Author | Lightnews

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 4h

The line gets longer…

Nikkei Asia (Official) @asia.nikkei.com · 13h

Philippines and UAE apply to join CPTPP to counter Trump tariffs
trib.al/DVLLfTr

Philippines and UAE apply to join CPTPP to counter Trump tariffs

Trans-Pacific trade bloc set to grow as global economy faces fragmentation risk

trib.al

Reposted by Devon Whittle

Robert Wolfe @bobwolfe.bsky.social · 20h

a secretariat for CPTPP is a great idea

Rob Francis @robfranciseu.bsky.social · 21h

The CPTPP has so many applicants that it is now mulling setting up a secretariat - great scoop from our roving Pacific reporter (he wishes!) @chrishorseman.bsky.social borderlex.net/2025/11/03/c...

CPTPP members mull forming secretariat as applicant numbers swell - Borderlex - European trade policy

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borderlex.net

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 14h

Also how does Hong Kong figure in this - Malaysia supported Hong Kong’s accession to RCEP in April. Does that count as an “agreement with a country that jeopardizes essential U.S. interests”?

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 14h

Didn’t mention in post - but while China’s CPTPP accession has no chance at present, the US-Malaysia deal adds another obstacle. Canada, Mexico and now Malaysia all have poison pill deals with US, plus Malaysia obliged to consult re digital trade. Takes some pressure off US allies in CPTPP

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 2d

Jotted down some of my thoughts on last week’s US deals with Cambodia and Malaysia, focused on services and digital trade: open.substack.com/pub/tradenot...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 4d

US threats to use software export controls leading others to diversify away from US software...

Chris Osieck @chrisosieck.bsky.social · 4d

The International Criminal Court (ICC) will switch its internal work environment away from Microsoft Office to Open Desk, a European open source alternative, the institution confirmed to Euractiv.

www.euractiv.com/news/interna...

International Criminal Court to ditch Microsoft Office for European open source alternative | Euractiv

The court will move its internal work environment to Open Desk, a German-developed open source software

www.euractiv.com

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 6d

RCEP Leaders Summit Statement is out (asean.org/wp-content/u...) Two points: 1) the commitment to not breach RCEP, potentially pointed at requirements in new US deals? 2) RCEP General Review & digital trade, would upgrading digital trade rules conflict with US deals?

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 7d

Lots being written on the US deals with Malaysia, Cambodia, etc. Some of this drafting is interesting - this provision just refers to "certain countries". Assume the details will be agreed later?

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 10d

ASEAN announces substantial conclusion of Digital Economy Framework Agreement negotiations, including provisions on data flows, e-payments, MLETR, personal data, and AI cooperation. Looking forward to seeing the text! asean.org/asean-econom...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 10d

The ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force is preparing “a report that will assess the impact, key risks and opportunities arising from external uncertainties, formulate policy recommendations for Asean to navigate these challenges, and coordinate responses” theedgemalaysia.com/node/775211

Opinion: This time it is different

As Chairs of the Asean Geoeconomics Task Force (AGTF), we are pleased to present the first Asean Geoeconomics Report (AGR) 2025, which is the basis of discussion for the very first Asean Foreign Minis...

theedgemalaysia.com

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 11d

The 9th CPTPP Commission meeting is coming in just a few weeks in Melbourne. This includes an EU-CPTPP Dialogue (www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...) and an ASEAN-CPTPP Dialogue (www.oananews.org/node/707155). It will be interesting to see what statements/outcomes result from each...

New Zealand’s bid to bring European and Asia-Pacific trading blocs together pays off

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, concerned about Trump tariffs, pushed for EU and CPTPP collaboration. The trading blocs will meet at the end of the year.

www.thepost.co.nz

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 12d

IPEF is still a thing! South Korea is hosting a "joint drill on responding to a possible global supply chain crisis" as chair of IPEF's Supply Chain Crisis Response Network www.koreaherald.com/article/1059...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 15d

I do like how much China has attached "RCEP" to so many events and things - here is an announcement about the "RCEP Member States World Heritage Cooperation Alliance" consisting of Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam en.people.cn/n3/2025/1018...

