Transpacific Partnership

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a trade agreement among numerous Pacific Rim nations, including the United States. The TPP seeks to lower trade barriers, enforce standards for labor and the environment, and to spur economic development among member nations. The origins of the TPP date to 2006, from the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement signed by Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, and Singapore. Since then, the number of countries in this agreement has rise to twelve. China is not a signer of the TPP.

The United States entered into talks regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2008, and passage of the agreement has become a focus of the Obama Administration. Chapters of the agreement include addressing competition, cooperation, customs, e-commerce, the environment, intellectual property, telecommunications and trade. The Obama Administration claims that the TPP will eliminate more than 18,000 tariffs in the Pacific region, leading to greater competitive edges for American workers and farmers.

In politics, Hillary Clinton, seeking the 2016 Democratic nomination, announced her opposition to the TPP in October 2015. This announcement was a major break with the Obama Administration, where Clinton served as Secretary of State. Clinton claims that the Trans-Pacific Partnership will not create American jobs, raise wages, or advance U.S. national security.