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Free trade vital to Ohio, U.S. economies, exec says
> What do you think about free trade?
Thursday, May 15, 2008
DAYTON — Despite recent campaign rhetoric questioning the fairness of free trade agreements, liberalized trade practices have become too vital to the U.S. and Ohio economies to turn back the clock to protectionism, a DHL Express trade executive told 75 members of the Miami Valley International Trade Association.
"Based on Census data, Ohio is the only state in the union where exports have expanded in each of the past eight years," said T. James Min, DHL's vice president of international trade affairs and compliance. Min was the keynote speaker Thursday, May 15, at a World Trade Day seminar sponsored by the trade association at the Cox Media Center, 1611 S. Main St.
Extras
"Ohio's exports to NAFTA countries (Canada and Mexico) increased from just under $10 billion in 1993 to nearly $19 billion in 2003. That's almost 100 percent growth in just 10 years — and it continues to increase," Min said. "Over one-fifth of all manufacturing workers in Ohio depend on exports for their jobs."
The Miami Valley, too, has benefitted from free trade, he said. "With the aid of the weak U.S. dollar, exports from southern Ohio grew by 13.6 percent to $12.7 billion in 2006. Of this, $4.7 billion of the exports were to NAFTA countries. And it is expected that 2007 figures will surpass the 2006 figures."
Attendees heard Min and other speakers talk about the rapidly emerging opportunities for trade in Asia, particularly in China, Vietnam and India. With express services like DHL, Min said, even smaller companies can penetrate those markets.
"With our global network, a small or medium-sized business can reach 90 to 95 percent of the world's GDP within two to tree days," he said. "In 2006, a total of 11,371 companies exported from Ohio. And of these, 88 percent were ... businesses with fewer than 500 employees."
In an interview after his talk, Min said presidential candidates may raise labor and environmental issues about free trade but he doubts that any candidate who takes office will try to restrict the current trade practices. Since more liberal trade policies were introduced in 1947, he said, U.S. annual incomes have increased by $9,000 per American household. Each family has benefitted from an additional $1,300 to $2,000 annually from NAFTA alone, he said.
"The facts are clear — free trade is good for the U.S. economy," he said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2437 or jdebrosse@DaytonDailyNews.com.
Comments
By to thinking
May 22, 2008 12:13 AM | Link to this
We cannot bring medicines from Canada and Mexico because of the strong control from the health industry and insurance companies. They have a strong say at Washington DC through Lobbying and Finan$ial contribution$.
By tom
May 16, 2008 7:42 AM | Link to this
Mr. DeBrosse: It is refreshing to see someone write an intelligent article on free trade. All of the NAFTA bashing going on has tainted the real story of free trade. Ohio is a huge free trade beneficiary. The jobs that have been lost in Ohio are due to excessive production costs resulting in a lack of competitiveness and replacement by industrial robots. We need to export more and more! Regarding imports, some of those imports go into producing products that we otherwise could not do.
By karon
May 15, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
United States is third world when it comes to transportation. As a nation we cannot compete in a global market, without our cities being vital and only having cars and highways for communte. Please support Passenger rail for surburb city connect ,and streetcars for the cities and high speed passenger trains for city to city connections!
By Bake
May 15, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
The article says “Each family has benefitted from an additional $1,300 to $2,000 annually from NAFTA alone, he said.”. Well I’m still waiting for my share, T. James Min must have gotten mine!
By Mariaaa!!!
May 15, 2008 8:36 PM | Link to this
You don’t spend over 200 years building up a national economy, then jerk the rug out from under it, and expect everything to be OK.
By Mariaaa!!!
May 15, 2008 8:32 PM | Link to this
It’s easy for Mr. Min to say NAFTA is a good thing. As DHL’s vice president of international trade affairs and compliance, he hardly has to worry about the price of a loaf of bread or wonder if his job is going to be outsourced to a foreign country or worry about healthcare coverage. And even if that did happen, financially, he’s probably set for life. Free trade might be good for some, but right now it stinks for many.
By Mariaaa!!!
May 15, 2008 8:20 PM | Link to this
Perhaps the export figures do look really good, but what’s the overall picture? Do other figures tell the same story? Would we be better off with things as they were before NAFTA/free trade/world economy or is now better? What’s the comparison like? Of course, Mr. Min has a vested interest in painting a pretty export picture. DHL would love to see that export figure increase. They love shipping all those products overseas. “The facts are clear — free trade is good for DHL.”
By Old Scratch
May 15, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this
Free trade is good for what Bush Sr. called “the investor class”. If you are rich you can live well in your gated communities and spout stuff like that. If not the good news is you can buy cheap T-Shirts. The bad news is you lost your job. NAFTA sure paid off for Bill Clinton. Racing stupidly into the third world thanks to free trade.
By Lean Thinking
May 15, 2008 5:45 PM | Link to this
Free Trade? We have fair trade? Why can’t us citizens buy quality prescription drugs from Canada or Mexico while our leaders allow China to bring in contaminated and deadly drugs? It appears we always get the short end of the stick on the fait trade deals. When we try to export our products they are put under the microscope as if they try to find ways to reject them. Yet China dumps toys with lead paint, the drug Heparin with a cheaper and deadly substitute in it, and they even poison our dogs. Fair Trade?
Yeah right Comrade!
By painfultruth
May 15, 2008 5:22 PM | Link to this
Before anyone says free trade stinks, take a look at the record dollar exports from the US to other countries.