Publication
East Asia Forum, May 16, 2026
The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) consensus-based model is struggling to keep pace with geopolitical disruption and emerging trade challenges, as demonstrated by the failure of the 14th Ministerial Conference to deliver key agreements on e-commerce and investment facilitation. Rather than abandoning the WTO, willing coalitions of countries — particularly CPTPP members and the EU — should pursue plurilateral rule-making that complements and ultimately strengthens the multilateral trading order.
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