Reply #24: Looks like the free-trade theory is getting a global slap today

[54anickel]

Protectionism storm clouds EU talks
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060314/bs_afp/eueurozoneeconomy_060314180159;_ylt=AhRzzdgffUg.eKtVC743mC6mOrgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

China Says It Will Protect Steel Makers
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060315/china_iron.html?.v=1

Some would like to build a wall around U.S. economy (posted above earlier)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2006-03-14-protection-cover-usat_x.htm

US tells China to cut trade surplus
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/cb8f5de4-b38c-11da-89c7-0000779e2340.html

The US administration warned on Tuesday it was heading for a confrontation with China over bilateral economic relations if Beijing did not move immediately to open its markets to American imports.

Carlos Gutierrez, commerce secretary, delivered a sharply- worded speech just a month before a visit to Washington by Hu Jintao, the Chinese president.

He said the US had almost run out of patience waiting for China to take significant steps to reduce its ballooning $200bn trade surplus with the US.

snip>

“Without concrete results, the administration, and the American people, may be forced to reassess our bilateral economic relationship.”

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Beijing, Mr Gutierrez added, could with “the stroke of a pen” move to open up telecoms, IT and state procurement, and do far more to protect intellectual property. His speech was the latest high-profile US attack. John Snow, Treasury secretary, said last week: “The time has come and gone when they should have acted more decisively on the currency”.

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