China is the largest global producer and exporter in the rare earth industry. Nonetheless, the Chinese government decided to implement protectionist export policies since the country faced several...Show moreChina is the largest global producer and exporter in the rare earth industry. Nonetheless, the Chinese government decided to implement protectionist export policies since the country faced several issues in its domestic rare earth industry. China started the export restrictions around 2008 but the situation escalated in 2010 when China cut off 40% of its exports. This decision has led to a lot of disagreement between China and the rest of the world since many importing countries depend on China’s rare earth elements. Moreover, there was a lot of disagreement in the academic world as well since some scholars have analysed China’s export restrictions as a policy that supports development in its domestic rare earth industry whereas other scholars argued that China’s protectionist export policies did not support development. This thesis is a study on China’s export restrictions in its rare earth industry and aims to identify if China’s protectionist export policies have contributed to a solution for China’s domestic issues in its rare earth industry.Show less
The thesis analyses the process of Japanese trade liberalisation by examining a shift (on the surface) in the Japanese government’s attitude towards trade policies, and tries to explain why the Abe...Show moreThe thesis analyses the process of Japanese trade liberalisation by examining a shift (on the surface) in the Japanese government’s attitude towards trade policies, and tries to explain why the Abe government’s stance changed.Show less
Since the ratification of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the United States has moved towards a policy of trade liberalization that endeavors to retain its leading position in the...Show moreSince the ratification of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the United States has moved towards a policy of trade liberalization that endeavors to retain its leading position in the global economy. Partly due to the self-interest of the United States, the Doha Round has failed. This essay elaborates on the foreign trade relations of the United States and discusses the chronology, objectives and failure of the Doha Round. Three arguments are presented for why the United States' trade liberalization policy has changed and caused the Doha Round to fail. The first argument explains the protectionist strategy of the United States regarding its agricultural sector. The second argument goes into the emerging economies that are threatening the leading position of the United States. The third and final argument points out alternative negotiations on trade, for example the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, that have partly replaced the objectives of the Doha Round on a regional level.Show less
