| Date |
November 19, 2015 |
| Time |
12:00pm – 2:00pm |
| Locations |
American Security Project1100 New York Ave. NW – 7th Floor, West Tower, Washington, DC 20005 |
Final negotiations on TPP concluded on October 5th, 2015 and the long-awaited trade deal now begins a 90-day waiting period before being brought for discussion and vote by the United States Congress.
TPP is a cornerstone of the Asia Pivot and includes 11 Pacific nations. Its implementation will increase US access to growing markets across the region while eliminating thousands of import tariffs and other barriers to free international trade. The deal also strengthens relationships between the US and vital partners including Japan, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Mexico.
Despite its strong economic and security benefits, TPP faces significant scrutiny in a politically divided congress. While fast-track trade authority removes threats of amendments and filibusters, its successful passage is far from certain.
This event will include a panel discussion featuring key leaders well versed in the economic and security impact of free trade from several TPP nations. The event will conclude with a keynote address from Representative Don Beyer (D, VA-8), former Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
The event will be live tweeted, using the hashtag #ASPTrade and will include an Event Review to be published on ASP’s website. Full video and audio recordings will also be made available via the website.
Lunch refreshments will be served from 12:00pm – 12:30pm.
Please arrive by 12:00pm for registration.
The event will be begin promptly at 12:30pm.
About the Keynote Speaker:
Congressman Don Beyer is serving his first term as the U.S. Representative from Virginia’s 8th District, representing Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, and parts of Fairfax County. He serves on the Joint Economic Committee, the House Committee on Natural Resources, is Ranking Member on the Oversight Subcommittee to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Prior to joining the U.S. House of Representatives, Donald S. Beyer Jr. was sworn in as the United States Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein on August 5, 2009. He took up his duties in Bern on August 15, 2009 and left office on 29 April 2013
Congressman Beyer is a nationally recognized political, business and philanthropic leader. Over the last thirty years, he built a strong reputation in Virginia, where he grew a successful and reputable business, and spent eight years as Lieutenant Governor. Throughout his adult life, Congressman Beyer has been very active in Virginia and national politics. In 2008, he chaired the Transportation and Land Use working group of the Governor’s Virginia Commission on Climate Change. Before his nomination to be Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, he was asked by President-elect Barack Obama to lead the United States Department of Commerce Transition Team.
Congressman Beyer is also a member of the Board of Directors for the American Security Project.
About the Panelists:
Ambassador Carl Worker of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Trade Principal Business Adviser and Charge d’affairs for the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, D.C
Ambassador Worker recently concluded an extended term as New Zealand Ambassador to China (2009-15) where he headed a NZ Inc operation totalling 300 staff from 10 government agencies based at 5 locations in China. During his term in Beijing, the NZ Inc China Strategy target of doubling two-way commodity trade with China from $10 to $20 billion between 2010 and 2015 was achieved and a new target set of $30 billion trade by 2020. Annual Chinese visitors to New Zealand more than doubled to over 250,000. China became a significant source of FDI for the first time.
A fluent Mandarin speaker, Ambassador Worker had earlier postings at the Beijing Embassy in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and was New Zealand Consul-General in Hong Kong from 1994-98 spanning Hong Kong’s return to China.
Also a fluent Spanish speaker, Ambassador Worker was Ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay from 2001-2006. As Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Americas Division from 2006-08, Carl worked to promote relationship improvement with the United States, US participation in TPP, and the goals of the New Zealand Latin America Strategy. The Ambassador took up the newly created role of MFAT Principal Business Adviser, based at the MFAT Auckland office, in March 2015. He was appointed Charge d’Affaires in June 2015.
Minister Kanji Yamanouchi is Minister for Economic Affairs, Embassy of Japan, Washington, DC. In 1984, Minister Kanji Yamanouchi joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Upon completing various overseas postings including an assignment in Washington, in 2002, Mr. Yamanouchi led the Prime Minister’s advance team in North Korea, in preparation for the first ever state visit of a Japanese head of government to North Korea. In 2008, Mr. Yamanouchi became the Director of the First North American Division. Proving himself an able diplomat, Mr. Yamanouchi was then selected to be the Executive Assistant on Diplomatic Affairs for Japan’s Prime Minister Hatoyama and Prime Minister Kan. As such, Mr. Yamanouchi participated in high level meetings with Heads of State from around the world.
