Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | AFP | The leader of Papua New Guinea, host of this year’s APEC summit, Friday urged respect for international trade rules by “countries large and small” as spats between the US and China threatened to overshadow the gathering. As leaders from Asian Pacific nations …
Read More »COMMENT: Potential of EU-Africa trade
Research suggests for Africa to avoid losses, focus should be on strengthening AfCFTA and EPAs die COMMENT | CARLOS LOPES | China’s use of trade and investment links to expand its influence in Africa is fueling growing concern in some European capitals. But, instead of complaining about China’s activities, the European …
Read More »With US absent, world’s exporters turn attention to China
Shanghai, China | AFP | There is a notable no-show among the dozens of national pavilions at Shanghai’s massive import fair — the United States — a metaphor for isolationist Trump policies that attendees say are pushing them closer to China. The China International Import Expo opened Monday with thousands …
Read More »Alibaba’s Ma calls trade war ‘stupidest thing in the world’
Shanghai, China | AFP | Shanghai, China | AFP | The US-China trade war is the “stupidest thing in the world,” Alibaba e-commerce tycoon Jack Ma declared at an import fair that China opened Monday partly to counter foreign criticism of its trade policies. Ma, who recently took back an …
Read More »Japan’s Abe to make rare China visit as relations thaw
Beijing, China | AFP | Japan’s Shinzo Abe is due to arrive in China Thursday, the first visit to the Asian giant by a Japanese prime minister since relations between the two countries soured six years ago over a territorial row. Abe and Chinese president Xi Jinping are expected to …
Read More »China bemoans ‘confusing’ US signals but holds hope for a Trump-Xi meet
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will “probably” meet at a G20 summit next month, a US official said Sunday, as both sides seek answers for a badly strained relationship that a Chinese official called “very confusing.” “The presidents will probably meet …
Read More »US-China trade war sparks IMF global growth cut warning
Bali, Indonesia | AFP | The US-China trade war will hobble global growth, the International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday, cutting its forecast for this year and next and predicting that “everyone is going to suffer” from a clash between the world’s two biggest economies. At a meeting on the Indonesian …
Read More »COMMENT: The real problem with free trade
It is that free trade has enabled a few predatory multinational companies to secure monopolies COMMENT | JAYATI GHOSH | For most critics of globalisation, trade is the villain, responsible for deepening inequality and rising economic insecurity among workers. This is the logic driving support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating …
Read More »Africa-India trade decline to US$55bn-Report
Uganda plans to intensify relations in trade, tourism and investment Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Trade between Africa and India has recorded a 30% decline in volume from US$78billion in 2014 to about $55 billion in 2017 citing a tough economic environment. However, this was more than seven times higher …
Read More »South Africa’s President Ramaphosa urges Nigeria to sign Africa trade pact
Abuja, Nigerai | ISAAC KHISA | South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has urged Nigeria to sign the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to create a single continental market for goods and services in member nations, with free movement of persons and investments. Ramaphosa, who was the chief quest during …
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