Asia goes back to the future on trade to manage in Trump times

HONG KONG (Feb 15): Everything old is new again when it comes to trade deals.

There’s been a flurry of interest in reverting to one-on-one talks with the US after President Donald Trump ditched a 12-nation Pacific trade pact. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe went to Washington in part to talk about the potential for a bilateral agreement.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership went well beyond traditional pacts and addressed everything from intellectual property rights to state-owned enterprises to labor standards. In theory, direct deals should be easier.

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