I was working in a small import company in Seattle, traveling as a buyer twice a year to China, when this occurred:
When a vessel of China Ocean Shipping Group Co sailed into the Port of Seattle in April 1979 carrying goods loaded in Shanghai, a new chapter in US-Chinese maritime relations began.
Eventually lawyers got involved.
Richard Lidinsky is among shipping-industry insiders who have taken note of Cosco's development in the US over the past 30 years. Now chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission, which regulates international ocean transportation for US exporters and importers, Lidinsky was a young lawyer for Baltimore's port authority in 1984 when he traveled in a delegation to Beijing in hopes of persuading Cosco to open a shipping route to Baltimore.
The FMC enforces some very destructive protectionist rules. With protection, USA dominance in international shipping ended. For the few shippers left, it became extremely profitable. Countless jobs were lost, a few personal fortunes made.
Cosco-USA grew into a 600 person company with offices in eleven cities in USA.
"I was amazed to see the growth," Lidinsky said. "It has built up from a very small company to a major player in trade between our two countries." Cosco, he added, "understands the rules and plays by the rules".
No kidding. And when, because of stupid, lawyer crafted, anti-free trade rules, USA is no longer a vibrant economy, China will write the rules. It took only 30 years.
Lawyers are govt workers, and we must maintain a strict separation of business and State.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
When a vessel of China Ocean Shipping Group Co sailed into the Port of Seattle in April 1979 carrying goods loaded in Shanghai, a new chapter in US-Chinese maritime relations began.
Eventually lawyers got involved.
Richard Lidinsky is among shipping-industry insiders who have taken note of Cosco's development in the US over the past 30 years. Now chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission, which regulates international ocean transportation for US exporters and importers, Lidinsky was a young lawyer for Baltimore's port authority in 1984 when he traveled in a delegation to Beijing in hopes of persuading Cosco to open a shipping route to Baltimore.
The FMC enforces some very destructive protectionist rules. With protection, USA dominance in international shipping ended. For the few shippers left, it became extremely profitable. Countless jobs were lost, a few personal fortunes made.
Cosco-USA grew into a 600 person company with offices in eleven cities in USA.
"I was amazed to see the growth," Lidinsky said. "It has built up from a very small company to a major player in trade between our two countries." Cosco, he added, "understands the rules and plays by the rules".
No kidding. And when, because of stupid, lawyer crafted, anti-free trade rules, USA is no longer a vibrant economy, China will write the rules. It took only 30 years.
Lawyers are govt workers, and we must maintain a strict separation of business and State.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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