Southern Cone

Chileans protest signing of rebooted TPP

Chilean activists protested in Santiago against the signing of the new Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, now rebranded as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), or TPP-11. Protesters outside La Moneda Palace, headquarters of the Chilean government, held banners reading "No to modern slavery, no to the TPP-11" and "The TPP and TPP-11 are the same!" Lucía Sepúlveda, leader of the organization Chile Mejor Sin TPP, said the agreement would "deliver full guarantees to foreign investors" at the expense of "rights and national interests." (Photo: Chile Mejor Sin TPP)

The Andes

Peru and Australia sign free trade pact

Peru and Australia signed a free trade pact that does away with 99% of tariffs on imported goods from Australia, while securing Peruvian exports greater access to Australian markets. The Peru-Australia Free Trade Agreement (PAFTA) was signed in Vietnam, at the 25th summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, speaking at the summit, reiterated his support for free trade and warned about the dangers of protectionism–comments seemingly aimed at the Donald Trump administration.

The Andes

APEC summit: Peru moves closer to China

At the APEC the summit in Lima, China and Peru signed a series of bilateral agreements to advance "free trade" and cooperation in the mineral and resource sectors.

East Asia

China factor in the Trump world order

Xi Jinping is weighing whether he will be invited to join the authoritarian New Order—or whether Putin will desert him for Trump, and the two of them will gang up on China.

The Andes

Peru: anti-TPP protests rock Lima

Protesters opposed to the Trans-Pacific Parternship marched through downtown Lima and clashed with police, as a break-away group vandalized political party headquarters.

Planet Watch

Obama and the KXL-TPP contradiction

Obama nixed the Keystone XL pipeline a day after announcing he will sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership—which includes mechanisms for challenging the KXL cancellation.