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China and the US both have a role in promoting free trade in the Asia-Pacific region
Dan Steinbock says even before Trump’s scepticism, the US used trade as a geopolitical weapon against China, and now truly ‘free’ trade in the Asia-Pacific needs to include both major powers
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently concluded a visit to China. The joint talks about a free-trade pact began over a year ago. As Trudeau left Beijing, Western media ran headlines saying: “Trudeau leaves China empty-handed”, while China’s foreign ministry said “both China and Canada showed willingness to negotiate and sign a free-trade agreement”.
In reality, the world of free trade is now in the kind of flux that has not been since the post-1945 era.
If the United States withdraws from the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), it would start a six-month legal process before official termination. While President Donald Trump may see this as a tool to force Canada and Mexico to accept his demands, they may use the time for trade talks with Brazil and the European Union.
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After the fifth round of Nafta talks ended amid simmering tensions, Canada and Mexico have hedged their bets against a potential collapse by pushing for deals with new partners, particularly China and other Asian countries.
Nafta is America’s post-cold war blueprint for other free trade deals. It came into force in 1994, amid the globalisation boom. Despite the fanfare, accusations of misconduct surfaced barely a year after the deal.
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