Devon Whittle
@devonwhittle.bsky.social
Previously DFAT, AGD OIL, and private practice. Now Global Shield. Posting on AI, trade, supply chain resilience, and more, from Australian perspective. Views only my own.
Highlights from the RCEP Joint Ministerial Statement: asean.org/joint-media-... relaunched website (it's pretty minimal, but still more than CPTPP! www.hinrichfoundation.com/research/art...), accessions underway, and General Review slowly moving forward with a 'Joint Scoping Paper' coming next year
From @devonwhittle.bsky.social: "The CPTPP needs a secretariat. Ministers should take Japan’s offer to host one."
The CPTPP needs a secretariat. Japan wants to help. | Article | Hinrich Foundation
The CPTPP has outgrown its current institutional model. Japan’s reported offer to host a permanent secretariat gives members a chance to fix that.
hinrichfoundation.com
For RCEP watchers - Ministers are meeting this week to discuss implementation and the general review. Philippines suggests the review could cover new provisions on "digital trade, sustainable development, inclusivity and emerging technologies such as AI" business.inquirer.net/611673/asean...
Asean to set AI cooperation rules
Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty MANILA, Philippines — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is set to lay down common rules on how artificial intelligence (AI) should be used
business.inquirer.net
Not much reporting on this, but RCEP's Joint Committee met earlier this month in Manila "Members continued to discuss ways forward with respect to the proposals of five economies seeking accession to the Agreement." lnkd.in/p/g_UqvSmp
In the 14th RCEP Joint Committee (RJC) meeting held in Manila on 11–12 August 2026, RCEP Members continued to discuss ways forward with respect to the proposals of five economies seeking accession to…...
In the 14th RCEP Joint Committee (RJC) meeting held in Manila on 11–12 August 2026, RCEP Members continued to discuss ways forward with respect to the proposals of five economies seeking accession to ...
lnkd.in
Out now | The 2026 Trade and Assistance Review shows that budgetary assistance to industry increasingly shifting towards measures targeted at particular industries and sectors.: www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/trad... (1/4)
Trade and Assistance Review 2024-25
The Trade and Assistance Review (TAR) contains the PC’s latest estimates of Australian Government assistance to industry, and provides a summary of developments in industry assistance, trade policy an...
pc.gov.au
Physical AI is next – Australia can be the proving ground | Marina Yue Zhang
Physical AI is next – Australia can be the proving ground
The humanoid robotics race is a two-lane contest between China and America, and Australia doesn’t need to enter either lane to win.
lowyinstitute.org
I post more about AI on X (x.com/devonwhittle...) but it also will be interesting to see how Australia navigates the trade implications of its AI policy (and vice versa) both current rules and whether new/amended rules are needed: GP as the govt seeks to create Aussie customers for AI firms, 1/3
Pretty cool interactive explainer on how AI companies can watermark text. Even has examples showing how the watermark can survive some editing.
James Padolsey@j11y.io · last mo.Wrote a thing about how they watermark AI-generated text: declaude.org/watermarking/
For those interested in the potential catastrophic risks from AI and what Australia could be doing about it, I was on the Alive to This video series recently discussing exactly that: www.alivetothis.com/episode-cata...
Chapter 7. Catastrophic Risk | Alive to This
Devon Whittle, Arnagretta Hunter and Greg Sadler on catastrophic and existential risk: how a technology this powerful could go wrong, and what it asks of us now.
alivetothis.com
Great presentation by Jason Schultz at the recent Aus AI Safety Forum on AI and copyright in the US (and very relevant to current debates in Australia) - youtu.be/btAXkG7l7z8?...
AI on Trial: The US Copyright Fights - Jason Schultz | AI Safety Forum 2026
YouTube video by AI Safety Forum
youtu.be
New from e61: Taxing robots: the good news and risks about AI and government revenue - e61.in/taxing-robot...
Taxing robots: the good news and risks about AI and government revenue – e61 INSTITUTE
e61.in
I love my UK colleagues, but this YouTube video gave me flashbacks to trying to understand CDOTs and the other very specific features of the UK’s constitutional arrangements in trade negotiations (and then translating this into treaty text!) youtu.be/W5Y8JwEzuvA?...
How The UK Works 🫠.
YouTube video by Jimmy Rees
youtu.be
I smiled at this from @slatestarcodex.bsky.social's latest link round-up. It sometimes seems there's a bunch of people who "like doing hard things", except when the hard thing is international cooperation?
