Asia is encouraging Donald Trump to give his support to a Beijing free trade deal with the Asia Pacific. Given that during his campaign, Trump labeled the Trans-Pacific Partnership a “disaster,” now is the time for action and a move away from Obama’s framing of the TPP resulting in an effort to write Asia’s trade rules before Beijing had the opportunity.

China has expressed concerns that America could use the TPP to force it to open markets by signing up or face isolation from other regional economies. Beijing is just relieved that it is appearing increasingly less likely that the TPP will materialize. And China is in the process of engaging in initiatives toward the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Meanwhile, Griffith University Business School’s research dean said that Trump’s TPP repudiation (which excludes China) as well as his “open disdain for asymmetrical alliance arrangements — in other words all US alliance ­arrangements,” can be cause for concern.