On Thu, 13 Nov 2003 03:47:45 GMT, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:

"geoff merryweather" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 05:23:40 GMT, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


But, either way, it drives me up a wall when someone from another country
bitches about how they're being mistreated in trade with the US, when, in
almost every such case, they're running some huge trade surplus with us.

We have been throguh this one before - you neglect the foriegn direct
investmetn by US companies with the repatriated profits - which
doesn't show up in the trade figures.

Yeah, I thought we *had* been through this before, Geoff.

To put it a little crudely, exporting products is like exporting your
unemployment. Investing capital overseas is like exporting your jobs.

Except that you presumably expect to make a continuing return on that
investment. You need to make sure that your previously employed
workers are shareholders in the companies doing the investing. Maybe a
bit of wealth redistribution would be in order ;-)

Thus, the government of New Zealand is as enthusiastic about receiving
direct foreign investment as it is about exporting your products.

BTW, direct investment from the US is only 13% of your total foreign
investment. We're only the fourth largest investor in NZ. But we're your
second-largest export market.


Secondly, you forget that the US citizens (the world's greatest
consumers) buy the stuff. You may bitch about imports, but if no one
bought it....

I have no problem with US citizens buying your products. The problem I have
is that New Zealand doesn't reciprocate.

Ed Huntress

But sometimes we do. Have a look at

http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c6141.html

it's been in our favour for the last four years, but for the eight
years before that it was in your favour. Over the last 19 years it has
been us 11, you 8, pretty close to a draw.

Regards
Malcolm.
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