President Donald Trump’s approach to trade mainly offends allies for no reason, counters imaginary threats, and undermines deals that benefit the US. At the same time, his administration is also addressing a legitimate trade dispute: China’s alleged theft of intellectual property and forced technology transfers. True to form, the president appears to favor a response that would make the problem ...

The government of French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced an ambitious effort to reform the SNCF, the national railway operator. It’s an endeavor that puts Macron on a straight collision course with France’s most obstreperous unions. This is exactly the sort of direct confrontation that Macron has thus far avoided in his attempts to reform France’s sluggish economy. If the ...

Ignore the noise. China’s long-delayed property tax is probably still at least three years away, despite a flurry of recent announcements. The concept of a levy on homeowners collected by local authorities is certainly gaining currency. Premier Li Keqiang said China “will steadily push forward legislation” in his annual report to the National People’s Congress. The tax may be based ...