Carper, Cornyn in Sunday’s Washington Post: U.S. Must Re-Engage Asia-Pacific Trading Partners

Trade Panel leaders pen op-ed as China seeks to join agreement formerly known as TPP

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Post published an op-ed by U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, and Ranking Member John Cornyn (R-Texas), arguing that the U.S. must re-engage our Asia-Pacific allies to forge multilateral trade partnerships that would counter China’s geopolitical rise in the region and benefit American manufacturers, farmers and small businesses. The trade panel leaders criticize the previous Administration’s decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and argue the U.S. should negotiate its way back into the TPP – now known as the CPTPP – which would create jobs and the opportunity to secure stronger environmental and labor rules in transpacific trade policies.

Recent reporting indicates that China is deliberately seeking to join this trade agreement, which was originally crafted by the U.S. and others to reduce Chinese influence in the region.

“Compromises are made in any trade deal, and the TPP was no different. But to even have a shot at writing the rules, you need a seat at the table. Right now, the United States is waiting in the hallway,” the Senators write. “U.S. trade leadership in the Asia-Pacific is an imperative for our economy, our national security and our broader diplomatic efforts. We intend to use our positions atop the Senate’s trade panel, as a Delaware Democrat and a Texas Republican, to speak with one voice on the need to re-engage in this region – and get our seat back at the table, once again.”

To read the full op-ed, click here.

Background:

On May 6, Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Cornyn sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai calling for the U.S. to reassert trade leadership in the Asia-Pacific region by engaging again with allies to develop comprehensive, multilateral free-trade partnerships.

The Senators’ op-ed also comes just five days after the Senate passed the bipartisan U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, legislation which included several top trade and manufacturing priorities secured by Carper and Cornyn.

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