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

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

asia-flags-app-leaderAs 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