Chairman of House Asia-Pacific panel calls for Japan, other bilateral FTAs

Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Asia and the Pacific subcommittee, blasted the Obama administration for its unsuccessful attempt to secure congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and instead suggested that the incoming Trump administration look to strike bilateral deals with countries in the region. In his opening remarks at a Dec. 6 subcommittee hearing on the Obama administration’s Asia pivot, Salmon said “the Trans-Pacific Partnership may end up being the Administration’s most lasting failure,” and...