Politico | US Senators urge Donald Trump not to withdraw from WTO’s Government Procurement Agreement, ceding ground to China
- President has long flirted with idea of pulling out of deal that requires participating countries to allow foreign firms to compete for government contracts
- US exit could allow China and Russia to fill the vacuum, entering the strategic supply chains of Washington’s allies, lawmaker warns
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Doug Palmer on politico.com on November 19, 2020.
Two senior US senators are urging President Donald Trump not to make a last-minute decision to withdraw from an international trade agreement that requires participating countries to allow foreign firms to compete for government procurement contracts.
“The Trump administration is once again ceding ground to China,” Senator Ron Wyden said in a statement on Thursday.
“If the US pulls out of the Government Procurement Agreement, countries like China and Russia will fill the vacuum, entering the supply chain of our strategic allies and breaking down rules against graft and corruption that the US has written for the world,” Wyden said.
Backstory
Trump administration officials are expected to meet on Friday to discuss and potentially approve withdrawing from the World Trade Organization's Government Procurement Agreement, two former trade officials told POLITICO.