Publication

US trade policy discriminates against exports from poor Asian countries; the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would make things worse by, for example, giving preference to Vietnam’s exports over Cambodia’s. Regional agreements can also undermine the WTO and the global system that protects smaller, weaker developing countries. The United States can help ensure that poor countries are not left behind. This brief suggests three policy changes that Congress and President Obama should embrace: 1) strengthen the African Growth and Opportunity Act, 2) provide duty-free market access, and 3) declare a Doha victory and move on.