Biden's pick for his trade rep signals a new focus on Asian economies

SCREEN CAPTURE /CSPAN

Katherine Tai is Joe Biden's nominee for the U.S. Trade Representative.

President-elect Joe Biden's selection of Katherine Tai as his top trade representative, may signal that under his administration, the U.S. will likely seek to regain its leadership role in the economies of Asian allies.

On Thursday Biden named Katherine Tai, a trade lawyer with a history of taking on China, as his incoming administration’s pick for the United States’ top trade representative.

"From our work together on Ways and Means, I have seen firsthand Ms. Tai’s skill and experience with trade deals and have been impressed by her work on the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement, as well as her vast knowledge of the current and coming trade challenges," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

"Through her work as Chief Counsel for China Trade Enforcement at USTR, Ms. Tai has also demonstrated her commitment to enforcing trade deals that work for the United States."

Tai is the second Asian American Biden has picked to be on his Cabinet. Neera Tanden was nominated earlier for the director of the Office of Management and Budget.

If confirmed by the Senate, the Mandarin-fluent Tai would inherit a critical, Cabinet-level position tasked with enforcing America’s import rules and brokering trading terms with China and other nations.

“Katherine’s nomination is also historic. She would be the first Asian American and the first woman of color to serve in this role, breaking barriers and clearing the way for others to follow. She would also be one of the highest ranking Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) officials in our government. 

Tai has spent her career working to level the playing field for American workers and families. Currently, Tai serves as the chief lawyer on trade to the Chairman and Democratic Members of the Committee on Ways and Means on matters of international trade as Chief Trade Counsel. In this role, she has secured key victories for workers in U.S. trade policy and has been praised by lawmakers and lawyers for her work. 

Prior to the Committee, Tai served in the USTR’s Office of the General Counsel, first as Associate General Counsel from 2007 to 2011 and then as Chief Counsel for China Trade Enforcement with responsibility for the development and litigation of U.S. disputes against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Before joining USTR, Tai worked in the international trade departments in various Washington, D.C. law firms. From 1996 to 1998, she lived and worked in Guangzhou, China teaching English at Sun Yat-Sen University as a Yale-China Fellow. Tai was born in Connecticut — the first American-born citizen in her family — and raised in the Washington, D.C. area. She is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School.

Tai had a central role in negotiating the Trans Pacific Partnership during the Obama administration that was strongly criticized during the 2016 Presidential campaign.

The TPP excluded China and was a cornerstone of Obama’s efforts to cement U.S. influence in Asia. The agreement was killed when Donald Trump took office. With the U.S. influenced weakened, China quickly moved. China has since signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with 14 other countries, a trade agreement that excludes the U.S. and covers about 30% of the world’s economy.

“While I am thrilled about Katherine’s nomination, I urge President-elect Biden to continue to ensure that more AAPIs are represented in his Cabinet," said Chu who was part of a delegation of AAPI leaders to meet with the Biden transition team last week to urged Biden to name more AAPI to Secretary-level positions in his administration. 

"For over two decades, there has always been at least one AAPI at the Secretary level in the Cabinet, and I urge President-elect Biden to continue to maintain that base level of representation as part of his promise to build a government that inspires young people, prioritizes expertise, and reflects the diversity of our nation.”