to shape its future development in support of U.S. security and economic interests. This series will include targeted discussions on synthetic biology’s: Present and future potential as a critical emerging technology; Economic, societal, and international implications; National security opportunities and risks; and Implications for emerging technology policy. CSIS hopes you will join us for our inaugural event on February 6and will continue the discussion in the events that follow.   This series of events is sponsored by Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc.

As the world becomes increasingly urban and digital, smart cities are emerging as ground-zero for new approaches to development and governance. On Thursday, January 23rd, CSIS will convene a diverse panel of experts to distinguish between leading smart city models and discuss how their technologies, including in the areas of public safety and surveillance, are impacting the power of citizens, governments, and corporations, both within and between countries.  Featuring keynote remarks by: Dr. Sokwoo Rhee, Associate Director for Cyber-Physical Systems Innovation, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) A presentation by: Jonathan E. Hillman, Director of the Reconnecting Asia Project and Senior Fellow of the Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS And a panel discussion with:  Dr. Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Assistant Professor, University of Missouri Michelle Holland, Director of Consulting & Deals, PwC Canada and former Chief Advocate for the Innovation Economy, City of Toronto Abha Joshi-Ghani, Senior Adviser, World Bank Michael Sherwood, Director of Technology and Innovation, City of Las Vegas Moderated by:  Peter Raymond, Senior Associate, CSIS

The CSIS Scholl Chair is honored to be hosting Mr. Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Trade, on his first official visit to Washington, DC in his new role. In her Mission Letter to him, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tasked Mr. Hogan with creating a level playing field for all, strengthening Europe's global trade leadership, building sustainable trade in light of climate change, and making trade more transparent. Join the Scholl Chair as we discuss with Mr. Hogan this mandate, refreshing the Transatlantic trading relationship with the new European Commission, and looking to 2020 and beyond in the world of trade. Commissioner for Trade since December 2019, Mr. Hogan of Ireland was previously European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development from 2014-2019. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Please join us for a public event that will explore how the U.S. can lead the world in meeting the global demand for entrepreneurship and innovation.   To remain competitive in a 21st-century workforce, youth must have strong backgrounds in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and leadership skills. Developing economies will stagnate without qualified workforces, and there will be a mismatch between the skills that are needed for open jobs and those being taught in schools. Creating environments that foster entrepreneurship will bolster economic development and provide jobs for people around the world. There are many stories such as that of the Indonesian “unicorn,” Go-Jek, that went from having 20 bikes to be valued at $2.5 billion in just 10 years. 42% of the world’s population is under 25 years old, therefore finding jobs for the growing number of youth entering the workforce each year will one of the most pressing global development challenges.   Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are valuable sources of economic growth and help economies harness and utilize new technologies. Under the right circumstances, SMEs can play a disruptive effect on the market and pushing the incumbent players to be more efficient with the pricing of their products and services. For example, they were responsible for over 60 percent of employment in many OECD regions and cities. Startups, in particular, have massive potential for growth with the average startup in the United States hiring 5.2 employees in its first year. Startups also have greater agility in charting growth and market expansion. Over 86 percent of entrepreneurs who create and scale startups do so out of choice and not as a necessity.   As the world prepares to confront the job creation challenge to respond to an expanding youth bulge, the global economy must be driven by entrepreneurship, while governments must enable innovation in creating favorable conditions that sustain SME growth.   This event is made possible with general support from Chevron.

By: Bonnie S. Glaser This episode explores China's retaliatory actions against the NBA after a recent incident, as well as the larger questions surrounding the Chinese government’s treatment of foreign private companies. Our guest, Dr. Victor Cha, discusses how both US and Chinese audiences have reacted to the NBA controversy and weighs in on whether Chinese public opinion might sway Beijing’s handling of the incident. Dr. Cha also addresses the struggles that other foreign companies have faced in China and how Beijing uses “predatory liberalism” to serve its political interests. Dr. Victor Cha is a senior adviser and holds the Korea Chair at CSIS. He is also a Professor of Government and the holder of the D.S. Song-KF Chair in the Department of Government and the School of Foreign Service (SFS) at Georgetown University. In July 2019, he was appointed Vice Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs in the SFS. His article, “Flagrant Foul: China’s Predatory Liberalism and the NBA,” will appear in the December issue of the Washington Quarterly.

