Bob Brewer, Author at Braumiller Law Group

Mercosur-EU – A New Potential Powerhouse in Trade Blocs if Ratified

December 11, 2024

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

After 25 years of negotiations, the European Union and the Southern Common Market, commonly known as Mercosur, comprised of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, signed a free trade agreement. I think this, among many more regional deals to come was suddenly expedited due to the anticipated land mines with the upcoming Trump 2.0 administration and trade policy regarding tariffs for all.

Tariffs, and the Temptation to Use Them as Geopolitical Leverage

December 11, 2024

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

The United States has a long history of using tariffs. The first significant tariff legislation was the Tariff Act of 1789, signed by President George Washington. Tariffs have been used for various purposes over the years, including protecting domestic industries, generating government revenue, and negotiating trade agreements. The use of tariffs however has evolved, with significant changes during different historical periods, such as the high tariffs of the 19th century and the shift towards free trade in the mid-20th century, as well as the current U.S. trade war with China, and possibly soon to be with Mexico and Canada.

China and Walmart, Please, for the Love of ____, Let’s Observe a Silver Lining Partnership in an Otherwise Dismal Global Landscape

October 7, 2024

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

At a glance, gauging where we stand in our relationship with China overall, one would assume the key operative word in most descriptions would be “dismal” at best. This is of course accurate to a certain extent but looking at trade and commerce between the two countries, let’s take a look at the largest retailer in the U.S. as Walmart gives us a prime example of where we stand regarding unity as nations.

Coming Soon: A New Polar Icebreaker Competition in the Arctic Region for Trade Route Supremacy

August 9, 2024

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

The US, Canada, and Finland are launching a joint partnership to build more ice-breaking ships to compete with China and Russia in Arctic. Sad but true, here we go again. Whether it’s the South China sea, or even the moon, there will be territorial disputes to challenge ownership where no ownership should actually exist. The pact aims to produce a fleet of ice-breaking ships to display a posture of power in the polar regions and enforce international norms and treaties.

BRICS–A Focus on De-Dollarization and Global Expansion

June 7, 2024

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

The new world order apparently has some merit as more than 30 nations have reportedly submitted applications to join the BRICS alliance wanting to reduce reliance on the US dollar. This wave of applications is a testament to the trust in the BRICS alliance as a viable option to a traditional economic structure. The BRICS alliance has broad shoulders and is representative of considerable economic growth.

De Minimis An Ever-Growing Problem of De Maximus Proportion

April 1, 2024

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

De minimis is a term that refers to a threshold below which certain goods are exempt from import duties or taxes. However, in the landscape of international trade, it has become a contentious issue for the United States. Those “bad actors”, and even some, not so bad, but willing to take advantage of a loophole have found a way around the tariffs. This so-called loophole of allowing goods with a fair retail value of $800 or less to enter the U.S. without paying an import tariff has become a monster that Customs needs to find a way to deal with conclusively.

Parallel Imports, A Global Phenomenon, And a Very Grey Area Regarding International Trade

February 5, 2024

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

At the core of the definition, a Parallel import is a non-counterfeit product imported from another country without the permission of the intellectual property owner. They are also goods that are not authorized for importation into the U.S. It’s a global phenomenon, a very grey area, and their presence varies across different parts of the globe.

U.S. Trade, Nearshoring & China
Mexico is Becoming a Popular Manufacturing Destination

November 8, 2023

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

The implementation of trade policies in what many consider acts of protectionism and manipulation are the norm, and of course China and the U.S. are a prime example. Solutions include nearshoring, reshoring, and protectionism. It’s complicated, so for the purpose of this article, let’s stick with nearshoring.

Taiwan – U.S. 21st Century Trade Initiative, More Than Just a Trade Agreement. A Statement to Beijing Perhaps

August 4, 2023

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

A little over a year ago on June 1, 2022, the United States and Taiwan launched the United States-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade to deepen their economic ties and trade relationship, and advance mutual trade priorities based on shared values, promoting innovation, and economic growth for workers and businesses. About 2 months ago the agreement was made official.

Despite Geopolitical Tension…Can Robust Bilateral Trade Exist? Australia and China, a Good Example Perhaps

June 5, 2023

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

It’s a little awkward, but in fact, a reality in this day and age that bilateral trade between two countries who view each other as somewhat adversarial, can co-exist economically. As the world turns, so does global trade, take Australia and China for the shining example.

