Greg Mastel

Despite claims to the contrary, evidence points to the fact that economic development is ultimately beneficial to the environment. The issues were first officially linked in the public's mind with the publication of Our Common Future (the Brundtland Report) in 1987, which provided much of the intellectual framework for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development's 1992 "Earth Summit" in Rio De Janeiro.

In the five years since the publication of the Brundtland Report, economists have consistently found… more

The 1990s have been a time of change and achievement for Taiwan (a.k.a. the Republic of China). Politically, Taiwan has undergone a dramatic transition from an authoritarian government to a true democracy. On the economic front, Taiwan has continued to grow and prosper. With a 258 billion dollar economy, Taiwan has established itself as the world’s twelfth largest trading power. Taiwan has a multi-billion dollar annual trading relationship with the United States, Japan, Germany, Korea, France and a number of… more

Word recently leaked out that the United States had lost an important World Trade Organization decision on the application of U.S. anti-subsidy laws in cases involving privatization of previously state-owned companies. This loss comes on the heels of other setbacks on issues regarding U.S. tax laws and access to the Japanese film… more

Efforts to launch a new round of World Trade Organization negotiations are gaining momentum. A number of items have emerged for those discussions, such as the elimination of tariffs in some industrial sectors and liberalizing agricultural trade. Unfortunately, none really goes to the core of the most pressing international trade problems confronting… more

Over the last eighteen months, there has been much discussion in Congress, on editorial pages, and throughout the country of the steel import surge. The Clinton administration released with some fanfare its plan for addressing the steel industry's problems and the Congress considered legislation to sharply limit imports. Out of the spotlight… more

Last April, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji offered an impressive slate of concessions to convince the United States to support China's bid for World Trade Organization membership. After reviewing the offer, President Clintondeferred decision in order to complete negotiations and educate Congress on the merits of the deal. The business community was outraged… more

The U.S. merchandise trade deficit is setting new records almost monthly. Every new story on the topic contains dueling perspectives from economists who argue that the trade deficit is a good sign for the U.S. economy and those that see it as a threat to American prosperity. Under present circumstances, however, the… more

The Clinton administration and China appear set to proceed with negotiations aimed at finally bringing Beijing into the World Trade Organization, 13 years after it applied.

Assuming they succeed, the administration will trumpet this as a diplomatic victory. This victory may prove quite fleeting, however, as problems are likely to quickly… more

This week, the presidents of China and the United States are poised to strike a historic and probably irreversible agreement paving the way for China to join the World Trade Organization. Unfortunately, although China's membership in the WTO would allow some in both countries to declare victory, the agreement as now formulated is … more

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a chorus of foreign governments, foreign companies, and their lawyers and lobbyists in Washington kept up a steady drumbeat demanding that anti-dumping laws be subject to more international policing under the world trading system.

They got their wish when the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations … more