A Trans-Pacific Partnership Worth its Weight in Gold – But What is Taking so Long?

A gold standard – nothing less. The expectations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership are high. TPP is central to the United States’ foreign policy strategy towards Asia. But at the negotiating table, it seems difficult to resolve contentious issues. The U.S. insists on including so-called 21^st century trade issues, but what can it offer in return? Behind the scenes, the strategic interests differ between the U.S. and its TPP-partners. For several countries, TPP is not the only game in town.