Malaysia's Mahathir calls for review of Trans-Pacific trade pact

Reuters Staff

8, 2018 / 10:10 PM / 2 DAYS AGO

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trade-tpp-malaysia/malaysias-mahathir-calls-for-review-of-trans-pacific-trade-pact-idUSKCN1J502V

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called for a review of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, saying smaller economies like Malaysia were at a disadvantage under the current terms.

FILE PHOTO: Mahathir Mohamad speaks during a news conference following the general election in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, May 10, 2018. REUTERS/Lai Seng Sin/File Photo

In an interview with Japan’s Nikkei published on Saturday, Mahathir said the trade pact - which includes Japan and Canada - should take into consideration the level of development of various countries.

“Small, weaker economies must be given a chance to protect their products,” Mahathir told the Japanese financial daily. “We have to review” the TPP.

Mahathir’s call to review the TPP agreement would be a blow for the 11-member trade pact, which was finalize after tough negotiations earlier this year following the withdrawal of one of the original signatories, the United States.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), as it is now called following the U.S. withdrawal, will reduce tariffs in countries that together amount to more than 13 percent of the global economy - a total of $10 trillion in gross domestic product. With the United States, it would have represented 40 percent.

Mahathir did not reject the significance of agreements such as the TPP and he did not say whether he would consider leaving the trade pact altogether, Nikkei reported.

The 92-year-old took over as Malaysia’s prime minister last month after a stunning election victory over Najib Razak, promising to stamp out corruption and lower living costs.

He has immediately embarked on reviewing several projects and agreements signed by the Najib government. The premier has pulled out of a high speed rail project with Singapore and is reviewing a $14 billion local rail line to be built by Chinese companies.

In the Nikkei interview, Mahathir said his government “must review all agreements” entered into by the previous administration, including infrastructure, trade and security pacts.

He said Malaysia will review the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea, which is being negotiated between Beijing and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Nikkei reported that Mahathir reiterated Malaysia did not want the presence of warships in the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca.

Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Michael Perry

安倍再遭打击 美国之后这个国家也要退出TPP

信源：环球网｜编辑：2018-06-09

马来西亚首相马哈蒂尔呼吁各方重新审查跨太平洋伙伴关系协定（TPP），因为目前的条件对马来西亚这样的小型经济体十分不利。TPP前景再遇变数。

马哈蒂尔在接受日本《日经新闻》采访时表示，这项协定必须考虑到各国的发展水平。“小型与弱势经济体必须获得保护其产品的机会，我们必须重新审查跨太平洋伙伴关系协定。”

报道称，马哈蒂尔的建议预料将对这项协定造成冲击。

美国等12国经过五年磋商，才在2016年2月达成TPP初步协定，可是特朗普去年初上台后就宣布退出TPP。

其余11个国家又经过多轮谈商，今年3月8日在智利圣地亚哥就继续推进TPP达成共识，并将TPP改名为“跨太平洋伙伴全面进展协定”（CPTPP）。CPTPP也被称为“瘦身版TPP”，它保留TPP中超过95%的内容。

特朗普今年1月初曾表示有意重返TPP。CPTPP成员国虽然希望美国能重新加入，但也不敢乐观，因为喜怒无常的特朗普可能随时变卦。并且，特朗普主张修改CPTPP的内容以迁就美国，这是CPTPP成员国难以接受的。

而马哈蒂尔的这一表态对于一直以来力推TPP的安倍政府来说，无疑是一则坏消息。

一直以来，在推动TPP上，安倍政府可谓是“不遗余力”，即便是美国退群之后，安倍也在力推TPP并挑头组织除美国之外的11国继续推进TPP谈判。

并且，日本参院6月1日起已经正式开始审议由日本等11国签署的跨太平洋伙伴关系协定（TPP协定）的相关法案。日本时事通讯社报道称，为使TPP协定早日生效，日本政府和执政党希望本届国会能批准相关法案。

据报道，TPP协定正式生效需要半数以上的参加国，即至少6个国家批准。

根据日本法律的规定，日本国会必须通过协定批准案及相关法案。日本众议院在5月18日已经通过批准案，即便参院在30日内未通过，批准案也将自动生效。

但是，马哈蒂尔的表态无疑对TPP协定正式生效的前景带来了变数。