A high-level gathering of trade experts in Singapore last month emphasised how US-China trade tensions are already affecting the Asia-Pacific region.

As leaders gather for the upcoming ASEAN and APEC Summits, they face a deepening trade crisis that shows no signs of easing.

The first Singapore Trade Policy Forum, organised by the Centre for Multilateralism Studies of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, brought together 40 experts from governments, business and universities across the region for an in-depth discussion of current threats to the trading system and what to do about them.

…Evan Rogerson is adjunct senior fellow in the Centre for Multilateralism Studies at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, and the convener of the Singapore Trade Policy Forum. He was formerly a Director at the WTO and has more than 40 years’ experience in trade policy.