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Reposted by @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social

Trade and Investment Research Project @ccpa-tirp.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

"Ramírez said Costa Rica does not lack consumers but rather support for its own producers and described the caucus’s position as firm." ticotimes.net/2026/10/07/c...

ticotimes.net

Liberation Party Will Vote Against Costa Rica Joining Trans-Pacific Trade Pact

Costa Rica CPTPP entry faces a hurdle as the PLN vows to vote no. Its 17 seats could matter if the Trans-Pacific accord needs 38 votes.

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Reposted by @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social

Trade and Investment Research Project @ccpa-tirp.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

"trade policy is directly connected to the people's lives... In particular, they must be pursued based on the trust and shared understanding of the farmers and fishermen who are experiencing difficulties." www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/2...

koreatimes.co.kr

Lee orders Korea not apply for CPTPP membership this year - The Korea Times

President Lee Jae Myung ordered the government Thursday not to apply for membership to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacifi...

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

In 2020, Edmonton City Council took the internationally celebrated decision to eliminate on site parking zoning requirements. Today, the Provincial government overrode that decision. The NIMBYs rejoiced and personal liberty suffered. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

cbc.ca

Alberta government to force Edmonton to change infill rules | CBC News

The Alberta government has announced new development measures that will force Edmonton to change infill rules and alter how new homes are allowed to take shape in neighbourhoods in the province's larg...

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

If you write a paper on diversifying international trade that mentions "imports" only 12 times and "exports" over 60 times - then I posit your analytic framework is structurally flawed.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Janet continues to be one of the most thoughtful and self-reflective libertarians in this space.

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Reposted by @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social

Janet Bufton 🍁🌻 @janetbufton.ca · 02/10/2026

This has faced enough hiccups on the road to publication that it's probably not a book review anymore. But here are my thoughts on Quinn Slobodian's _Hayek's Bastards_ as someone who spent most of her adult life in the movement the book's history discusses.

janetbufton.ca

A hard look at libertarianism

Quinn Slobodian's 2025 book provides the starting point of a more thorough post-mortem

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Doesn't it feel like an impossible trinity? Pick 2 of 3. They can be built: affordably, well/on time, or locally. It would be nice if we thought of the tradeoffs of our procurement policies.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

For further reflection -- what are the implications when we consider that most ministerial speeches are written by civil servants?

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

@katie0martin.ft.com recently asked what motivated the onslaught of AI doomsday takes on UnHedged I am very glad they didn't dive down this rabbit hole. JFC.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Malcolm Gladwell has a whole episode on it www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/rev...

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

And yes - I have the t-shirt proudly mounted on my wall

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I would suspect that a number of economist would say that over the medium and long run, a primary consequence of tariffs is less choice, lower quality, and less innovation. (Along with the corruption, dysfunction, lower wages, lower productivity and growth. A winning package all around)

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Glad this didn't come across as too pointed. I took Dr. Bown's general argument to heart. However, AU should be celebrated for their public policy choice - and the article's passage could be interpreted as the opposite.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

3) Due to economic gravity, China plays a vastly different role in AU, than in Canada. As a quibble, the opening to "This is Econ 101", to then delve into vague political economy reasoning, is rhetorical weak sauce for someone of Dr. Bown's stature.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

But the AU car example is a false equivalent in at least 3 ways. 1) no causal link between AU decision to stop subsidizing the auto sector, and an increase in Chinese EV imports. 2) China played no role in the AU decision to stop subsidizing the car sector (an entirely reasonable policy choice BTW)

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Thank goodness for podcast solely on The Power Broker. This is a book a enjoyed more because I didnt read it.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

3) in deterrence, threats of sanctions or tariffs are often more effective than the actions themselves. (See the work of Drezner and multiple others).

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

2) that the Online Services Act went through the intra Departmental process to become a bill - is a feature, not a bug. Easier to resurrect in the future is need be.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

1) the signaling goes both ways. Canada (and others) now have a clear signal of where the US is sensitive. If you poke the US with a DST (or targetted tariffs affecting key electoral districts), you will get their attn.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

In what way is scrapping DST any more or less a irrevocable decision than a tariff outcome. Canada didn't grant the US a constitutional veto over future budget legislative decisions.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Robert Putnam's most insightful work wasn't on social capital - but rather two level negotiations. It isn't a Carney trick. It is just negotiations. But I am biased - it is literally my avatar.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

planting an idea seed for @masnick.com or @mgeist.bsky.social. It might make for good reading/listening to have a rebuttal of the recent Acquired podcast on Disney.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Adding to this list - in an episode which revolves around the value of IP, how does Acquired not highlight the instances where Disney animation 'borrowed' the ideas from others. See - Lion King from Osamu Tezuka’s Kimba the White Lion - Zootopia from Gary Goldman

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Disney didn't only lobby increased IP protection. Other lobbying outcomes - Special legal and tax status in Florida at the center of the fight with Governor DeSantis in 2022/23 - Daylight Savings Time. Are we surprised that Sen Rubio introduced the Sunshine Protection Act in 2018?

