Coalition opens door to deal on China-Australia free trade agreement

[Omaha Steve]

Source: The Guardian

Daniel Hurst

The Turnbull government appears set to reach a deal to secure passage of the China-Australia free trade agreement (Chafta) after it vowed to consider the opposition’s demands “in good faith” in a bid to resolve the long-running political dispute.

On Tuesday the federal Labor party signed off on its proposed amendments to the Migration Act, which would form the basis of negotiations with the government aimed at passing legislation necessary to implement Chafta.

The trade minister, Andrew Robb, signalled that the government was prepared to accept changes, so long as the measures did not discriminate against China or breach the text of the agreement.

“We’ll have genuine discussions with the Labor party and hopefully it will identify a pathway to get these things through the parliament,” Robb said.

FULL story at link.


Bill Shorten leaves a press conference on the China free trade deal at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday, 13 October, 2015. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/oct/13/labor-flags-proposed-amendments-to-china-australia-free-trade-deal

[iandhr]

1. Not good.

Stuff like this gives the pro TPP crowd ammunition

[uawchild]

2. hmmm...

Perhaps not. The TPP is all about isolating China, bilateral deals like this sorta cut the legs out from under the TPP, no?

[iandhr]

3. Exactly

Many people including Americans of all political view points want to isolate China. Many of our allies in the Pacific want to isolate China. Pro TPP folks would argue that without it countries will feel like they have to make a deal with China if they can't make one with us.

[uawchild]

4. oh... I get your point now!

thanks for elaborating, some days I am slow on the pick up. lol

[iandhr]

6. Don't worry.

It happens to all of us.

[jwirr]

5. This is what the whole TPP thing is about. We are going to

screw the American middle class worker in order to get a lead on China.

I want some answers. First can't there be more than one player in the marketing of goods across the world?

Secondly, does the price we are going to pay justify the action we are taking just to harness China? We after all are the ones who sent our corporations to build up China as an economic power.

Thirdly, how does this fight for dominance help the people of both the USA and the other countries. And how does it effect the corporations? In other words - what exactly is going on here?