James Bacchus

Dec 29, 2024 | cato.org | James Bacchus

This omission is increasingly commonplace in the U.S. In imitation of the first Trump administration, the Biden administration has spent the past four years mostly ignoring WTO law. Trump’s illegal tariffs on $360 billion in imports of Chinese goods have remained in place, and a 100 percent tariff has been imposed on imported Chinese vehicles. WTO rulings declaring those tariffs to be illegal under international law have been ignored.

Dec 14, 2024 | thehill.com | James Bacchus

It is time to ask: For the U.S., does the international law of the World Trade Organization still exist?  As part of an escalating tit-for-tat of trade restrictions between the U.S. and China, the Chinese government has banned the export of several critical materials that have both commercial and military applications in high-tech production.

Jul 9, 2024 | cato.org | Ilya Somin |Simon Lester |James Bacchus |Emily Ekins

The whole world is far more diverse than any one nation-state. A world government will necessarily have to trample some of this diversity in order to impose its one-size-fits all policies. If it does not do so, there would be no point in establishing a world government in the first place. Given the incredible diversity of the world’s people and cultures, it will be difficult to adopt any major policy that does not inflict severe harm on at least some groups.

Jun 19, 2024 | cato.org | Ariel Cohen |James Bacchus

Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union three decades ago, the amendment continues to be applied to Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan. Congress seems to be in no hurry to bury this legislative fossil, although legislation to fix the situation, the Kazakhstan Permanent Normal Trade Relations Act, has been introduced. The application of U.S. sanctions must be transparent and consistent.

Jun 19, 2024 | washingtontimes.com | Ariel Cohen |James Bacchus

OPINION: Central Asia’s abundant ore deposits offer essential benefits to the U.S. and its partners in an age of escalating competition for natural resources, including rare-earth and other critical minerals. The green transition requires a massive supply of rare-earth minerals. Lithium and cadmium are indispensable to battery power-storage technology, while other elements are crucial to information technology and aerospace.