Global trade has been disrupted significantly over the past year, driven by ongoing trade disputes between the United States and China. One of the most outstanding disputes has been the so-called “fentanyl tariffs”, disrupting markets in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and chemicals. When tariffs were raised on chemicals linked to the illicit production of fentanyl, a synthetic […]

Same game, new moves In my last piece, I argued that Beijing’s export controls were never simple retaliation. They were the opening act of a negotiation. By creating a problem it could later solve, China built leverage. Now Trump has made his countermove. His 100% tariff on Chinese goods looks like retaliation, but it’s part […]

China announced sweeping new rare earth export restrictions today, tightening control over the minerals that power everything from jet engines to smartphones, according to Reuters yesterday. With 70% of global mining and 90% of processing under Beijing’s control, this looks like economic warfare. But here’s what most analysts are missing: this isn’t an attack – […]

When you walk into a negotiation at 31% and come out at 39%, something has gone fundamentally wrong. Not only is this an economic disaster for Switzerland – it is also a textbook example of how not to negotiate. On Liberation Day (April 2, 2025), Trump announced tariffs on Swiss goods at 31%. He signaled […]

With the Public Procurement Act 2023 coming into force, a new set of rules has changed how public institutions in the UK must approach procurement. But beneath the regulatory surface lies a more fundamental shift: one that redefines the role of procurement itself. This shift is not about procedures. It’s about priorities. And at TWS […]

Sometimes it takes only one headline for an industry to stiffen its muscles and buckle up for a ride through a vast sea of uncertainty.  We live in the times of headlines aplenty, when executives and policy makers around the world are forced to adjust their course with decisions that will affect millions of constituents […]