"Biden May Agree to Nigerian Candidate for WTO Director-General"

WSJ Mentions Trade Issues as Top Priority for Next US Administration

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] There is a prospect that President-elect Joe Biden of the United States may turn toward electing the Nigerian candidate in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General race. Although this is a fundamental assessment, it is interpreted as meaning that the U.S. also needs to expedite handling WTO issues.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 26th (local time) in an article titled 'Biden has an opportunity to show allies his global trade agenda,' mentioned the WTO Director-General appointment issue as the foremost trade-related matter that Biden must decide.

Regarding the WTO Director-General, there is a deadlock as Yoo Myung-hee, Head of Trade Negotiations at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala candidate have not reached a unanimous agreement.

WSJ noted that while the Trump administration supported Yoo, since the WTO traditionally appoints its head by unanimous consent, Biden may agree to the Nigerian candidate.

WSJ forecasted, "Traditionally, the WTO leader is chosen by unanimous vote. Therefore, if the Biden administration agrees to the Nigerian candidate, it could end the deadlock."

If President-elect Biden takes a tough stance on China and supports Yoo, WSJ judges that an important variable is that, according to the principle of continental balance, China would lose the opportunity to hold one of the Deputy Director-General positions. China supports the Nigerian candidate.

Brian Pomper of the trade group 'Trade Enforcement Alliance,' which opposes unfair U.S. trade practices, told WSJ that he expects Biden to accept a unanimous election, saying, "It would be more reasonable if he wants to show that he is multilateralist."

WSJ also predicted that the Biden administration would move to repeal steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on allies such as Europe and Japan.