On April 2, President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on nearly every country and territory, ranging from 10% to 50%. A week later, he paused these tariffs for most countries to renegotiate trade deals—except for one: China. In response, China imposed tit-for-tat retaliatory tariffs, pushing duties on bilateral trade to as high as 170%. Why did Trump launch this unprecedented tariff campaign? Why did President Trump impose universal tariffs? What are the key features of the new Reciprocal Trade Agreements? How will the US-China trade war reshape global trade dynamics? And what are the broader implications for the global trade order as it shifts away from multilateralism? In this two-hour webinar, renowned trade law expert Professor Henry Gao will address these critical questions and outline the key elements of what may become the most ambitious restructuring of global trade rules since the Doha Round in 2001.
The session will equip participants with a clear understanding of the new trade architecture and provide practical insights for advising clients in Singapore and beyond as the global system shifts away from the multilateral model that has defined the past 80 years.
Outline
- Introduction to WTO Principles
- China’s Accession to the WTO
- From Rule Taker to Rule Maker: China’s Rise
- The US-China Trade War • “Liberation Day” Tariffs
- The New Reciprocal Trade Agreements
- Implications for Southeast Asia and the Global Trade Order
Suggested Readings:
Gregory Shaffer, Henry Gao, A New Chinese Economic Order?, Journal of International Economic Law, Volume 23, Issue 3, September 2020, Pages 607–635, https://doi.org/10.1093/jiel/jgaa013
Henry Gao, “China’s Changing Perspective on the WTO: From Aspiration, Assimilation to Alienation.” World Trade Review21, no. 3 (2022): 342–58. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474745622000088.
Henry Gao, The Art of a Trade Deal: How Trump’s reciprocal tariff agreements can reset the global trade agenda, Commonplace, (2025), https://commonplace.org/2025/04/16/the-art-of-a-trade-deal/ (last visited May 2, 2025).
This session is part of the SMU Law Academy “Recent Highlights” series. Designed with the busy practitioner in mind, this series provides participants with a convenient platform to obtain timely and practical bite-sized analysis of the latest developments in various areas of the law. The series will be taught by leading and experienced experts curated from academia and practice. Each topic in the series is distilled into a short-duration online webinar so that busy legal professionals can be effectively updated with the most material developments affecting their practice.
SPEAKER
Henry Gao is Professor of Law at Singapore Management University. With law degrees from three continents, he began his career as the first Chinese lawyer at the WTO Secretariat. He has advised national governments and international organizations including the WTO, UN, World Bank, ADB, APEC, ASEAN, and the World Economic Forum.
Professor Gao is widely published on China, WTO, and digital trade issues. He serves on the Advisory Board of the WTO Chairs Program, the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law, and the editorial boards of the American Journal of International Law and the Journal of International Economic Law.
He frequently appears in international media including the Financial Times, Economist, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, and has testified before the European Parliament and the U.S. International Trade Commission.
FEES
a. Registration Fee
Registration fee of S$163.50* (inclusive of GST) applies
b. Group Registration
Registration fee of S$147.15* (inclusive of GST) applies if there are at least 10 participants from the same organisation.
c. SMU Alumni (LLB / JD / LLM graduates)
Registration fee of S$147.15* (inclusive of GST) applies for SMU LLB/ JD/ LLM Alumni
*Please note that there will be no refund of any fees should the participant cancel the registration/ fail to attend the event. However, registration is transferable. Notice of any change in participant should be sent to the Academy via email: smulawacademy@smu.edu.sg, by 20 June 2025.
SMU Law Academy reserves the right to cancel or postpone any event. In such case, we will arrange for the refund of fees paid.
