Malaysia Reacts Coolly to Prospect of Trade Pact Minus U.S.
- Officials to meet in Chile this week to discuss deal’s future
- Australia among those pushing to revive Pacific agreement
A tugboat guides the Orient Overseas Container Line's Malaysia container ship into the Port of Southampton.
Photographer: Simon Dawson/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Efforts to salvage a blockbuster Pacific trade deal are struggling against waning enthusiasm from participants such as Malaysia before a meeting of officials this week in Chile.
With President Donald Trump nixing the U.S.’s involvement in the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, some countries are turning their focus to bilateral pacts, or to a separate Asian deal being championed by China. The rival 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is focused on expanding Southeast Asian trade ties and doesn’t include the U.S.