World Trade and Invasion, One Year Later – Are We on the Brink of a New World Order?

April 5, 2023

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

The UN General Assembly recently called once again for ending the war in Ukraine and demanded Russia’s immediate withdrawal from the country, in line with the UN Charter. To say the least, this obviously fell on totally deaf ears as Xi Jinping put on display in Moscow the limitless friendship and bonding with Putin, all while missiles continued to be fired into Ukraine in the scheduled daily barrage. Keep in mind, China’s trade with the U.S. and E.U. is 10xs that of Russia @ $1.62 trillion vs $190 million annually, making this recent visit a true head scratcher economically speaking on the surface.

China and India trade with Russia at record levels

China and India, A Year Later, Post Invasion, Still Walking the Tightrope With the U.S. as They Continue to Set Records in Trade with Russia

February 5, 2023

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

China’s trade with Russia hit a record $190 billion U.S. in 2022, key operative word “record.” China is setting a course to become Russia’s top trade partner and prove to the world just what the “no limits” partnership can produce. An additional “maybe some limits” friend to Russia among the world’s larger economies is India.

Is There Any Hope for Hong Kong to Regain its Special Trade Status with the U.S.? (It’s Officially Hong-China now)

December 9, 2022

By Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

It seems like it was a couple decades ago, but it was only about 5 years that I was last in Hong Kong on business. I was staying at a very nice upscale hotel (plenty to choose from) directly across from a massive port, marveling at the operations that seemed to go 24/7 with the incoming ships stacked with a mountain of containers.

Hot Topics in International Trade: Deep Thoughts by Bob

November 6, 2022

Bob Brewer discusses international trade and an upcoming meeting between President Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping. He discusses the Chinese threat to Taiwan and whether Xi will take lessons from Putin and is invasion of Ukraine.

Tuas Megaport in Singapore, An Upcoming Model to the World in Port Operations, and soon to be Light Years Ahead of the Globes Largest Ports

October 2, 2022

By: Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group
The Maritime Port Authority (MPA in Singapore) is currently in the process of building the Tuas Port, which will be the biggest port in the world with a capacity of 60 million TEU’s (twenty-foot equivalent units) once it is fully completed in 2040. PSA, the company taking the lead in the construction has implemented a four-phase process, with the first phase officially opening this September 2022, with three berths being operational.

Incursion and World Trade, Part 4: Are India and China Coming to Putin’s Rescue? The New Elephant in the Room

August 9, 2022

By: Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

Calculations by top economists worldwide show that Russia is still accumulating about one billion dollars a day on oil and gas exports to fund the invasion. It does beg the question, who is buying the oil?

Relations Between the U.S. and China In One Word, Dismal Is a Decline in Trade Inevitable?

August 9, 2022

By: Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

It’s goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, the recent visit to Taiwan by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi certainly didn’t help the already strained relations much, but within her reasoning for defiance of Beijing, the democracies of the world must stand together. The Chinese Embassy has now threatened to go to war with the U.S. over Taiwan.

Incursion and World Trade, Part 3: Over 120+ Days into the Global Effect of Inevitable Food Insecurity

June 12, 2022

By: Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

Here we are, at the time of this writing over four months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with no end in sight. I will personally submit that I am, appalled that this, the murder of innocent civilians and devastation of another country’s infrastructure, can be permitted to continue, as we watch from the sidelines as if it was just another simple documentary on another war.

Incursion and World Trade, Part 2: How to Commit Economic Suicide for Your Country in the Year 2022

April 10, 2022

By: Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

From my perspective, as well as what seems to be many others in the west and around the globe, the incredibly long table that Vladimir Putin sits behind separating himself from his minions, as well as other country’s visiting diplomats, whom he is ignoring, has gotten a lot longer, and it’s not a covid related stretch

Incursion and World Trade, and What Ties Them Together The Benjamins, From a U.S. (individual’s) Perspective

February 7, 2022

By: Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group

If you wake up each day, grab a cup of coffee, and turn on the world news, or CNN, like I do here in the U.S., one could obviously become a little pessimistic about our future together on this planet. I say, fear not, and look at the bright side.

Bob Brewer