[CTC] Chilean official hopes upcoming summit will provide avenue for TPP-like deal, Chinese involvement

Mon Feb 6 13:08:11 PST 2017

Couple articles below...

INSIDE US TRADE

Chilean official hopes upcoming summit will provide avenue for TPP-like deal, Chinese involvement

February 03, 2017 
Eyeing a March summit of Trans-Pacific Partnership countries in Chile, the country's vice minister of commerce says she hopes China -- which has also been invited -- plays a role in helping to forge a TPP-like deal.

The March 14-15 summit is slated to take place in Viña del Mar, with Heraldo Munoz, the Chilean foreign affairs minister, presiding. Chile called the meeting to allow TPP countries an opportuntiy to discuss what comes next <https://insidetrade.com/node/157305> now that the U.S. has withdrawn. All TPP countries including the U.S. have been invited, as have China, Colombia and South Korea. A spokeswoman for the foreign affairs ministry said official confirmations of attendance have not been reported.

The vice commerce minister under Munoz, Paulina Nazal, said in a Jan. 25 interview with the Chilean publication Diario Financiero that she would be “very pleased” if China participated in mapping out a direction for a new trade deal.

Nazal said the effect of a U.S. withdrawal from TPP is “not definitive,” claiming the deal could progress through a “bilateral route” or even via a new plurilateral bloc, “which this time could be led by China.” Nazal said it would be a “plus to have China” interested in participating in a TPP-like agreement.

She also said Chile intends to “continue the processes of integration” and trade liberalization among TPP members “who want to continue participating,” according to an informal translation of the article.

The interview came just two days after President Trump’s decision to formally withdraw the U.S. from the deal.

“We do not objectively see greater risks in our bilateral relationship,” Nazal said when asked if Trump’s actions would present any risks to U.S.-Chile trade relations. Nazal argued the relationship remained unchanged for “many reasons,” referring to the U.S. as a “strong investor.”

The White House did not respond to inquiries about whether the U.S. planned to send a representative to Chile next month. -- Isabelle Hoagland (isabelle.hoagland at iwpnews.com <mailto:isabelle.hoagland at iwpnews.com>)

NSIDE US TRADE

New Zealand's trade minister on fact-finding trip to TPP countries

February 06, 2017 
The trade minister for New Zealand -- the Trans-Pacific Partnership depository -- is traveling to several TPP countries to discuss the U.S. withdrawal from the deal and other regional trade issues, Todd McClay said last week.

McClay departed on Feb. 4 for visits to Australia, Japan and Singapore and will meet with representatives in Mexico next week, with TPP set to be a major topic of discussion, he said in a Feb. 5 statement <https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/trade-minister-visit-japan-and-singapore>.

McClay said he will “exchange views” with officials in Japan and Singapore on the U.S.' “recent withdrawal from its TPP ratification process,” according to the statement.

“I’ll be talking to and visiting some of the other TPP countries over the next few weeks to see what they think may be in store for us. You know, my feeling is that there’s still value in TPP with the remaining countries,” McClay said during a Jan. 24 interview <http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/larry-williams-drive/audio/todd-mcclay-tpp-still-of-value-to-nz-without-us/> with NewstalkZB

In Sydney, McClay discussed bilateral and regional trade issues with Trade and Investment Minister Steven Ciobo on Feb. 5, according to his government statement.

While in Japan, McClay will meet with the minister in charge of economic revitalization, Nobuteru Ishihara.

“Japan is New Zealand’s fifth largest two-way trading partner, a significant source of foreign investment, and a key international partner in our efforts to liberalise trade in the Asia-Pacific region,” McClay said in the statement. “We need to sit down and discuss the future of trade between our two countries and how we can best support regional economic integration and trade liberalisation.”

The New Zealand trade minister will then stop in Singapore, where he is expected to meet with Lim Hng Kiang, the minister for trade and industry.

Lim said this week that TPP is not necessarily dead without the U.S., telling fellow members of parliament the country envisions several scenarios moving forward -- including a restructured deal <http://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/us-withdrawl-to-tpp-a-setback-but-may-not-be-its-end-lim-hng-kiang> without the U.S.

McClay is slated to be in Mexico next week -- where TPP and bilateral deals are expected to be discussed.

The Mexican ambassador to New Zealand, Jose Gerardo Traslosherosare, said on Feb. 4 that "the Mexican government has decided to launch bilateral FTA negotiations with a number of [Trans-Pacific Partnership] countries, and this includes New Zealand," the New Zealand Herald reported <http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11794324>.

In the Jan. 24 interview with NewstalkZB, McClay noted New Zealand’s interest in pursuing potential bilateral negotiations with the U.S, citing Trump’s preference for one-on-one deals.

“The question must be asked: if America hadn’t asked to join the negotiation of TPP, would there still have been a deal with the other countries? And I think the answer to that is yes. However, you know America was a big prize for New Zealand. We’ll just need to see what will there is for the other 10 TPP countries to continue to move forward and, you know, the amount of value that would remain for New Zealand and TPP minus the U.S,” McClay said.

“We would be interested in a bilateral deal [with U.S.] but I think [Trump’s] negotiation or dance card is going to be pretty full for a while and we’re just going to have to make contact with the new administration and see what it means,” McClay added.

During a Feb. 6 phone call, President Trump and Prime Minister Bill English of New Zealand “affirmed the close friendship and bilateral partnership” between the U.S. and New Zealand, the White House said in a statement.

“The President affirmed to the Prime Minister the U.S. commitment to strong and active engagement in Asia,” the readout said.

McClay's meetings will precede a trade summit in Chile <https://insidetrade.com/node/157476> slated for March 14-15. Chile has invited all TPP signatories, as well as China, South Korea and Colombia, to discuss what comes next now that the U.S. has withdrawn from TPP. Whether the U.S. will attend remains unclear. -- Isabelle Hoagland(isabelle.hoagland at iwpnews.com <mailto:isabelle.hoagland at iwpnews.com>)

Arthur Stamoulis
Citizens Trade Campaign
(202) 494-8826

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