This episode explores China's retaliatory actions against the NBA after a recent incident, as well as the larger questions surrounding the Chinese government’s treatment of foreign private companies. Our guest, Dr. Victor Cha, discusses how both US and Chinese audiences have reacted to the NBA controversy and weighs in on whether Chinese public opinion might sway Beijing’s handling of the incident. Dr. Cha also addresses the struggles that other foreign companies have faced in China and how Beijing uses “predatory liberalism” to serve its political interests. Dr. Victor Cha is a senior adviser and holds the Korea Chair at CSIS. He is also a Professor of Government and the holder of the D.S. Song-KF Chair in the Department of Government and the School of Foreign Service (SFS) at Georgetown University. In July 2019, he was appointed Vice Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs in the SFS. His article, “Flagrant Foul: China’s Predatory Liberalism and the NBA,” will appear in the December issue of the Washington Quarterly.

With the fourth industrial revolution set to disrupt labor markets, global stability is contingent on developing countries' ability to transform their economies and create jobs to meet the economic aspirations of their people. Argentina, during its presidency of the G20 in 2018, has made the future of work one of the main priorities throughout the year and created a T20 Task Force to develop recommendations on the future of work and education for the digital age. Join us for a discussion on the future of work in Argentina with the Argentine Minister for Labor and Production Dante Sica. This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.

In this episode, Dan is joined by Dr. Jonathan Ward, author of China’s Vision of Victory, to discuss China’s ambitions for the world and how the United States should respond. Jonathan explains that in order to continue leading a free world, the United States must focus on the source of China’s strength: its economic might. His recommendations include the United States more effectively trading with its allies, integrating its allies in Europe and in Japan, and ramping up funding for research and development.

Andrew and the Trade Guys discuss the USMCA on the campaign trail, China's play at the WTO, and more.  Download the full transcript here.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is at a pivotal moment. Once indispensable, the WTO finds itself struggling to settle disputes, negotiate new rules, and grapple with disruptive technologies and the re-emergence of mercantilism. While some predict the demise of the WTO, others see today’s uncertainty as an opportunity to reinvigorate the global trading system. Join CSIS on October 21 for a conversation on the future of the global trading system with Ambassador Alan Wm. Wolff, Deputy Director-General WTO and CSIS Senior Adviser and Scholl Chair holder Bill Reinsch.” The Scholl Chair will also be highlighting its report, The WTO at a Crossroad. This event is made possible by general support to CSIS. 

In this episode, Dan is joined by Rick Rossow, CSIS Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies, as they host two senior bureaucrats from the Indian state of Kerala, Tom Jose and Sanjeev Kaushik. They all discuss how Kerala is becoming a force to be reckoned with and how infrastructure development can take them to the next level. Additionally, they explain why transportation, water, and solid waste management are of high priority for the state; and the role of various development partners in financing Kerala's infrastructure plans.

Please join CSIS as we preview key issues that will be on the agenda for leaders participating in November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and East Asia Summit (EAS), as well as broader trends in multilateral structures in the Asia-Pacific. 9:20 a.m. - Welcoming Remarks   Dr. Amy Searight Senior Adviser and Director, Southeast Asia Program Center for Strategic and International Studies   Opening Keynote   Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) Chair, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Foreign Affairs U.S. House of Representatives   Introduction:  Monica Hardy Whaley President National Center for APEC   10:00 a.m. - Beyond the Bogor Goals: APEC’s Role in a Turbulent Economic Atmosphere   Sandra Oudkirk U.S. Senior Official for APEC and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs U.S. Department of State   H.E. Rosemary Banks Ambassador Embassy of New Zealand Richard Cantor Chief of Credit Risk Moody’s Corporation   Ito Sadanori Special Advisor to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan and Director, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) New York Moderator:  William Reinsch Senior Adviser and Scholl Chair in International Business Center for Strategic and International Studies   Coffee Break- 11:15 a.m.   11:30 a.m. - Strategic Priorities for the East Asia Summit   Boosara Kanchanalai Minister Royal Thai Embassy   David Nakamura White House Reporter The Washington Post                                     Malcolm Cook Senior Fellow ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute   Dhruva Jaishankar Director of the US Initiative Observer Research Foundation   Moderator: Dr. Amy E. Searight Senior Adviser and Director, Southeast Asia Program Center for Strategic and International Studies   12:45 p.m. - Lunch Served   2:00 p.m. - Armchair Discussion   Takehiko Nakao President Asian Development Bank   Moderator: Matthew P. Goodman Senior Vice President and Simon Chair in Political Economy Center for Strategic and International Studies The conference is made possible with support from the Government of Japan, the National Center for APEC, and the Asian Development Bank.

