7 years, 2 months ago AFBF, J Dewey
President Donald Trump has assigned Vice President Mike Pence to lead economic dialogue with Japan following meetings with Japan’s Prime Minister. Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Sheen-zoh-ah bay) made no decision regarding bilateral trade negotiations while meeting over the weekend in Florida. Vice President Pence will lead any trade talks with Japan, while Japan appointed its Deputy Prime Minister to lead talks with Pence. The talks will address fiscal and monetary policies, along with infrastructure and trade, according to Reuters. A top economist at Nikko (knee-coh) Securities in Tokyo said Pence “may be easier to work with” and “probably more logical” than Trump regarding trade policy negotiations. Trump has publicly opposed Japan, on both the campaign trail and in office, for its trade and economic policies.
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China and New Zealand will hold a series of meetings to promote free trade amid growing concerns over U.S. trade protectionism. The Strait Times, a Singapore-based newspaper, reports officials from both China and New Zealand have confirmed the meetings will take place. China’s Foreign Minister last week met with New Zealand officials. The two reportedly discussed the upgrade of the nations' bilateral free trade agreement, China's possible involvement in what remains of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and New Zealand's role in China's One Belt, One Road economic strategy. China and New Zealand officials both agreed the consideration of China joining the TPP needs to be discussed further now that the United States withdrew from the trade agreement. New Zealand and Australia have said that they hope to salvage the TPP by encouraging China and other Asian countries to join the trade pact.
