TPP negotiations to be concluded soon In an interview with the press on the achievements attained during Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s recent official visit to the U.S., Mr. Hoang revealed that issues and contents related to the TPP negotiations were referred to at the talks between the Party chief and U.S. President Obama as well as leaders of some U.S. agencies, organizations and the business community.

While the notion of global trade may conjure thoughts of air and sea freight crossing oceans and hemispheres, the simple fact is that for U.S. manufacturers, two of the surest international export/import partners can be found only a drive away from some of our very own border cities. Today, U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico trade relationships rank among the strongest in the world. Just consider the numbers: Combined exports to both countries were nearly $600 billion annually at last official count in 2012.

A trade ministerial meeting held on July 13 in Kuala Lumpur discussed the state of current negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade treaty, which has faced difficulties, particularly with regards to tariff cut proposals. The eighth round of RCEP negotiations, held on June 8-13 this year, finished with little apparent progress towards an agreement on market access.

Unlike many countries in Asia, and indeed in the world, Vietnam is for the moment blessed with a raft of positive economic news. But beneath the surface, structural problems and a lack of industrial deepening persist.  Exports have been growing at 18 per cent year-on-year and 10 per cent year-to-date. Disbursements in foreign direct investment rose by some 9.6 per cent year-on-year with Samsung, in particular, manufacturing not only its smartphones but also TV and computer screens in Vietnam.

The negotiations for the agreement, which is officially dubbed as Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), were launched by both the countries in November, 2010 to further boost bilateral trade and investment. The proposed free trade agreement between India and Canada, which aims to reduce or eliminate duties on a large number of products traded between the two nations, is likely to be concluded by March next year.

Recently, the US Congress approved the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which delegates to the US president complete power to negotiate trade agreements with other countries. Under the TPA, once a trade agreement has been negotiated by the president or his representative, it is brought to Congress for ratification through an up-or-down vote. At that stage, no discussion on possible amendments is allowed.

Ngo Duc Manh, Deputy Chairman of The National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee, shines a light on negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) and Vietnam’s on-going preparations to optimise efficiency once the country joins this landmark partnership. Do you expect that the TPP will wrap up negotiations late this year?

U.S. politicians are pressuring the Obama administration to leave Canada out of a major and controversial trade deal, if Canada doesn't agree to deregulate its dairy and poultry industries and open them up to foreign competition. Reuters news service cites “two sources” close to the issue as saying the U.S. may go forward with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without Canada if the Harper government refuses to dismantle the supply management system that governs the country’s dairy.

HCM CITY (VNS)  — Viet Nam would gain substantially from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is still under negotiation, a workshop heard in HCM City yesterday. Pham Binh An, director of the HCM City WTO Affairs Consultation Centre, said that 10 ASEAN countries and six countries with which ASEAN has existing free trade agreements (Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India and China) were negotiating the content of the RCEP, which may be finalised by the end of this year.

The United States, frustrated over the lack of progress with Canada over new rules for agriculture trade, is weighing "contingencies" that could include completing a Pacific Rim trade pact that excludes Canada, according to two sources familiar with the issue. One official familiar with the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiation said Canada is not coming forward with plans to lower its barriers to agricultural trade.