Vietnam is set to delay ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership until next year, as anxiety is rising over the deal in the U.S. Congress and the anti-trade presidential campaigns. A top government official in Vietnam has suggested the National Assembly hold off on a vote on the 12-nation deal during the next session starting in mid-October because “many countries in the world haven’t approved it.” Other nations included in the deal have expressed concern regarding the outlook for TPP given the current political mood in the U.S. regarding trade ahead of the November elections. Bloomberg says Vietnam, while fully supportive of the deal, usually operates cautiously on the global stage. Meanwhile, Australia has not specified when it will put the TPP before its own parliament, though Japan’s ruling party has indicated it plans to pass the agreement in a parliamentary session starting next week.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.