Without U.S., 11 nations in TPP inch closer to a deal

Two schools of thought on U.S participation after reading this https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/8/3/16084132/democrats-trade-schumer-china-trump

1) Maybe joining TPP is a way to offset lost trade for the U.S as they seek to rebalance trade with China or potentially, start a trade war

2) Any new free trade agreement with the U.S is going to be incredibly difficult, whether China is involved or not.

Will be interesting to see how things play out if the democrats continue to work with Trump.

Leave China out. It is an effective bully without the US serving as a counterweight.

On the other hand, Taiwan should be allowed in.

Japan has always believed in free trade, one way free trade that is, with hidden trade barriers that inhibit, restrict and drive up the cost of imported goods. These hidden trade barriers are the reasons that Japan for many years have trade imbalances each year in the billions of dollars in their favor. This is also true for other countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and China big time. These countries hidden trade barriers are most detrimental to American exports. If existing TPP countries truly want free trade, then dismantle your trade barriers.

Japan lets the same cheap stuff in that all other countries do (Like Chinese solar panels). Japan is a key exporter in industrial items that are often unique and no other country can produce easily (Like airplane wings made of carbon composite or important steel components that require very advanced manufacturing techniques). And there are potential members of TPP that have trade deficits with the US like Singapore and Australia. And Singapore and Australia are not going Trump on their trade deficits like Trump actually is. And going back to solar panels. It's interesting that with the world-wide solar panel craze currently going on the Japanese government does not care about the cheap Chinese imports, while Trump is being pushed to slap tariffs on these Chinese solar panels that will result in an extra several thousand dollars needed to install on houses. Is it really in the US residents' best interest for the USA to stay out of TPP?

The U. S. should stay out of TPP until the U. S. gets a fair playing field. The TPP countries should dismantle their disguised trade barriers. These trade barriers are more detrimental to U, S. exports that the taxes themselves. With huge trade balances in their favor, is the reason that South Korea, Taiwan and China refused to join TPP. TPP is not good for America, unless there is truly free trade.

What is a disguised trade barrier, for example? Why isn't Singapore and Australia complaining about such barriers like the US is? SK and Taiwan are showing interest in TPP now. And In 2013, it was thought China might still be interested in joining the TPP eventually (Wiki quote). If Trump just snubs TPP it will leave the United States behind. Other countries will have more options to buy what they want with lower trade restrictions (Look at solar panels) while the US consumer will be forced to deal with protectionism which will leave the economy less competitive and its consumers with higher prices and corporations with short sighted business roadmaps. Who else will be buying these expensive American made solar panels other than the US?