The U.S. delegation attended the Hong Kong Trade Policy Review on December 6-8. The US advised Hong Kong and China to protect IP and fight digital piracy to increase trade. The US was concerned the National Security Law would weaken Hong Kong’s autonomy.
In addition to rising nationalism and economic inequality, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is currently facing a crisis as a result of a trade war between the United States and China that is on the horizon. (Source: chathamhouse)
WTO on Trade Policy Review
U.S. officials, including capital-based officials, attended the WTO Trade Policy Review Body’s meeting to discuss the Director General’s latest annual Overview of Developments in the International Trading Environment. The U.S. delegation, including capital-based officials, attended Council for Trade in Services and subsidiary body (“Services Cluster”) sessions during the week. This included attending the formal Council meeting and a COVID-19 and Trade in Services-Tourism Services experience-sharing session. The US also attended the Services Trade Policy Database 2023 Global Update, the new Services Trade Restrictiveness Index Dashboard, and a WTO e-commerce moratorium information session. The U.S. delegation attended the E-Commerce Work Program on December 8 and discussed MC-13 conclusions.
As part of the U.S.-Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, the U.S. delegation participated in the WEE and Digital Trade Working Groups in Geneva. The working group promoted digital transformation’s economic empowerment of women. Digital trade tools can help women earn more, participate in e-commerce, secure jobs, and boost economic growth by closing the gender gap in digital access. The speakers stressed that domestic financial support and institutional frameworks are needed to improve women’s access to digital trade and e-commerce. The U.S. government promotes women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment to boost economic growth and inclusion. From December 4-8, the U.S. delegation and capital authorities negotiated fishing subsidies. The talks aim to establish a significant agreement by MC13 on matters including controlling subsidies for fishing activities beyond national jurisdiction and boosting transparency on forced labor on fishing vessels. The U.S. delegation will continue to advocate for these crucial issues in the second phase.
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WTO Membership and Its Norm
The US delegation recently attended meetings to discuss various topics. They participated in a meeting to organize sessions on supply chain resilience at the Committee on Market Access. They also discussed provisions related to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in regional trade agreements at a meeting of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs. Additionally, they reviewed proposals at meetings of the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Transparency Working Group and the TBT Committee. The US delegation also presented at a training course on WTO Rules in Accession Negotiations, aiming to strengthen the capabilities of poor and least developed countries in the WTO Agreement. The discussions focused on strategies for WTO membership and multilateral norms. Participants from 11 acceding nations attended the meetings.
The U.S. delegation participated in over 10 conversations regarding the overhaul of dispute resolution with fellow WTO members. Over this week, they held informal gatherings about agricultural negotiations, intellectual property rights, development, transparency, and various other subjects. Reinforcing the U.S. delegation in Washington and Geneva were the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of the Treasury. Throughout the week, the delegation engaged in about 50 one-on-one and multi-party discussions regarding various matters.
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