U.S. Vice
President Mike Pence kicked off talks with Japan on Tuesday the White
House hopes will open doors for U.S. goods and attract infrastructure
investment, after seeking to reassure Washington's key ally amid rising
tensions over North Korea.
Pence
first joined a working lunch with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before
meeting Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso for economic talks that the vice
president said he hoped would yield a framework for further dialogue.
Earlier, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross met Japan's trade minister, Hiroshige Seko. Ross, seen as more hardline on trade, told reporters Washington was eager to increase trade ties with Tokyo through a two-way agreement.
Pence landed in Tokyo from South Korea after a trip that included a visit to the heavily fortified border separating the North and South. He described the U.S.-Japan alliance as the "cornerstone" of regional security.
Pence's 10-day tour of Asia is aimed at emphasizing that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to boost U.S. trade in the region even though Trump has abandoned the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact.
Advocates for the TPP, negotiated by former President Barack Obama and supported by Abe, said it would have opened markets for American exports. U.S. business groups supported the deal but U.S. labor unions argued it would hurt American workers.
Trump campaigned for office on an "America First" platform, saying he would boost U.S. manufacturing jobs and shrink the country's trade deficit with countries like Japan.
Trump also vowed to renegotiate existing regional trade deals to focus on bilateral agreements. Tokyo is wary of a two-way free trade agreement (FTA), fearing it would boost pressure to open up politically sensitive sectors such as agriculture.
Earlier, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross met Japan's trade minister, Hiroshige Seko. Ross, seen as more hardline on trade, told reporters Washington was eager to increase trade ties with Tokyo through a two-way agreement.
Pence landed in Tokyo from South Korea after a trip that included a visit to the heavily fortified border separating the North and South. He described the U.S.-Japan alliance as the "cornerstone" of regional security.
Pence's 10-day tour of Asia is aimed at emphasizing that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to boost U.S. trade in the region even though Trump has abandoned the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact.
Advocates for the TPP, negotiated by former President Barack Obama and supported by Abe, said it would have opened markets for American exports. U.S. business groups supported the deal but U.S. labor unions argued it would hurt American workers.
Trump campaigned for office on an "America First" platform, saying he would boost U.S. manufacturing jobs and shrink the country's trade deficit with countries like Japan.
Trump also vowed to renegotiate existing regional trade deals to focus on bilateral agreements. Tokyo is wary of a two-way free trade agreement (FTA), fearing it would boost pressure to open up politically sensitive sectors such as agriculture.
No comments:
Post a Comment