On Saturday, top trade officials from Japan, South Korea and China held their first trilateral economic dialogue in over five years, before stating their intention to enhance economic and trade cooperation with a view to signing a “free, fair, comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial” free trade agreement in the near future.

Why It Matters

The agreement between three of Asia’s largest economies comes as countries brace for the impact of Trump’s tariffs, set to impact numerous sectors and nations across the continent and worldwide. The timing suggests that the president’s overhaul of America’s trading practices, while intended to rehome manufacturing in the U.S. and amend historic trade imbalances, could have the secondary effect of fostering closer cooperation between America’s allies and those conventionally considered its economic rivals.

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