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

The US also exported these protections around the world. This includes TRIPS and pressing countries to adopt TRIPS+ outcomes. There are screen quota provisions in the 1948 GATT agreement.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

But IP is not timeless. That is, unless you are Disney and you lobby for term extension every time that your copyright was at risk of expiring. The 1998 US law is derisively called the "Mickey Mouse Protection Act" for a reason.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Over 9 hours of discourse on what makes it a successful company, the hosts mention "IP" or "intellectual property" as Disney's key asset 74 times. They literally say "this timeless IP that Disney animation is once again creating"

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

While a fan of the Acquired podcast, it is jarring that their recent Disney episodes didn't address a key reasons why Disney succeeded - lobbying. It is only through decades of lobbying that its IP has been protected and made more valuable.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Neophyte here -- but this feels a bit like 'sand in the gears' ... or the original purpose of the Tobin Tax (before that idea was co-opted and metastasized into the Robin Hood tax)

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

I mostlyenjoy The New Bazaar podcast - but wow was this point off base from Cardiff Garcia. I was glad that Alvin Roth set the record straight. open.spotify.com/episode/3NZQ...

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Noting your role on Mode 5 Services - drawing your attention to this piece by Canadian artist Chris Schmitt titled "Mode 5 Trade Port" (2024). The piece was commissioned, and is part of a private collection.

A digitally composed image of multiple computer parts. Combined, the image gives the effect of a ship entering a port.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Separately, your French accent still impresses - "Edwin Lefèvre" could have been butchered in many ways.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

*For clarity - I don't mean to give anyone a complex. Personally, I quite like the vocalization: 1) it conveys playfulness between the hosts; 2) it conveys Rob's point without cutting off Katie. A sporting analogy is that Katie is the play-by-play announcer, and Rob is the colour commentator.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Proposed Unhedged wager - length of time before @robarmstrong.bsky.social into an episode vocalizes agreement* with Katie. If you bet under 1 minute for yesterday's episode (56 seconds), I think you won - but we may need a definitive ruling. www.ft.com/content/8538...

ft.com

The forecast for prediction markets

Are the platforms useful or dangerous?

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Or would CBP deem any alcohol derived from agave as sufficiently "Tequila"-like? Nova Scotia distiller Raging Crow does product an agave-based product - "CAN’T CALL IT TEQ**LA". They also produce a Br**dy. Only trade lawyers rejoice. I wonder if Lighthizer's former partners buy all his drinks.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

The list is weird. It also begs the question of the interplay between how CBP would classify imports that fall under Geographic Indications. Can Canada produce a product called "Tequila", a protected term for products that come from Mexico?

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

My guess is that products like portland cement (difficult transportation) will feel more pain. Canada Goose can supply the US market from other facilities. This will show up in trade numbers - but that will just be accounting. (Canada's services trade with the EU will her a boost)

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

The quibble may be important here -- the tariffs won't cost consumers up to $10b. Many are elastic goods. Nor will it lower Canadian total exports by $20b. Trade is like water. Canadian products will backfill into other markets. The market dislocation pain will be concentrated however.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

PSA: When videoconferencing from a small meeting room - choose you seat carefully. Wide angle lenses will make a Mercator projection of the space. I was Greenland yesterday.

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Reposted by @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social

kyleayers.bsky.social @kyleayers.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Not saying that game was stolen from Egypt but it is now on display at museum in London.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

I am genuinely surprised that this isn't a television series already. Once you have an advance on the book, start pitching the series. A comedy about the trials and tribulations of a band of wedding photographer friends would me immensely enjoyable. Much better than wedding planners.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

I am reminded of this podcast timharford.com/2023/11/caut...

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

A television series about wedding photographers would make an excellent comedy.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

They are trained to be a fly on the wall - but with a lens pointing at the subjects. Couples are confronted with the delta between how they dreamed this day would go - a d reality. Additionally, there are religious and cultural expectations of guests (which sometimes conflict)

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

For anyone who knows Aaron (or any wedding photographers) in real life -- do offer them a drink and have them regale with stories. Wedding photographers have a backstage pass to couples and their families during one one of their most vulnerable and stressful days.

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asiatrademonitor.bsky.social @asiatrademonitor.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Maybe Professor Putnam should offer to be an advisor to a 6th President. POTUS' inability to understand the basics of using domestic opposition into international negotiating leverage is quite something.

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