William Alan Reinsch

Senior Adviser and Scholl Chair in International Business
William Alan Reinsch

William Reinsch holds the Scholl Chair in International Business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Previously, he was a senior advisor at the law firm of Kelley, Drye & Warren and served for 15 years as president of the National Foreign Trade Council, which represents multinational companies on international trade and tax policy issues.  From 2001 to 2016, he concurrently served as a member of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. He is also an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, teaching a course in trade policy and politics. Reinsch also served as the under secretary of commerce for export administration during the Clinton administration. Prior to that, he spent 20 years on Capitol Hill, most of them as senior legislative assistant to the late senator John Heinz (R-PA) and subsequently to Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV). He holds a BA and an MA in international relations from the Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies respectively. 

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Photo: SAM YEH/AFP/Getty Images

Photo: SAM YEH/AFP/Getty Images

The Double-Edged Sword of Semiconductor Export Controls

The Scholl Chair evaluates the "design-out" and "design-around" risks associated with U.S. semiconductor export controls and their potential impacts on economic and national security, with a focus on China's development of advanced semiconductor packaging capabilities.

Report by Jack Whitney, Matthew Schleich, and William Alan Reinsch — October 4, 2024

William Alan Reinsch’s Commentary

Photo:lowsun/Adobe Stock

Photo:lowsun/Adobe Stock

Can Europe See the Forest for the Trees?

This week, the Scholl Chair assesses the EU's now-delayed Regulation on Deforestation Free Products and weighs the tradeoffs of burdening trade agreements with social and environmental provisions. 

Commentary by William Alan Reinsch — October 7, 2024

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The Trade Guys

The Trade Guys

Trade experts Scott Miller and Bill Reinsch break down the buzz around trade, how it affects policy, and how it impacts your day-to-day. The Trade Guys is hosted every week by H. Andrew Schwartz at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C.

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Can Europe See the Forest for the Trees?

This week, the Scholl Chair assesses the EU's now-delayed Regulation on Deforestation Free Products and weighs the tradeoffs of burdening trade agreements with social and environmental provisions. 

Commentary by William Alan Reinsch — October 7, 2024

The Trade Guys

Port Strike, Critical Technology Ties with India, and EU Deforestation Regulation

On this week's episode of the Trade Guys, we unpack the ramifications of the port strike currently impacting the East Coast and Gulf. Next, we look at U.S.-India collaboration on critical minerals and semiconductors, as well as the recently delayed EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

Podcast Episode by Evan Brown, Scott Miller, and William Alan Reinsch — October 7, 2024

CSIS The Trade Guys

The Double-Edged Sword of Semiconductor Export Controls

The Scholl Chair evaluates the "design-out" and "design-around" risks associated with U.S. semiconductor export controls and their potential impacts on economic and national security, with a focus on China's development of advanced semiconductor packaging capabilities.

Report by Jack Whitney, Matthew Schleich, and William Alan Reinsch — October 4, 2024

8th U.S.-ROK Joint Public-Private Economic Forum

Please join the Scholl Chair for International Business and Project on Trade and Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, for the 8th Annual Korea-U.S. Public-Private Forum, cohosted by the U.S. Department of State and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.

Event — October 2, 2024

Here We Go Again: The Candidates’ Trade Policies

This week, the Scholl Chair compares and contrasts what to expect from the two major U.S. presidential candidates on trade policy after the release of more detailed proposals. 

Commentary by William Alan Reinsch — September 30, 2024

The Trade Guys

Trump-Harris Economic Plans and a U.S. Ban on Connected Vehicle Technology Imports

On this week's episode of the Trade Guys, we dive into the economic records and agendas of the two major presidential candidates. We also cover the Commerce Department's proposed ban on the import and sale of connected vehicle technologies from China and Russia.

Podcast Episode by Scott Miller, William Alan Reinsch, and H. Andrew Schwartz — September 30, 2024

CSIS The Trade Guys
Audio Briefs

Whither Europe, Or Is It Wither?

An audio version of “Whither Europe, Or Is It Wither?,” a new commentary by CSIS’s William Alan Reinsch. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by William Alan Reinsch — September 24, 2024

Audio Briefs

Whither Europe, Or Is It Wither?

This week, the Scholl Chair takes a look at Mario Draghi's recent report on European economic competitiveness and the inflection point the European Union is facing.

Commentary by William Alan Reinsch — September 23, 2024

The Trade Guys

A Deep Dive on the Chinese Economy with Scott Kennedy

On this week's episode of the Trade Guys, we are lucky to be joined by Scott Kennedy, the Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at CSIS. Discussion topics include the origins of China's economic downturn, Taiwanese investment in China, and what the future may hold for the world's second-largest economy and its trade relationships.

Podcast Episode by William Alan Reinsch, Scott Miller, Evan Brown, and Scott Kennedy — September 23, 2024

CSIS The Trade Guys

Friendshoring vs. Onshoring

This week, the Scholl Chair summarizes his thoughts from the Department of Commerce's Supply Chain Summit and looks at what the Biden administration really means by “supply chain resiliency.”

Commentary by William Alan Reinsch — September 16, 2024