Case 240 - Protecting Endangered Species: U.S. Trade Policy and the Cases of China and Taiwan

by ISD - Georgetown University
$ 4.50

Letovsky, Rovert and Brian Dwyer

This two-part case study analyzes President Bill Clinton’s April 1994 decision to impose limited trade sanctions on Taiwan because of Taipei’s tolerance of trade in endangered species’ parts and products. Clinton’s action marked the first time the United States had used trade sanctions to advance environmental goals. This case could be used in courses on world politics or international law to illustrate how a powerful country can unilaterally alter its relations with others, or loosen the linkages between international legal obligations and domestic law.