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English still hoping to salvage TPP as Trump swears to kill deal

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Mon, 23 Jan 2017, 10:44AM

English still hoping to salvage TPP as Trump swears to kill deal

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Mon, 23 Jan 2017, 10:44AM

New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English is holding out hopes there could be life left in the Trans Pacific Partnership free trade deal, even though new United States president Donald Trump has threatened to kill it stone dead.

READ MORE: Trump trade plan starts with quitting TPP

A White House statement issued soon after Trump's inauguration on Saturday said the incoming administration would also "crack down on those nations that violate trade agreements and harm American workers in the process."

Bill English told Mike Hosking that such moves were a sign that a Trump presidency could be harmful to New Zealand's economy.

"There's aspects of the policy that aren't going to work well for New Zealand, particularly his trade policy," English said.

"New Zealand's position is pretty predictable. As a small open economy, we need to trade."

LISTEN TO BILL ENGLISH'S FULL INTERVIEW WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

English insists he hasn't entirely given up on the TPP yet, and hopes to resuscitate the deal with the aid of Japan.

The TPP, which the United States signed but has not ratified, had been the main economic pillar of the Obama administration's "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific region in the face of a fast-rising China.

The proposed TPP is between the US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Singapore and six other Pacific nations.

Tim Groser, New Zealand's ambassador to the United States, hosted an inauguration party over the weekend at the embassy in Washington, attended by Trump officials and supporters.

"Our professional job is to establish the best possible relationships we can with the incoming Administration of the United States," said Groser, who is a former Trade Minister.

"And because of the extraordinary nature of the campaign, very few people - I would say even within the United States, let alone the foreign diplomatic community - have really any idea who they are or who is deeply influential in the new Administration."

 

 

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