This week (October 27, 2025) marked a pivotal turn in U.S.–China trade relations when Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met and announced a series of major concessions and commitments. At first glance it seems like great news for U.S. importers: tariffs are being cut, Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans are resuming, and China has delayed export controls on rare‐earths. But if you dig a little deeper, the picture becomes more nuanced. Let’s break down what happened, what it really m

Beijing's new five-year plan, covering the period 2026-2030, marks a strategic milestone for the Chinese economy—and by extension, for businesses worldwide that interact with China. Although the final text has not yet been published, we already know that formulation officially began in December 2023. It is relevant because it defines the industrial, technological, consumer, and international openness direction of the world's second-largest economy—and that has direct implicat

If you import from China (or export to it), you’ve met SWIFT . It’s the backbone that lets banks talk to each other across borders. But SWIFT doesn’t move money; it moves messages —the instructions that tell banks what to do. That design made global trade possible… and also explains why cross-border wires can feel slow, pricey, and dated. Let’s break it down in plain English—and end with what’s changing. Alice wants to transfer $100 from her US bank account to Bob's bank acco

If you’ve been following the financial headlines lately, you might feel a sense of whiplash. On one hand, we hear about a softening labor...

If you’re a business importing goods from China, you’ve likely faced headaches like tangled logistics, unpredictable tariffs, or...

The world is more connected than ever. With cross-border payments growing by 5% annually and B2B transactions leading the charge,...

So, you’re importing $10,000 worth of products from China. Exciting! But things can get overwhelming between navigating freight logistics...

(A 2025 Guide for Small Businesses) Imagine paying your Chinese supplier as quickly as sending a Venmo—no hidden fees, week-long waits,...

(Summary of Scott Galloway's conversation with Alice Han) The trade tensions between the United States and China have been a focal point...

For the last time, let's start by reminding ourselves of the five key risk categories that companies must consider when designing a...

Watch our latest video on this topic: https://youtu.be/KW7xfCEmPlU Let's start by reminding again of the five key risk categories that...

Let's start by reminding again of the five key risk categories that companies must consider when designing a framework to manage risk for...

Let's start by reminding ourselves of the five key risk categories that companies must consider when designing a framework to manage risk...

Cultural Risks Let's start by reminding ourselves of the five key risk categories that companies must consider when designing a framework...

Introduction:  If you’re a Chilean entrepreneur who formed a U.S. LLC to run a Shopify e-commerce business, you might be surprised at how...

Introduction: The Dollar’s Unsettling Moment. Imagine if everyone suddenly decided to stop trusting the U.S. dollar. Panic selling,...

Summary of Viable Options Given a sudden material increase in tariff, the goal is to delay or reduce this duty impact.  The most...

Apologies for the slightly more technical blog, but the conditions force us to explore some technicalities more deeply. Here is our take...

Step 1: Research & Supplier Selection Actions : Identify your product and verify demand. Source suppliers via platforms like Alibaba or...

So, you’re shipping goods domestically or overseas and wondering, “Do I really need a freight forwarder?” It’s a common question,...