The Trans-Pacific Partnership is one of President Obama’s biggest accomplishments of his second term. Can it survive the anti-trade tide in the race to replace him?
Could protectionism make America great again? Trump thinks so.
Reuters
A President Trump or Sanders would be likely to pursue protectionist trade policies such as higher tariffs. History suggests such policies could lead to a trade war, with painful consequences.
Indonesia must carefully consider the cost and benefits of joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Grasko/www.shutterstock.com
Southeast Asia’s biggest economy is eyeing to join the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, already signed by a dozen countries, including Australia.
The leading Republican candidate may seem out of step with his party’s platform when he lambasts free trade, but in fact the GOP has promoted protectionism for most of its history.
TPP still faces a long slog before it takes effect.
Reuters
Countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership signed the deal earlier this month, but changes can still be made to improve the mechanism that allows investors to sue states.
It went woozy in the middle but it ended ok.
AAP/Lukas Coch
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been described by its backers as a boon for development. But with no concrete commitments, nor any mention of climate, it is really at odds with the UN development agenda.
China didn’t get a seat at the TPP table (even in Beijing).
Reuters
Some say the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership was designed specifically to exclude or even encircle China. So do its leaders mind being on the outs?
Whatever the terms agreed by the 12 trade ministers who signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the text is unlikely to include the word ‘democracy’.
Reuters/USTR Office
Japan’s decision to lower or eliminate tariffs on rice, pork and beef may end up giving the prime minister a headache as he tries to get the trade accord through Parliament.
About 98% of US exporters are small businesses.
Cargo ship via www.shutterstock.com
The Trans-Pacific Partnership may not be a done deal, but Australia cannot avoid the realities of the cut-throat business of international capital, trade and investment.
Australian Trade Minister Andrew Robb says the TPP is ‘the biggest global trade deal in 20 years’.
Erik S. Lesser/EPA/AAP
There’s still some way to go before the 12 countries involved can celebrate.
Representatives of the 12 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) member countries at a press conference in Atlanta, after a deal was reached.
EPA/Erik S. Lesser
Before the last round of negotiations, only a handful of issues remained in the way of concluding the TPP. A potential deal-breaker for Australia was intellectual property protections for biologics.
The Abbott government is exaggerating the benefits of the China FTA.
Pool/Reuters
The US may be closer than people think to a deal over geographical indications, laws that protect products based on their location such as Champagne, Darjeeling tea and prosciutto di Parma.