The codes of the ‘trade wars’ are in this book
United States President Donald Trump has declared that Washington has signed the most extensive trade deal with Mexico.
As experts also indicate, the deal is surely not the “most extensive” one in history.
For example, the trade deal which Trump rejected last year, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) between the United States, Mexico, Canada and nine Pacific countries, was much more extensive.
Since the trade deal the EU signed with Japan last July involved one third of the global economy, it was also certainly more extensive than the U.S.-Mexico deal.
In 2017, the trade volume between U.S. and Mexico was $615.9 billion.
The trade volume between U.S. and Canada was $673 billion.
That is to say, Trump highly exaggerates this new deal.
However, since the automobile sector has an important place in the deal, this is an issue worth watching closely for Turkey.
This is an era about new trade deals and new trade wars.
Those who lead world trade
The book I have right now is the book of this era.
Dr. Işılay Öcal, who has studied economy and public relations, explains the codes of trade wars throughout history in her new book on the importance of public relations in international trade (Utichil, Uluslararası Ticarette Halkla İlişkilerin Önemi).
Öcal is experienced in foreign trade.
Until 2008, she worked as the foreign trade director of Eti Krom, a branch of Yıldız Holding.
In 2008, she founded the company SBM Consultancy, which focuses on chromium trade, and continued her PhD studies.
“The importance of public relations in international trade” is actually the subject of her postgraduate thesis.
“I explain which countries have led and dominated world trade for 600 centuries and with which strategies, communication channels and strategies,” she told me.
A guide for trade: Communication
The chapter about coffee, which is the second most traded good after oil, is an interesting example.
Turks are the first to make coffee gain popularity and to make it an important part of social life.
The first coffee-house is believed to have opened in the 16th century in Istanbul.
The opening of the first coffee house in England, however, was not until the 17th century.
While explaining the reasons behind the success of the coffee trade, Öcal also shows how England eventually became even more successful than the Ottoman Empire in this area of trade.
“The aim of this book is to prove the instruction manual for trade is communication. Communication is a tool in showing needs and seeing and presenting opportunities,” she said.
Öcal’s work on foreign trade is focused on the area of chromium exporting because she defines chromium as a strategic product.
“Those who cannot solve and direct the communication codes of the trade cycle lose. Losing the trade wars means losing in all areas,” she said.
China signed 118 cooperation deals
Speaking of international trade, China will create a huge trade potential in the following years.
According to a statement by Chinese authorities, who are currently working on the “Silk Road Project,” China has signed 118 total trade cooperation deals with 103 countries and international organizations up until now.
China has directly invested $70 billion abroad in the scope of the project, which is also known by the name of “One Belt, One Road.”
The total investments on the economic and commercial areas in the countries situated in the “One Belt, One Road” trade route is $20 billion.
