Globalisation and free trade have a huge constituency of malcontents in the western world. Export penetration and free trade agreements are going to be increasingly difficult to achieve with advanced economies now struggling to chalk up even anaemic economic growth. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), meanwhile, is an Asean-centred free trade agreement comprising 16 Asia-Pacific countries, excluding the US. Japan, which is Asean's second largest trading partner as well as foreign investor, also offers opportunities in regional economic relations, as do India and South Korea. If he plays hardball on trade, relations would deteriorate.

Source: Bangkok Post November 14, 2016 07:11 UTC