[Epoch Times November 17, 2021](Epoch Times reporter Li Yan comprehensive report) The United States and Japan announced on Wednesday (November 17) the establishment of a new trading partnership to promote labor, environment, and digital trade issues. Cooperation, and emphasized the “worries of the third country”, implying against the economic policies driven by the Chinese Communist government.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who is meeting with members of the new Japanese government in Tokyo, said that the first meeting of the U.S.-Japan Partnership on Trade will be held in early 2022, and periodic meetings will be held regularly.
“This partnership will deepen the cooperation between the United States and Japan, and this cooperation has confirmed our strong bilateral trade relationship.” Dai Qi said in a statement issued by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
“Our close cooperation will support the Biden-Harris government’s Indo-Pacific economic framework and help create sustainable, resilient, inclusive and competitive trade policies that will boost our people and the economy.” The statement said, “I look forward to working with them in the days to come to make workers’ lives better and to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
The statement of the Office of the United States Trade Representative did not mention whether the new forum is an organization designed to negotiate a new trade agreement between the United States and Japan. However, it is mentioned that “the worries of the third country” is a key point of the NEPAD.
Reuters reported that the Biden administration is working hard to rebuild the old with its Asia-Pacific allies, with the goal of building a broader alliance against Chinese subsidies and other government-driven economic policies.
According to the “Wall Street Journal” report, when Biden’s government officials were pursuing a worker-centered trade policy, they said that they would not sign new regional trade agreements while focusing on improving the domestic economy.
Japanese Foreign Minister: New Partnership aims to realize the freedom and openness of Indo-Pacific
Earlier, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the new partnership will enable the two countries to discuss their common global agenda, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, and discuss bilateral trade issues.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told Dai Qi at the beginning of the Tokyo talks that this move was aimed at further deepening the Japan-US alliance and realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“Based on the strong Japan-U.S. economic relationship, we hope to further deepen the Japan-U.S. alliance and strengthen Japan-U.S. coordination to achieve a free and open India (Ocean)-Pacific.” He said.
The U.S. and Japan are expected to reach a broader trade agreement
The United States and Japan will start new talks to address the concerns of the United States regarding the “Section 232” national security tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum, and to curb global metal overcapacity, which is mainly concentrated in China.
In March 2018, President Trump (Trump) implemented “Article 232” for national security considerations, imposing tariffs of 25% and 10% on imported steel and aluminum, respectively, in order to protect the American steel and aluminum industry. However, countries such as South Korea, Argentina, Australia and Brazil are exempted under the terms. With the signing of a trade agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada, tariffs on Canada and Mexico were also cancelled.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo told reporters at the White House on April 7 that the Trump administration imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, saving jobs in the U.S. steel and aluminum industry.
On the occasion of the US-Japan meeting, the Biden administration has reached a quota agreement with the European Union to allow about 4 million tons of EU-produced steel to enter the United States tax-free every year.
Japan also hopes to further amend the limited trade consensus reached with Trump in 2019-to protect imported Japanese cars from the threat of higher tariffs, and seek to negotiate a broader agreement with the United States. Dai Qi said that she strongly hopes that the current beef security consultations between the United States and Japan can be resolved quickly and actively.
US Secretary of Commerce: Indo-Pacific economic framework is expected to be launched early next year
Reuters reported that Japan also hopes that the United States will return to the “Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership” (CPTPP), which is the current version of the old Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
“The Japanese side strongly hopes to see the United States return to the TPP…especially when we see new applicants in the context of expanding the CPTPP.” Noriyuki Shikata, Deputy Chief of the Cabinet Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers, spoke to the Washington Think Tank Strategy and Strategy Association last week. Said in a panel discussion organized by the International Research Center.
China, Taiwan and the United Kingdom have recently applied to join the CPTPP. This is a trade agreement signed by 11 countries including Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, and New Zealand. The United States helped design the agreement to counterbalance the CCP, but it withdrew in the early days of the Trump administration.
US President Biden said last month that Washington will start negotiations with partners in the Indo-Pacific region on the development of a regional economic framework.
Commerce Minister Raimundo, who is also visiting Asia, said on Wednesday that the Indo-Pacific economic framework is expected to be launched early next year (2022), and her trip to Asia is to pave the way for potential partnerships.
“We are likely to start a more formal process early next year, and finally form an appropriate economic framework in the region.” Raimundo confirmed at the Bloomberg Innovation Economic Forum held in Singapore, which means that a practical agreement will be reached. Agreement.
“This has nothing to do with China (the CCP). It is about developing a sound commercial and economic relationship with our partners in the Indo-Pacific region, where we have had a solid relationship for a long time, except for the past few years.” Duo said that she had been to Tokyo before visiting Singapore and will visit Malaysia next.
USTR stated that the new partnership will focus on addressing labor and environment-related priorities, trade facilitation, supporting digital ecosystems, and cooperation in regional and multilateral trade forums. The latter refers to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which will hold an important ministerial meeting in Geneva at the end of November.
The statement also said that this partnership will be hosted by the USTR and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Editor in charge: Lin Yan#
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