Asia’s textile and apparel exporters await impact of bilateral FTAs

Posted on February 2, 2017 by Ed Zwirn

By Ed Zwirn, Jens Kastner 31 January 2017 (Read in WTIN.com)

As US President Donald Trump pulled America out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on 23 January with an executive order, he signalled he will instead ask Asian TPP members for bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs). This includes countries such as Vietnam that rely on apparel and textile exports. The TPP was also to have included Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

But it is unclear whether there will be much enthusiasm among these former TPP partners for straight one-on-one trade deals with the US. Continue reading →

TPP Trumped, Focus Switches to Bilateral Trade Deals

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Ed Zwirn

By Ed Zwirn (Read in Wards Auto, Jan. 27, 2017)

TPP opponents include Trump, protesters in Wellington, New Zealand.
Neal Ballantyne

Now that Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the auto industry faces other trade-policy challenges, particularly the attempts to strike bilateral deals one-on-one with many countries at once. Continue reading →

Airports: US eyes infrastructure investment surge from Trump Administration

Posted on January 8, 2017 by Ed Zwirn

Ed Zwirn, New York – IHS Jane’s Airport Review
13 December 2016

Elaine Chao has been nominated by President-Elect Donald Trump to serve as secretary of transportation.

The victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election has raised hopes of federal support for airport improvements in the country. Continue reading →

Massachusetts backs animal welfare plan in election-day vote

Posted on December 30, 2016 by Ed Zwirn

By Ed Zwirn

Published in Global Meat News on Nov. 15, 2016

The US state of Massachusetts has voted in favour of a statewide ban on the sale of pork products or veal from animals that cannot turn around or stretch their limbs within their cages. Read article