The World On arirang

Under Joe Biden's leadership, the U.S. is expected to push for multilateralism, free trade and conforming to international rules when it comes to trade.

"Including a trade and economic agenda that produces and protects American workers, our intellectual prosperity and the environment, to ensuring security and prosperity in Indo-Pacific region, to championing human rights, we're stronger and more effective when we're flanked by nations."

Biden favors working together with allies and trade partners, so one area for cooperation between Seoul and Washington could be both of them joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership known as CPTPP.

"The U.S. government will turn their eyes back to the Obama administration's Pivot to Asia strategy, of which TPP was a very important component. TPP is a form of multilateralism that Biden, as president-elect, has shown keen interest in."

His trade policy also emphasizes labor, human rights and environmental issues, while reinforcing America's global value chain.
Because of these issues in particular, many experts think Biden will continue a hardline approach to China on the trade front.
That would likely be the line taken by Biden's pick for U.S. trade representative, Katherine Tai.

"State-owned enterprises, industrial subsidies, cyber theft or technology transfer, intellectual property issues. These are all issues that the U.S. plans to deal with in a multilateral manner under the Biden administration."

The expert added that traditional U.S. allies and economic partners might be asked by the U.S. to join its initiative against China, which could force South Korea to walk a narrow path between Washington and Beijing.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.