The emerging BRICS economies agree that the West should hold less sway in the global economy. But their leaders, despite regular summits, have failed to articulate a coherent vision because of divergent interests, says journalist Martin Wolf.

A multilateral free trade deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, dominated President Obama's agenda at the APEC summit in Hawaii. This is part of a U.S. effort to increase economic cooperation with Asia to boost exports and create jobs, says expert Simon Tay.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's visit to Washington is likely to see passage of the Free Trade Agreement and coordination on strategies for pushing North Korea toward denuclearization, says CFR's Scott Snyder.

The U.S. needs to revitalize trade policy and spur foreign investment in this country--timely ingredients for a job-creating economic resurgence, says former senator Thomas Daschle, co-chair of a new CFR independent task force on trade and investment.

CFR's Benn Steil says the dollar's continuing decline could result in higher prices for major imports like energy and, in a worst-case scenario, might lead to higher inflation and interest rates.

A senior economic adviser to Sen. John McCain calls free trade an essential element in reviving U.S. economic fortunes.

A top economic adviser to Sen. Barack Obama describes his views on how to harness globalization and energy diversification to improve U.S. fortunes.

Don Oberdorfer, an expert on the two Koreas, says the recent street protests ostensibly against the import of U.S. beef are much more political protests against the new conservative government in Seoul.

Paul Collier, an economist and author of The Bottom Billion, discusses five steps to sustainable resource management in Africa.

South Asia expert Bruce Riedel sees the continuing development of U.S.-India ties as a major accomplishment of President Bush, who has built on steps taken by his predecessor.

Edward Alden, a CFR trade and immigration expert, says it is wrong to pin blame on NAFTA for the ills of the U.S. economy. Most of the competition that has affected U.S. manufacturing has come from the rest of the world, he says.

David C. Kang, an expert on Asian business, examines what economic development in North Korea could potentially mean for the region.

CFR geoeconomic fellow Brad W. Setser explains what’s behind the dollar’s recent decline and says the Federal Reserve shouldn’t use interest rates as a tool to stabilize the exchange rate.

A Wisconsin congressman says the time is ripe to reform the massive farm bill to make U.S. farmers more independent and competitive

Stephen Sestanovich, CFR’s top Russia expert, says the informal summit at Kennebunkport, Maine, restored nuclear issues as “the core of the relationship.”

CFR's Jagdish Bhagwati says U.S. must alter its approach to developing nations.

William Drozdiak, president of the independent American Council on Germany, says the White House meeting last week between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Bush indicates “they seem to have struck up a much more friendly rapport than what Bush had with her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder."

Adam Segal, a leading expert on Asian military and technological issues, holds “extremely low” expectations for the latest round of Six-Party Talks over North Korea’s nuclear program.

The Doha trade round is deadlocked, essentially over U.S. and EU farm sector protections. Chief U.S. agriculture negotiator Richard T. Crowder says intense discussions continue, but he stressed EU market access must improve for a deal to be reached.

Charles A. Kupchan, CFR's top expert on Europe, says when President Bush meets with top European leaders in Vienna on Wednesday, the ongoing dialogue with Iran is likely to top the agenda, along with the efforts to keep the trade expansion talks alive and the European participation in military actions in Afghanistan.