Trade

The “Belt and Road Initiative” is a Chinese development strategy aimed at establishing logistic links to a total of 60 countries in Europe, Central- and South-East-Asia and, to a smaller extend, East-Africa. Investments are expected to total US$4–8 trillion that are often to be repaid by the respective countries. It includes projects such as the upgrading of harbours, airports, roads and rail across the Balkans, a railway from Mombasa to Nairobi (Kenya's biggest infrastructure project since independence) and a railway to Malaysia (construction currently halted).

The Trans-Pacific-Partnership (TPP) was a trade agreement amongst NAFTA members (the US, Canada, and Mexico) and 9 Asia-Pacific Nations (Chile, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Brunei, Australia, Peru, Vietnam, and Singapore). It granted Asia-Pacific nations access to NAFTA markets and production chains while lowering tariffs and barriers in these countries to North American products. It also standardized rules and regulations regarding copyrights and patents among the participating nations as well as formalizing investor-state dispute settlement procedures. While running for President Donald Trump promised to get rid of the TPP and once in office officially withdrew the US from participation.

Cuba is under an autocratic communist regime. Human rights in Cuba are under the scrutiny of Human Rights Watch, who accuse the Cuban government of systematic human rights abuses, including arbitrary imprisonment, unfair trials, and extrajudicial execution. Cuban law limits freedom of expression, association, assembly, movement, and the press. America has imposed aggressive trade embargos on Cuba, which it still has not lifted. It has however, lifted travel restrictions. Obama last week visited Cuba, making him the first sitting US president in almost 100 years to visit Cuba