China surprised many in the trade policy world last September by formally applying for membership in the 11 country “Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership” (CPTPP), the trade agreement that rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the 12 country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). There is no guarantee that the current members will agree to negotiate […]

China’s application on September 16 to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the eleven state plurilateral trade agreement that was signed in 2018 after the United States withdrew from its predecessor, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, is a clever political and strategic move on China’s part. It also raises the question as to whether China […]

There may be method in the apparent madness of Mr. Trump’s trade policy pronouncements with their simplistic mercantilist differentiation between good and bad trading partners. The populist rhetoric certainly plays to the president’s electoral base, but underlying it is a longstanding American preference for dealing with trading partners bilaterally where possible. The reason is that, […]

Ever since it took office last year, the Trudeau government has been on the horns of a dilemma over the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the 12 nation trade agreement it inherited from the Conservatives. The Liberals know that if the TPP goes ahead, Canada has to be part of it. It would be unthinkable to have to […]