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The Sunday Paper – How the United States Withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Benefits China

The Obama administration worked with 11-nations in Asia over 8-years on the TPP that the Trump administration tore up shortly after the new President’s inauguration. The purpose of the TPP was to create an Asia trading club that included America but excluded China, a club in which America would dictate the rules. China in the process would be contained.

On March 8th this year the 11-asian nations originally involved signed a new agreement, TPP11, which forms the basis of an accord that will be worked on in the next couple of years. If America chooses not to join this new agreement and China comes in America stands the chance of being permanently excluded as their entry in future will be subject to unanimous approval, which China would almost certainly block.

In an upcoming article in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law and Public Affairs Daniel C.K. Chow, Ian Sheldon and William McGuire of the Ohio State University and University of Washington respectively take a step back and remind us just how important the TPP was/is for American interests. As they so delicately put it “It is unclear in making this decision [To leave the TPP] whether the Trump Administration studied or even considered the possible negative consequences of this decision..”.

The current policy of bluster and intimidation is playing directly into China’s hands and the authors conclude;

“Aside from tariff increases, the United States appears to be at a standstill or a point of indecision about its trade policy in Asia and any next steps in Asia or the rest of the world. The U.S. withdrawal from TPP, without further action by the United States such as a reversal of the decision, could shift the balance of power over trade and economic relations in Asia and then globally to China.” Which would be, perhaps, one of the greatest own-goals in the history of U.S. foreign policy.

You can access the article in full via this link How the US Withdrawal from the TPP Benefits China.

Happy Sunday.

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