1. Covering the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
International Center for Journalists
Dec. 14, 2015

2. What is the TPP?
A major trade agreement between 12 countries, including the U.S. and Vietnam
It would eliminate or greatly reduce (over time) more than 18,000 tariffs and other barriers, such as quotas, red tape
The world’s largest free trade agreement, with members accounting for 40 percent of the global economy

3. Who belongs? U.S., Canada, Mexico Chile, Peru
Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore

4. Map of member countries (CRS via Vox)
cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/ /tpp_countries.0.0.png

5. Can other countries join?
Yes, as long as existing members agree
Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, have already expressed interest
Who’s missing? China

6. Latest developments
Agreed (drafted) Oct. 5, 2015 in Atlanta after 5 years of negotiation
Full text was released one month later (on Medium.com)
More than 6,000 pages, 30 chapters, annexes

7. What’s next? Each country has to ratify the deal
Political pressures, opposition in some countries

8. Good explainers

9. The U.S. View
Economic
Strategic
Values
Domestic opposition

10. The Vietnamese View Investment Garments Structural Reform Labor unions
Geopolitics
Biggest winner may be VN (Bloomberg)

12. Key issues Autos Agricultural Garments/textiles SMEs
Intellectual property
Drugs
Services
Environment

13. Sources and resources Actual text of the TPP (on medium.com)
Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) site on TPP text
TPP fact sheets: trade-agreements/trans-pacific-partnership/tpp-fact- sheets
The US Embassy in Hanoi:

14. What kinds of stories can journalists write?
Brainstorm…
Process
Explainers
Impact
How are countries/sectors preparing?

15. Samples TPP stories
The Biggest winner from the TPP trade deal may be Vietnam (Bloomberg)
How TPP could make things sticky for Quebec’s maple-syrup producers
How the trade deal might stir up your dinner (NPR)
How the TPP could change where your clothes come from clothes-garments (VOX)
TPP would allow milk from cows receiving hormones into Canada
Microsoft: TPP trade pact puts 'line in the sand' against digital protectionism
Vietnam livestock industry needs complete overhaul to cope with TPP: ministry (Tuoi Tre)