June
15
Time1:00PM2:30PM EST LocationVirtuak, N/A
Events hosted by others AND In-Person

Free Trade at a Crossroads: The Future of U.S. Trade Policy

For several decades, free trade and globalization were the unquestioned status quo in Washington, D.C. and other centers of power. But various phenomena of the previous five years have shaken loose that foundation, including the widespread emergence of populist nationalism in the U.S. and abroad, the rise of China as an economic powerhouse and peer competitor to the United States, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result, U.S. trade policy is at a crossroads.

The Charles Koch Institute invites you to tune in on the afternoons of June 15th and June 16th for an incisive series of conversations on these topics, featuring a group of renowned experts and policy makers.

Agenda:

Day 1

Tuesday, June 15th @ 1 pm ET – Competition and Engagement: Future Directions in U.S.-China Economic Relations

U.S.-China relations will be the most significant geostrategic question of the next several decades. The economies of the two countries are more interconnected than ever, and yet the relationship has sharply deteriorated over the last few years. Despite market reforms that delivered substantial economic growth to China, continued frustration over other issues such as Chinese industrial policy, forced technology transfer, and violations of intellectual property rights led to calls for broad decoupling of the two economies as part of the Trump administration’s trade war.

A panel of experts will discuss these issues and explore potential future directions of this relationship and how the United States can continue to engage constructively and responsibly with China.

Tuesday, June 15 @ 2 pm – Trade Outlook with Rep. Jackie Walorski

Join the Charles Koch Institute’s Vice President of Research and Policy, William Ruger, for a conversation with U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski (Ind.-2) on the free trade landscape and the future of trade for the U.S.

 

Day 2

Wednesday, June 16th @ 1pm ET – Free Trade as a Tool for Economic Recovery in 2021 and Beyond

As the world has embarked on the arduous journey out of the pandemic-induced economic contraction, governments have employed various tools of fiscal and monetary policy in an effort to stem the tide of recession. A panel of experts, moderated by Adam Millsap, Senior Fellow at the Charles Koch Institute, will discuss the often-overlooked importance of free trade as an essential tool of economic recovery.

Wednesday, June 16th @ 2pm ET – Panel: National Industrial Policy: Fortune or Folly?

The COVID-19 pandemic only added to the list of challenges the United States currently faces. A growing chorus on both sides of the political spectrum argues the U.S. should pursue a national industrial policy to try to accomplish varying things, such as ensuring the integrity of critical supply chains, responding to Chinese state capitalism, and combatting climate change. But the historical record of industrial policy is one of mixed and ambivalent results. A panel of experts will engage in vigorous debate on whether U.S. industrial policy is a recipe for economic success or disaster.

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