Ep. 48 – The Strait Ahead to a Fragile Truce: Iran, China, Europe and the Coming 301s

06/18/2026

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WITA

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Former Trade Negotiators Discuss This Week’s Tariff Trade Developments.

On this week’s episode of WITA’s Friday Exchange, our trade insiders discussed the Trump administration’s new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Iran and its implications for global trade, energy markets, and supply chains. They also examined the future of the Strait of Hormuz, including how provisions that could give Iran a larger role in the waterway’s management may affect maritime governance, regional security dynamics, and discussions surrounding the 24 global maritime chokepoints.

They also explored the fragile U.S.-China trade truce, growing European concerns over Chinese over-capacity and subsidies, and the prospects for greater transatlantic coordination on China-related trade challenges. Finally, the group debated whether the administration’s expected Section 301 tariffs on forced labor and excess capacity are targeted efforts to address Chinese economic practices or a strategy to expand tariffs on trading partners around the world.

Featured Speakers:

Wendy Cutler, Senior Vice President, Asia Society Policy Institute; former Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative

Ed Gresser, Vice President and Director for Trade and Global Markets at PPI

Dawn Shackleford, President at Looking Glass Trade, LLC; former Executive Director for Trade Agreements Policy & Negotiations, Department of Commerce; former Assistant USTR for WTO & Multilateral Affairs

Moderator: Michael Smart, Managing Director, Rock Creek Global Advisors