The next chapter for the Trans-Pacific Partnership
The future of trade and cross border commerce in Asia and the Pacific and the US role in Asia’s economy were put in doubt by Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) economic agreement. The TPP was the economic arm of President Obama’s pivot to Asia. It was also supposed to set the rules and standards of trade in Asia and for the world. It is no surprise then, that some of the remaining 11 members of the TPP are trying to save the agreement even without US participation. A lot of political capital was expended in negotiating the TPP and countries are looking for ways to maintain the momentum of economic integration.