Representatives from Australia, Singapore, and other countries in the Far East and Pacific Rim are in Vietnam this week, negotiating a trade agreement that could potentially take the place of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement would exclude the U.S. and include China, which is currently not included in the TPP agreement. Some of the member countries included in TPP discussions are pushing ahead with the alternative agreement as the fate of the TPP in America isn’t certain. Pro Farmer’s First Thing Today reports that some experts are hoping news of these negotiations will spur the TPP discussion forward. Beijing is a key driver in discussions on the RCEP agreement, which would include 16 nations and 3.4 billion people, if it’s ratified. If left out of the TPP, China would lose ground to manufacturing competitors like Vietnam, which would have greater duty-free access to the United States and other member nations.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.