Trade negotiators from the United States, Vietnam and six other Asia Pacific nations meet in San Francisco this week for work on a free-trade agreement that US trade officials say could transform the region. But beyond the rhetoric, business groups are looking for significant new export opportunities, while critics of past trade deals say the proposed pact must be more than "NAFTA in the Asia Pacific," referring to the North American Free Trade Agreement they blame for US job losses to Mexico. If the hopes of President Barack Obama are met, the deal would satisfy both, ushering in a new era of trade agreements in the region with stronger protections for workers and the environment while still opening new markets to US exports. "The president and I intend for the Trans-Pacific Partnership to be our first 21st century trade agreement," US Trade Representative Ron Kirk told the United States Asia Pacific Council in a recent speech. "One that creates and retains US jobs, integrates US companies in Asia-Pacific production and supply chains, and promotes new technologies and emerging economic sectors," he added. Still, a broad coalition of labor, environmental and trade activist groups are planning a rally in San Francisco Monday to keep pressure on the Obama administration to negotiate a deal that pays attention to their concerns. Although starting with just eight countries, the United States hopes the pact will eventually cover all members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, including China. That would address concerns about "a line being drawn down the Pacific" with the United States on the outside of regional integration efforts that center around China. The proposed deal builds on bilateral agreements the United States already has around the Pacific with Singapore, Chile, Peru and Australia to create a bigger free trade zone. US business groups, frustrated with Obama's failure to push for congressional approval of free-trade agreements his predecessor negotiated with South Korea, Panama and Colombia, are attempting to hold his feet to the fire. They want the eight TPP countries to set a goal this week of reaching a deal by the time by Obama hosts an annual meeting of the 21 APEC leaders in Hawaii in November 2011. They also want the countries to pledge not to impose any new barriers to trade while the pact is being negotiated. That means Obama would have to ride herd on any US lawmakers proposing measures such as the "Buy American" provision of last year's stimulus bill. "If we could get those two things out of the next week, we would be very, very happy," said Tami Overby, vice president for Asia at the US Chamber of Commerce.
