Singapore Trade Policy Forum

Abstract

International trade faces an unusually uncertain and unpromising policy environment. Rising economic nationalism in major economies threatens to undermine the global integration that has promoted growth and distributed it more widely. Multilateral structures have been weakened and trade liberalising agreements are being depicted as a threat. A trade war continues to be a real danger. The Centre for Multilateralism Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies convened a high-level informal meeting to discuss these challenges and possible ways to address them. The inaugural Singapore Trade Policy Forum was held on 24-25 October, bringing together around 40 senior trade experts from governments, the private sector, and universities from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. This broad participation provided a mix of perspectives on the problems confronting international trade, both globally and regionally.