Reports of China backtracking followed by a pair of tweets from President Trump on Sunday threatening increased (and new) tariffs on China has roiled world markets all week dimming prospects for a deal. Tariffs are currently scheduled to kick in as soon as this midnight tonight.
Where we are right now:
- China's top trade emissary Liu He and his delegation back in Washington for talks today and tomorrow to resume U.S.-China trade negotiations. Over the past 24 hours, China has threatened to retaliate with new tariffs if Trump follows through on his escalation of tariffs.
- Contours of the agreement continue to be ambiguous, despite reports of progress over the past six weeks.
We spoke with one of the top China scholars in the world—Derek Scissors from the American Enterprise Institute - who discussed his updated views on the U.S.-China trade negotiations, where the talks and new tariffs stand, and what may lie ahead.
To access the replay - CLICK HERE.
About Derek Scissors:
Derek M. Scissors is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on the Chinese and Indian economies and on US economic relations with Asia. He is concurrently chief economist of the China Beige Book.
Dr. Scissors is the author of the China Global Investment Tracker. In late 2008, he authored a series of papers that chronicled the end of pro-market Chinese reform and predicted economic stagnation in China as a result. He has also written multiple papers on the best course for Indian economic development.
Before joining AEI, Dr. Scissors was a senior research fellow in the Asian Studies Center at the Heritage Foundation and an adjunct professor of economics at George Washington University. He has worked for London-based Intelligence Research Ltd., taught economics at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, and served as an action officer in international economics and energy for the US Department of Defense.
Dr. Scissors has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and a doctorate from Stanford University.
Experience
- Chief Economist, China Beige Book, 2013–present
- Adjunct Professor, Department of Economics, George Washington University, 2001–15
- Senior Research Fellow, Asian Studies Center, Heritage Foundation, 2008–13
- China Economist, Intelligence Research Ltd., London, 1998–2008
- Lecturer, Department of Economics, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, 1994–97
- Action Officer in International Economics and Energy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, US Department of Defense, 1989–90
Education
Ph.D., international political economy, Stanford University
M.A., economics, University of Chicago
A.B., economics, University of Michigan
