Eyes on Biden's TPP move as China joins mega trade deal RCEP

Early US return seen unlikely as Democrats prioritize 'American competitivenss'

President-elect Joe Biden has said he would work to renegotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership but has not clearly signaled whether he will return the U.S. to the agreement. © AP

Nikkei staff writers

November 16, 2020 02:55 JST

TOKYO/NEW YORK -- Talking about trade last year, then-U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden warned that "either China's going to write the rules of the road for the 21st century on trade, or we are."

The president-elect will have to act quickly upon taking office, after China and 14 other Asia-Pacific countries banded together Sunday to sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, creating the world's largest tariff-free trading bloc.