Potential Ag Trade Impact of China's CPTPP Bid

China recently applied for membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The United Kingdom and Taiwan have also submitted formal applications to join CPTPP, and other countries expressing interest include South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

Joel Haggard, the U.S. Meat Export Federation's (USMEF) senior vice president for the Asia-Pacific, who is based in Hong Kong, discusses the potential impact of CPTPP expansion on red meat trade. He notes that in order to gain approval from CPTPP members, China would likely be required to reduce import duty rates rates and address non-tariff trade barriers for red meat imports. But China is already the world's largest meat importer and the market still has enormous potential for growth, so its application for membership holds significant appeal for prospective suppliers. Other key issues CPTPP members must consider include the degree to which China is willing to reform state-owned enterprises and enforce intellectual property rights.

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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry. It is funded by USDA; the beef, pork, lamb, corn and soybean checkoff programs, as well as its members representing nine industry sectors: beef/veal producing & feeding, pork producing & feeding, lamb producing & feeding, packing & processing, purveying & trading, oilseeds producing, feedgrains producing, farm organizations and supply & service organizations. USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law. USMEF is an equal opportunity employer and provider.