Trudeau Uses Pandemic Plagued Supply Chains in Free Trade Pitch to ASEAN

OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau utilized the specter of gnarled planetary proviso chains successful a bid Sunday to a bloc of Southeast Asian nations to triumph them implicit connected a escaped commercialized deal.

Trudeau has agelong sought a commercialized woody with the 10-nation bloc, which includes the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.

He told a virtual concern acme organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that a escaped commercialized statement with Canada would beryllium a “win-win” for each sides, peculiarly coming retired of the pandemic.

Speaking successful a pre-recorded message, Trudeau argued that an statement with ASEAN would assistance companies and entrepreneurs physique connections and concern relationships astir the world.

He besides said a pact would springiness investors much assurance to put successful planetary markets, and support proviso chains from the uncertainties brought by COVID-19.

Trade bottlenecks crossed the globe person been slower to retrieve than user request for goods, and slowed further by ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks and nationalist wellness measures.

All this affects inventories of in-demand user products oregon the transportation of parts needed to physique things similar cars, and pushes up proscription costs that get passed connected to consumers, which is reflected successful higher ostentation rates.

“As we decorativeness the combat against COVID-19, deepening our ties with ASEAN economies and diversifying commercialized crossed the Asia-Pacific volition play a important relation successful our recovery,” Trudeau said successful his address.

“My friends, a beardown Canada-ASEAN narration is simply a wide win−win for each of our businesses and each of our people.”

The economies of the 10-nation bloc arsenic a radical correspond Canada’s sixth largest trading partner, but the state already has entree to 4 ASEAN members—Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam—through a Pacific Rim commercialized pact known arsenic the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The Liberals’ predetermination level promised a caller hub to assistance businesses instrumentality vantage of opportunities nether CPTPP, and a caller Asia-Pacific strategy aimed astatine deepening ties successful the region, including caller commercialized deals.

A preliminary investigation by ASEAN and the national authorities connected the merits of a escaped commercialized woody estimated Canadian exports of goods and services to the bloc could spell up by 13.3 percent, valued astatine US$2.67 billion

In his address, Trudeau said some sides indispensable besides guarantee women, Indigenous people, LGBTQ entrepreneurs, disposable minorities and different under-represented concern owners get progressive successful and payment from trade.