Trump s trade policy in Asia: A one year review
President Trump promised a reset in U. S. trade policy, making the reduction of bilateral trade deficits a core priority. His opening act on tradewithdrawal from the TransPacific Partnership (TPP)sent shockwaves through the AsiaPacific region. But other campaign pledges, such as a 45 percent blanket tariff on Chinese imports, have not materialized. Instead, the administration has revived littleused U. S. trade laws to tame Chinese unfair trading practices: a Section 232 investigation on steel and aluminum that could restrict imports with national security considerations and a Section 301 investigation on Chinese intellectual property theft. The Trump administration has been a proponent of the benefits of trade bilateralism. Major initiatives on this front include the launch of highlevel economic dialogues with Japan and China, and steps to amend parts of the Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA). The U. S. government has also expressed a strong desire to launch new bilateral trade negotiations with c
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