Obama says TPP will let the U.S. ‘write the rules’ of the global economy
by Jim Kuhnhenn, The Associated Press
The U.S. president says walking away from the Trans-Pacific Partnership would give Chinese workers the upper hand
BEAVERTON, Ore.—President Barack Obama says the U.S. must write the rules of the global economy now, while it’s in a position of economic strength.
If it doesn’t, Obama says, “China will.” And he says that would give Chinese workers the upper hand and lock Americans out of jobs.
Obama made his case for international trade pacts May 8 at the Beaverton, Ore., headquarters of clothing and shoe company Nike. But he also met with Oregon small business leaders. He says small companies make up 98 per cent of U.S. exporters and benefit from open markets.
The president acknowledges that many of his fellow Democrats oppose the 12-nation Trans-Pacific trade deal because they worry it will hurt American workers.
Obama says, “Some of my dearest friends are wrong. They’re just wrong.”
