BUENOS AIRES, Argentina �� Trade ministers will meet in Argentina Sunday with one of the traditional defenders of free markets, the United States, questioning the benefits of the international rules it helped to forge.
Even though trade volumes look like they will grow faster than the world economy this year for the first time since 2014, members of the World Trade Organization will gather in Buenos Aires concerned about the outlook. While he hasn't followed through on many of his threats to rip up trade accords or take on China, President Donald Trump is questioning the WTO's ability to police global commerce. He's also threatening to walk away from the North American Free Trade Agreement after withdrawing from a 12-nation Asia-Pacific trade deal this year.
With the U.S. doubting the WTO's very purpose, it will be difficult for trade ministers to make headway in their meetings on anything but narrow issues such as illegal fishing and agricultural subsidies.
The U.S. played a leading role after World War II in negotiating a set of agreements, known as GATT, that committed countries to follow common rules and cut tariffs. The system formed the basis of the WTO, which was created in 1995 and now referees trade disputes.
At the turn of the century, the WTO was pushing trade talks that would lead to a broad reduction in tariffs. Those talks, known as the Doha round, collapsed. In Buenos Aires, ministers will seek progress on less challenging topics, including government subsidies.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has said the WTO isn't equipped to deal with what his country sees as China's mercantilist tactics. The U.S. has been blocking appointments to the WTO's appeals panel, a move the organization says is undermining its ability to handle disputes.
At the WTO meeting, Lighthizer will push for U.S. interests, including institutional reform at the WTO and fair trade, according to a statement from his office.
China's Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, Japanese Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko and European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom are among those expected to attend the meeting, which runs through Wednesday.
Former Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra, who is chairing the meeting, said her priority is to get member countries to acknowledge that the WTO, in spite of its imperfections, is needed to enable global trade. Any further agreements on specific topics would be an added bonus, she said in an interview.
"If we manage to emerge from this meeting with a pledge for a strengthened system, then that in itself will be a great success," Malcorra said. "It's not so long ago that there were people who thought the system was collapsing."
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(Mayeda reported from Washington. Bryce Baschuk contributed to this report.)