RCEP heritage alliance signs first cooperation agreements - People's Daily Online

HEFEI, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The RCEP Member States World Heritage Cooperation Alliance (RCEP-WHCA) on

en.people.cn

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 15d

Bangladesh's RCEP accession application moves forward thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/ban...

Bangladesh's RCEP bid enters formal evaluation stage

Bangladesh's pursuit of membership in the world's largest trade bloc -- the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) -- has officially entered a structured evaluation process, marking a key ...

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 17d

"Piyush Goyal signals clear shift away from competitor countries in India's FTA agenda" www.livemint.com/economy/reca...

Recalibrating global pacts: Piyush Goyal signals clear shift away from competitor countries in India's FTA agenda | Mint

The minister’s remarks underline a recalibration of India’s trade priorities after it walked out of the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in 2019, a move Goyal described as “a b...

www.livemint.com

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Reposted by Devon Whittle

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 18d

International rule of law news: Viet Nam joins the MPIA (alternative to the WTO Appellate Body).

WTO notification here: docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages...

European Commission press release here: policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-welc...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 24d

New Zealand and Singapore continue to innovate on trade front, now announcing a new Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies: mfat.govt.nz/AOTES

http://www.mfat.govt.nz/AOTES

t.co

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 25d

Perfect halloween costume: www.spirithalloween.com/product/adul... (via @marginalrev.blogsky.venki.dev)

www.spirithalloween.com

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 28d

Great post by @simonlester.com warning of the dangers of the shift to securitization of trade policy: ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2025/10/bewa...

See also this recent East Asia Forum article on how security concerns are reshaping economic cooperation eastasiaforum.org/2025/10/04/s...

Beware the "Securitization" of Trade Policy

In recent years, U.S. trade policy has seen a creeping takeover by "security" concerns. The precise scope of these concerns is unclear, but they appear to cover both the traditional aspects of militar...

ielp.worldtradelaw.net

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · Sep 29

EU's language also doesn't explicitly refer to "content" being included - potential wiggle room?

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · Sep 29

Just took a look at the text the EU proposed in its CEPA with Indonesia (on left) - took a new approach of recognising transmissions as services (so in one way broader than CPTPP language, on right) circabc.europa.eu/ui/group/092... No guarantee Indonesia accepted this of course. 1/2

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · Sep 27

Indonesian Trade Minister says Hong Kong identified as a priority economy for accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) theedgemalaysia.com/node/771595

Hong Kong seen as priority new member of RCEP, says Indonesian deputy trade minister

Hong Kong has been identified as a priority economy for consideration in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), said Indonesian Deputy Minister of Trade Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri.

theedgemalaysia.com

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · Sep 25

... but doesn't appear to be public; (4) Ad Hoc Accession Working Group ToR adopted by RJC and RJC now tasked with considering "the request for accession" (Hong Kong?); and (5) "Guidelines for the RCEP Stakeholder Engagement by the RJC" adopted. asean.org/wp-content/u...

asean.org

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · Sep 25

Lots of bits of interest in the RCEP Ministers' Joint Statement: (1) 2027 General Review is coming; (2) Seeming acceptance that RSU is doing the work of an RCEP Secretariat (?); (3) There was a "Report of the RCEP Dialogue on Electronic Commerce" organised by Japan... 1/2

The Diplomat @thediplomat.com · Sep 25

RCEP, Asia’s largest trade bloc, will seek out ways to enhance intra-regional trade, and may even consider admitting new members, when its leaders meet next month, according to a senior Malaysian official.

RCEP Summit to Discuss Deeper Trade Alignment, Possible New Members, Malaysia Says

The bloc, which includes around a third of global GDP, has assumed greater significance following Washington’s sharp protectionist turn.

buff.ly

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · Sep 24

Looking forward to reading the EU-Indonesia CEPA text - particularly on digital. The outcomes factsheet suggests Indonesia has bound its commitment first made to the US to not impose duties on electronic transmissions... (a step towards the JSI?) policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-rel...

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