US-China Trade – Gordon Hanson & Charlene Barshefsky

Gordon Hanson and Charlene Barshefsky discuss China’s commitments and market reforms since joining the WTO and the path ahead in the trade relationship between the world’s two biggest economies. They explore the policy and enforcement tools the US has to confront China over the imbalance and lack of reciprocity, and the immediate political pressure on US policy makers to address the loss of jobs due to trade.

Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky served as the US Trade Representative from 1997 to 2001, she was responsible for the negotiation of hundreds of complex market access, regulatory and investment agreements with virtually every major country in the world. She is best known internationally as the architect and chief negotiator of China's historic World Trade Organization Agreement. She is currently WilmerHale's Senior International Partner, where she continues her legal career in international litigation, commercial negotiations, investment and regulatory advice, and dispute resolution.

Dr. Gordon Hanson is the Acting Dean and Pacific Economic Cooperation Chair in International Economic Relations at the School of Global Policy & Strategy at UC San Diego, where he also directs the Center on Global Transformation. Dr. Hanson specializes in the economics of international trade, international migration and foreign direct investment. His recent research project on the effect of China’s rise on US workers, firms and markets spurred a wide discussion on US trade policy at the height of 2016 US presidential elections that is still being debated.

This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Studio Ten300

Host: Samuel Tsoi

Editors: Mike Fausner, Anthony King

Production Support: Lei Guang, Susan Shirk, Amy Robinson, Sarah Pfledderer, Michelle Fredricks

Music: Dave Liang/Shanghai Restoration Project

Restoration Project Episode photo credit: CNN Money