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http://m.todayonline.com/world/a ... ia-pact-white-house
WASHINGTON — The new United States administration of President Donald Trump said on Friday (Jan 20) that its trade strategy to protect American jobs would start with withdrawal from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact.
A White House statement issued soon after Mr Trump's inauguration said the US would also “crack down on those nations that violate trade agreements and harm American workers in the process”.
The statement added that Mr Trump was committed to renegotiating another trade deal, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was signed in 1994 by the US, Canada and Mexico.
"For too long, Americans have been forced to accept trade deals that put the interests of insiders and the Washington elite over the hard-working men and women of this country," the statement said.
"As a result, blue-collar towns and cities have watched their factories close and good-paying jobs move overseas, while Americans face a mounting trade deficit and a devastated manufacturing base."
The statement said "tough and fair agreements" on trade could to be used to grow the US economy and return millions of jobs to America.
"This strategy starts by withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and making certain that any new trade deals are in the interests of American workers."
If NAFTA partners refuse to give American workers a fair deal in a renegotiated agreement, "the President will give notice of the United States' intent to withdraw from NAFTA," the White House statement added.
The statement concludes by saying that “by fighting for fair but tough trade deals, we can bring jobs back to America’s shores, increase wages, and support US manufacturing”.
The TPP, which the US signed but has not ratified, had been the main economic pillar of the Barack Obama administration's "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific region in the face of a fast-rising China.
Proponents of the pact have expressed concerns that abandoning the project, which took years to negotiate, could further strengthen China's economic hand in the region at the expense of the US.
Mr Trump has criticised China's trade practices and threatened to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese imports.
The Chinese government said on Friday that China and the US could resolve any trade disputes through talks, while a Chinese newspaper warned that American business could be targets for retaliation in any trade war ushered in by Mr Trump.
The US president has sparked worries in Japan and the rest of the Asia-Pacific with his opposition to the TPP and his campaign demands for allies to pay more for their security. REUTERS
华盛顿 - 美国新总统特朗普政府周五(1月20日)说,其保护美国就业的贸易战略将从12国跨太平洋伙伴关系(TPP)贸易协定退出开始。
在特朗普就职后不久发表的白宫声明说,美国还将“打击那些违反贸易协定并伤害美国工人的国家”。
声明还补充说,特朗普致力于重新谈判另一个贸易协议,北美自由贸易协定(NAFTA),这是由美国,加拿大和墨西哥于1994年签署的。
声明说,“长期以来,美国人被迫接受贸易协议,将内部人和华盛顿精英的利益置于这个国家勤劳的男人和女人身上。
“因此,蓝领镇和城市已经看到他们的工厂关闭,高薪的工作移居海外,而美国人面临贸易逆差和破坏性的制造业基地。
声明说,关于贸易的“严格和公平的协议”可以用来增长美国经济,并返回数百万的工作到美国。
“这项战略首先从跨太平洋伙伴关系撤出,并确保任何新的贸易协议都符合美国工人的利益。
如果北美自由贸易协定伙伴拒绝给予美国工人公平交易的重新谈判协议,“总统将通知美国退出北美自由贸易协定”,白宫声明补充说。
声明的结论是,“通过争取公平但艰难的贸易协议,我们可以把工作带回美国的海岸,增加工资,支持美国制造业”。
美国签署但尚未批准的TPP是巴拉克·奥巴马政府在面临快速崛起的中国时对亚太地区“枢纽”的主要经济支柱。
该条约的支持者表示关切,放弃该项目需要多年的谈判,可能进一步加强中国在该地区的经济手段,牺牲美国。
特朗普批评中国的贸易做法,并威胁要对中国进口商征收惩罚性关税。
中国政府周五表示,中美两国可以通过谈判解决任何贸易纠纷,而一家中国报纸则警告说,美国企业可以成为在特朗普引起的任何贸易战争中的报复目标。
美国总统在日本和亚太地区的其他国家引起了反对,他反对TPP和他的竞选要求盟国支付更多的安全。 REUTERS |
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