Specialty Fabrics Review January 2020 - 48

FOCUS

ADVANCED TEXTILES

Exhibitors, presenters and delegates
at IFAI Expo 2019 offered their
thoughts on trade issues, revealing
insights borne out by experience.
Despite the uncertainties, most are
seeing opportunities to forge new
connections both nationally and
globally. That said, all agreed that
remaining informed and making
preparations for different outcomes
has never been more necessary.
Photos: Mark Skalny Photography.

The waiting game
The challenge of making decisions in
an uncertain trade environment.
BY MARIE O'MAHONY

Editor's note: The issue of U.S. trade is unusually dynamic and evolving today. The majority of this
article represents information available when the speakers presented at IFAI Expo in October 2019.

W
IFAI lobbying efforts
IFAI's United States Industrial Fabrics
Institute (USIFI) and the Narrow
Fabrics Institute (NFI) advocate for
the industry's legislative and regulatory
needs in Washington, D.C. These
divisions represent the very diverse
interests and priorities of the industry,
covering a range of sizes and market
interests from highly specialized niches
to broad market segments. For more
information about IFAI's advocacy
efforts, visit www.ifai.com.

48 REVIEW JANUARY 2020

ith current international trade in a persistent state of flux, it's tempting for the
advanced textiles industry to stand by and wait until things stabilize. But business
doesn't stand still, and whether you are an energetic member of a lobbying group
or tracking a single component along your supply chain, it's crucial to stay informed of events
as they unfold in Washington, D.C.
Presentations at IFAI Expo in early October 2019 provided a forum to catch up on progress
and likely scenarios. The U.S./China trade war has captured the headlines, but tariff battles
with Europe stand to create more uncertainty on the trade front. The White House, however,
claims progress toward a resolution with China.
The New York Times reported in October 2019 that U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin
said the United States and China were "on track toward signing the first phase of a trade
agreement next month." That was supposed to happen in Chile at the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation summit, but the Chilean government canceled the event because of unrest in
that country.
The agreement, still being finalized, "would prevent future tariff increases and lock in
intellectual property protections in China, as well as ensure Chinese purchases of American
agriculture," the article said.
DISCUSSION AT EXPO
In the first of two talks, Sara Beatty, president of Whitehaven Trade Advisors, gave an update
on government relations as they relate to trade, tariffs and military procurement policy with
co-presenter Auggie Tantillo, president of SG & Associates. That the U.S. and China were
close to reaching an agreement last spring may give some cause for optimism; however, the
speakers acknowledged that we seem to be caught in a waiting game.
China still could choose to sit it out and see what happens with the question of impeachment
and if more favorable terms might be had with a successor to President Trump. Alternatively,
the age-old political wisdom that says, "When there is trouble at home, look to see what might
be achieved abroad" might be applied around the negotiating table.

http://www.ifai.com

Specialty Fabrics Review January 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Specialty Fabrics Review January 2020