The next few weeks offer a tremendous opportunity for President Donald Trump and his team to push world leaders for fair market access. As the administration conducts bilateral and multilateral engagements in New York at the United Nations General Assembly and Wisconsin for the G20 Trade Ministerial, we hope that it will continue to press counterparts, particularly in Asia, on the basic economic principle that fair treatment is a prerequisite for fair trade.
Trump has been right to place reciprocity squarely at the core of his trade policy, and now we have the data to show that Americans want him to keep pushing. A national survey commissioned by the U.S.-Asia Fair Market Alliance in August of this year found rare bipartisan consensus that Democrats and Republicans consider it a priority for the U.S. government to address the unfair international trade policies targeting American companies abroad.
The survey also identifies the worst offender — Asia, with only 45% of voters believing that Asian markets treat U.S. companies fairly.
Fair market access is not just good policy. It is also good politics. As lawmakers return home this week for an extended election period, they now know that defending American companies must be a key plank of any successful platform. The survey data is undeniable — 78% of voters, including 87% of Republicans and 72% of Democrats, will back lawmakers who fight for fair treatment of U.S. companies abroad.
The administration deserves credit for recognizing the problem in Asia and acting on it. The 2025 and 2026 National Trade Estimates both detail non-tariff barriers that U.S. businesses face across Asia, while the administration’s focus on addressing these barriers as part of their reciprocal trade agreements has helped elevate the issue.
Recent trade agreements show that the administration is already making progress against non-tariff barriers. The agreement with Indonesia targets local-content mandates, burdensome certification requirements, and restrictions on digital trade, while the U.S.-Japan framework expands market access for American producers and requires Japan to recognize U.S. automotive standards.
South Korea made similar commitments in its strategic trade and investment agreement, promising to facilitate cross-border data transfers and improve procedural fairness in competition cases. It also agreed that digital services laws, network usage fees, and online platform regulations should not discriminate against U.S. companies.
While all these commitments are great steps, they only matter if regulators actually implement them.
That is why the UNGA and the G20 Trade Ministerial present such an important opportunity. While UNGA is not primarily centered on trade, it brings presidents, prime ministers, and senior ministers together in the same city, creating a rare opportunity for diplomatic cajoling. In every meeting with an Asian partner, the administration should seek clear assurances that American businesses will receive the same rules, access, and due process as domestic and regional competitors.
THE FED IS SACRIFICING THE AMERICAN DREAM TO FIX A PROBLEM IT CAN’T SOLVE
Fair market access protects American jobs, helps small businesses reach new customers, and gives U.S. companies the scale they need to keep investing and innovating. We should expect our allies to offer American companies the same opportunities their businesses receive here. That kind of reciprocity strengthens partnerships and benefits both U.S. companies and the economies where they invest.
The U.S.-Asia Fair Market Alliance’s survey shows that voters expect action, especially in Asia. It’s good for the economy, it’s good for our alliances, and it is good at the polls.
Matt Mowers is Executive Director of U.S.-Asia Fair Market Alliance.