WTO reform/successor, rejoin TPP, trade-only IPEF, targeted China policy
Lassman urges restoring WTO dispute settlement or building a democracies-only successor, rejoining TPP/CPTPP, refocusing IPEF on trade (dropping progressive non-trade issues), ending China’s developing-nation WTO status, and using firm-specific targeting rather than blanket China tariffs.
Mandate
Mandate Ch. 26 (Trade) — The Case for Free Trade (Lassman): restore WTO dispute resolution to full strength or create a successor open only to liberal democracies; rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership; reorient Indo-Pacific Economic Framework to focus only on trade; end China’s developing-nation status in the WTO; use a target-not-blanket approach against Chinese firms engaged in unfair practices rather than sector-wide tariffs; strengthen allied diplomatic pressure and long-game cultural engagement.
Undo plan
1) If a democracies-only WTO successor excludes developing economies wholesale, rebuild inclusive rules-based dispute settlement with China compliance tools.
2) CPTPP accession should not require gutting IPEF climate/labor cooperation valued by partners—negotiate modular chapters.
3) Pair end of China developing-status privileges with enforceable subsidy/IP rules, not symbolic status change alone.
4) Combine firm-specific remedies with sector tools where state industrial policy is systemic.
5) Verify: appellate body appointments; CPTPP accession terms; China WTO status treatment.