US needs commercial allies in Asia
With both sides retreating to their respective
corners, it appears the trade conflict between the United States and China, the
two largest economies in the world, isn’t going to end anytime soon.
That’s why it’s crucial that, rather than
alienate allies around the world, Washington should push forward to broaden and
deepen our commercial alliances, particularly in Asia. If the Trump
administration is willing to make some concessions, they will find trading partners
willing to do the same in ways that benefit U.S. businesses and strengthen our
hand in dealing with China.
Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration,
the United States has made a series of trade policy missteps. It levied
“national security” tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from every country
in the world, including several allies. The president withdrew the United
States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a promising trade pact with
Pacific Rim nations, designed in part to pressure Beijing to raise its
commercial standards. And most disturbingly, it rushed headlong into a conflict
with China with no discernable exit strategy and without longstanding allies
who share some of our concerns with Beijing’s trade-policy practices.
Now should be the time to spread U.S.
commercial diplomacy, given the rising tensions between Washington and Beijing.
There are several steps we can take that will reaffirm our commitment to
international economic engagement.
First, the United States should move quickly
to negotiate a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan. Though the two
countries were the major players at the center of the TPP, American farmers and
ranchers struggle to reach the lucrative Japanese agriculture market as the
rest of the TPP nations moved forward with the agreement without the United
States. In order to enhance market access for American agricultural products,
the Trump administration should back off its claims that Japanese auto
companies pose a national security threat to the United States. Toyota and
Honda, for example, employ hundreds of thousands of Americans. Corollas and
Civics do not pose national security threats to Americans. Likewise, lifting
the steel and aluminum tariffs for Japanese producers would help pave the way
for a quick resolution to FTA negotiations between the two allies.
Likewise, the United States and Taiwan should
deepen their trade and investment ties. Though Taiwan is a flashpoint in
U.S.-China relations, Washington does maintain a strong commercial relationship
with Taipei. The Taiwanese government wants to create a thriving environment
for businesses and startups and has succeeded in information and communications
technologies, but more can be done.
The United States does have some legitimate
complaints about Taiwanese protectionism. The tiny island is too protectionist
in its agricultural markets, particularly pork and beef, and is increasingly
hostile to investment by U.S. multinational corporations. Locked in a
regulatory dispute that looks an awful lot like disguised protectionism,
transportation network companies (TNCs) are currently struggling to maintain
market access in Taiwan, one of the few Asian markets open to American TNCs.
The United States can help facilitate Taiwan’s further economic growth, but President
Tsai Ing-wen’s government must be open and transparent about regulations and
willing to treat foreign investment fairly.
In order to improve market access for American
pork and beef producers in Taiwan and end the standoff over TNCs, the United
States has several options. It can offer to remove the steel and aluminum
tariffs for Taiwan. Likewise, the United States maintains several special
anti-dumping and countervailing duties on products from Taiwan. By lifting
these duties in exchange for more favorable treatment of American products and
investment, the two sides can each claim victory that will benefit consumers
and producers in both countries.
If economic relations with China are going to
be rocky for the foreseeable future, the United States should do everything it
can to expand commercial ties with partners across the Asia Pacific region.
There are several willing trading partners if the Trump administration is
willing to make some small concessions that will ensure broader goals are
achieved.
