TPP a Major Focus Within APEC, Presidential Politics Followed Closely Among Partners, Says Froman
The Trans-Pacific Partnership was a "major focus" during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial meeting in recent days, said U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman while speaking to reporters Nov. 19 (here). The leaders of the 12 TPP members gathered to discuss the next steps at the meeting in Manila, Philippines, said Froman. "Each of them focused on the economic benefits of the agreement -- first and foremost, the removal of barriers to exports that will allow greater opportunity in each of the countries," he said. "From our perspective, that's the elimination or the reduction of 18,000 tariffs on U.S. exports, 18,000 taxes on our manufactured exports, our agriculture exports; also globalization of services markets in this region that will allow our service providers as well to participate in these fast-growing markets."
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Asked about TPP member concerns related to opposition to the deal by presidential candidate Hilary Clinton (see 1510080009), Froman noted "they follow our politics quite closely and our processes quite closely." While he declined "to weigh into presidential campaign politics," Froman said "every country around the table has its own domestic procedures and its own politics around TPP that it's going to deal with."