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 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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