After two years in the post of Executive Assistant, Mr. Yamanouchi was promoted to Deputy Director General for the Asian Affairs Bureau where he focused on regional issues with close neighbors. He played an instrumental role in negotiating with China on maritime issues, and spearheaded the 1st round of Japan-China High Level Consultations on Maritime Issues.
Minister Yamanouchi graduated from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, and holds an MA in Political Science from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, USA.
Dr. Robert J. Shapiro is Co-founder and Chairman of Sonecon, LLC. In addition to chairing Sonecon, Dr. Shapiro is also a Senior Fellow of the Georgetown University School of Business, advisor to the International Monetary Fund, director of the Globalization Center at NDN, chairman of the U.S. Climate Task Force and co-chair of America Task Force Argentina. From 1997 to 2001, Dr. Shapiro was U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs. In that position, he directed economic policy for the Commerce Department and oversaw the Nation’s major statistical agencies, including the Census Bureau while it planned and carried out the 2000 decennial census. Prior to that appointment, he was co-founder and Vice President of the Progressive Policy Institute. He also served as principal economic advisor to Bill Clinton in his 1991-1992 presidential campaign and senior economic advisor to Al Gore and John Kerry in their presidential campaigns. In 2008 and 2012, he advised the campaigns and transition of Barack Obama. Dr. Shapiro also was as Legislative Director for Senator Daniel P. Moynihan and Associate Editor of U.S. News & World Report. He has been a Fellow of Harvard University, the Brookings Institution, and the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Dr. Shapiro holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from Harvard, a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and an A.B. from the University of Chicago. He is widely published, and his most recent book is Futurecast: How Superpowers, Populations and Demographics Will Change the You Live and Work (St Martins’ Press, 2008).
BGen Stephen Cheney USMC(Ret) is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Security Project (ASP) and a member of the Department of State’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board.
He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has over 30 years experience as a Marine. His career included a wide variety of command and staff positions with the operating forces and the supporting establishment. Gen. Cheney’s primary specialty was artillery, but he focused extensively on entry-level training, commanding at every echelon at both Marine Corps Recruit Depots, to include being the Commanding General at Parris Island. He served several years in Japan and has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and Asia.
Other selected highlights of Gen. Cheney’s military career include tours as Deputy Executive Secretary to Defense Secretaries Cheney and Aspin; ground plans officer for Drug Enforcement Policy in the Pentagon; liaison to the Congressional Commission on Roles and Missions of the Armed Forces; and Inspector General of the Marine Corps.
Following retirement from the Marines, Gen. Cheney became the Chief Operating Officer for Business Executives for National Security (BENS), in Washington, D.C., and most recently was President/CEO of the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas.
Gen. Cheney is a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, the National War College, and the University of Southern California. He was a military fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City, where he is a member. Additionally, he is also a member of the Secretary of State’s International Security Advisory Board.
Gen. Cheney has been on the Board of Directors for ASP since 2006.
Moderator
Mr. Nelson Cunningham is President of American Security Project and President of McLarty Associates, the international strategic advisory firm headed by former White House Chief of Staff and Special Envoy for the Americas Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty III. Mr. Cunningham was also Special Advisor to President Clinton for Western Hemisphere Affairs and previously served as a counsel at the White House and as General Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee under Senator Joseph Biden. Prior to that, he was a federal prosecutor in New York under then-U.S. Attorney Rudolph Giuliani and also served as a foreign policy and trade advisor to the 2004 Kerry campaign. Mr. Cunningham is a member of the Secretary of State’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board, the State Department Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy (ACIEP), and past chairman of the Export-Import Bank’s Advisory Committee.
Additional Resources:
National Security Leaders Back TPP
ISDS: An In-Depth Look at a Crucial Part of Free Trade
Free Trade Agreement Roundup
ABOUT THE AMERICAN SECURITY PROJECT
The American Security Project is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy and research organization dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of a range of national security issues, promoting debate about the appropriate use of American power, and cultivating strategic responses to 21st century challenges. For more information, visit www.americansecurityproject.org.