By: Richard Miles Argentines go to the polls on October 27th, and the results may spell the end of Mauricio Macri’s presidency. What went wrong? Michael Matera, Argentine expert and Director of the Americas Program at CSIS, explains how inflation never went away and growth never returned. He also makes predictions on the polices of a likely Alberto Fernández - Cristina Fernández de Kirchner government, and whether the two can even govern together.

Argentines go to the polls on October 27th, and the results may spell the end of Mauricio Macri’s presidency. What went wrong? Michael Matera, Argentine expert and Director of the Americas Program at CSIS, explains how inflation never went away and growth never returned. He also makes predictions on the polices of a likely Alberto Fernández - Cristina Fernández de Kirchner government, and whether the two can even govern together.

In this episode, the Trade Guys and Andrew hit the road to record in front of the Centers for International Business Education and Research directors at The George Washington University. The event was organized by the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. On the agenda was the USMCA amid the impeachment inquiry, and the US-Japan deal.

The U.S.-China trade war is unprecedented in size, scope, and importance. The potential economic costs of the conflict—and any decoupling it prompts—are enormous, not only to the United States and China but to the global economy. Nearly 18 months since escalation began, the path to resolution is still unclear. In this event, senior experts will discuss the state of U.S.-China trade relations today and roll out a major CSIS report on escalation dynamics in economic conflict. The event will draw on game theory as well as observations of real-world escalation to help policymakers manage economic conflict with China. Agenda: Welcome and Presentation of Findings Matthew P. Goodman  Senior Vice President and Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS  Expert Panel Discussion Scott Kennedy Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics, CSIS William Reinsch  Senior Adviser and Scholl Chair in International Business, CSIS Claire Reade  Senior Counsel, Arnold & Porter Stephanie Segal Senior Fellow, Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS This event was made possible by support from Smith Richardson Foundation and Alcoa Foundation.

Concern over external imbalances – specifically “excessive” trade deficits and surpluses – is nothing new. But the current environment of escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies underscores the importance of understanding the actual drivers of trade outcomes. Exchange rates are part of the story, but only a part. In the wake of the Global Financial Crisis, and at the direction of the world’s largest economies, the IMF began publishing an annual report to identify the key sources and drivers of external imbalances. The IMF’s latest ESR estimates that about 35 to 45 percent of overall current account surpluses and deficits were “excessive” in 2018, are increasingly concentrated in advanced economies, and are now driven mainly by fiscal policies and structural factors. On September 13, Dr. Gita Gopinath, Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department at the IMF, will speak to the findings of the latest ESR in a keynote address at CSIS. She will then be joined by an expert panel to discuss global imbalances and the dynamics of external adjustment. Keynote address: Gita Gopinath, Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Introduced by Matthew P. Goodman, Senior Vice President and Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS Expert panel featuring: Robin Brooks, Managing Director and Chief Economist, Institute of International Finance Mark Sobel, US Chairman, OMFIF; former Deputy Assistant Secretary, US Treasury; and former US representative at the IMF Moderated by Stephanie Segal, Simon Chair Senior Fellow, CSIS This event was made possible by general support to CSIS.

This episode explores the security dynamics of China’s increasing involvement in the Pacific Islands. Our guest, Dr. Anna Powles, analyzes perceptions of China’s presence in the region and emphasizes the agency that Pacific islands have in navigating geopolitical competition. Dr. Powles also explains China’s investments and interests in the region’s natural resources, concerns over Chinese pressure on countries that maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan, and the most successful strategies for regional powers’ future engagement with the Pacific. Dr. Anna Powles is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at Massey University in New Zealand. Dr. Powles' research focuses on the regional security order of the Pacific Islands region, including the role of non-state actors and China.

In this episode, Dan sits down with Sean Cairncross, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). As CEO, Mr. Cairncross leads the agency and provides strategic direction and vision as MCC fulfills its mission of reducing poverty through economic growth and advancing America’s interests around the globe. Dan and Mr. Cairncross discuss the recent MCC-Cote D’Ivoire compact, the addition of regional compacts, the MCC model, and beyond. They also analyze how the MCC integrates accountability and sustainability mechanisms into their agenda and how its threshold programs lead to successful country compacts.