Regardless of the outcome of the 2024 election in the United States, this paper argues that both Republicans and Democrats see tariffs as a solution for their domestic economy when they are not.  The paper makes the case for fewer protectionist trade policies.

The paper proposes the following areas that New Zealand can pragmatically explore: 

• The current push for further free trade agreements in the Middle East and India 
• Projecting parts of the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement into ASEAN and beyond 
• Encouraging further advances in paperless trade with supply chain partners and governments taking concrete steps to implement the necessary laws and investment in IT, lowering costs, and improving the efficiency of New Zealand’s trade 
• Encouraging ASEAN, East Asia and China to use New Zealand as a staging place for exports/imports to the growing South American market.