My AI Safety Forum presentation on AI incident monitoring and reporting is now online. It's something that works for aviation, pharma, consumer goods, etc, why not for AI companies? www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uoks... (my talk started 5 mins late, so apologies if it seems rushed!)
The Case for Mandatory AI Monitoring & Incident Reporting - Devon Whittle | AI Safety Forum 2026
YouTube video by AI Safety Forum
youtube.com
The text of Aus-Singapore's Protocol on Economic Resilience and Essential Supplies (PERES) is out (dfat.gov.au/sites/defaul...). Let's see how it compares to the NZ-Singapore AOTES (mfat.govt.nz/assets/Trade...) (this is based on a quick review over breakfast, so mistakes possible / likely)... 1/11
dfat.gov.au
Devon Whittle@devonwhittle.bsky.social · 6mo agoSingapore and Australia to establish an "Economic Resilience Dialogue" and conclude a protocol to their FTA on "Economic Resilience and Essential Supplies" (sounds like NZ-Singapore's AOTES www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/nz-...) - www.pm.gov.au/media/joint-...
Will this help with US s301 forced labour investigation tariffs? ministers.ag.gov.au/media-centre...
ministers.ag.gov.au
Australian Human Rights Institute@austhumanrights.bsky.social · 2mo agoLISTEN | Professor @justinenolan.bsky.social speaks to the ABC's AM program about the Australian Government's significant modern slavery reforms announced overnight, including introducing a new criminal offence for companies that fail to prevent modern slavery. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
US relaxes export controls on advanced chips and drones for UAE ft.trib.al/YoysSKw
US relaxes export controls on advanced chips and drones for UAE
Gulf state will receive access to sophisticated American technology
ft.trib.al
I suppose there's no chance Australia would file a complaint under the AUSFTA?
Ron Swanson's Disappointment Sigh
ALT: Ron Swanson's Disappointment Sigh
static.klipy.com
Thanks to @simonlester.com post on governments' comments to the US's consultations on its 301 force labour investigations ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2026/07/gove... - here's the comments that Australia submitted - comments.ustr.gov/s/commentdet... 1/2
Governments Make Their Case Against Section 301 Forced Labor Tariffs
Last month, USTR made a determination in its Section 301 investigation into "Acts, Policies, and Practices of Various Economies Related to the Failure To Impose and Effectively Enforce a Prohibition o...
ielp.worldtradelaw.net
I wrote a summary of the new Bill that would require Australia to advocate for certain issues in trade negotiations, prohibit certain outcomes, and create new transparency requirements (subject to a narrow scope...) open.substack.com/pub/tradenot...
FTAs: Reforms coming to Australia's approach to trade negotiations
Last week, the Trade and Investment Agreements (Consultation) Bill 2026 (the Bill) was introduced to the Australian Parliament. The Bill is meant to “improve transparency and community input into FTA ...
open.substack.com
Devon Whittle@devonwhittle.bsky.social · 3mo agoAustralia's Trade and Investment Agreements (Consultation) Bill 2026 will reform negotiation of FTAs/BITs. Some interesting design choices, eg scope, it prohibits signing agreements that have ISDS (among other things), and requires independent analysis of agreements. www.dfat.gov.au/news/news/tr...
As always, @matt_levine's take on the OpenAI 5% offer to the USG is the best take. www.bloomberg.com/opinion/news...
Forbes@forbes.com · 3mo agoThe proposal being discussed by OpenAI and Trump administration officials purportedly calls for all major AI companies to grant the government a 5% stake.
Not much too surprising in DFAT's Trade 2040 Taskforce Report, but the AI section is trying to walk some fine lines between regulation and investment positioning. Also IPEF is still a thing in the Report at least. www.dfat.gov.au/publications...
dfat.gov.au
Australia's Trade and Investment Agreements (Consultation) Bill 2026 will reform negotiation of FTAs/BITs. Some interesting design choices, eg scope, it prohibits signing agreements that have ISDS (among other things), and requires independent analysis of agreements. www.dfat.gov.au/news/news/tr...
CPTPP Ministerial Statement: working on Costa Rica's accession instrument, Uruguay's AWG advancing, discussions starting w/ UAE, Philippines and Indonesia, new working group on ROOs, custom admin and trade facilitation (with reference to circumvention). www.gov.uk/government/p...
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) joint ministerial statement on expansion, implementation and co-operation: 26 June 2026
gov.uk
IPEF is still a thing: IPEF members (but not the US) discuss response to supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East crisis (although Korea's chairing of the supply chain body is coming to an end so will be interesting to see who takes up the baton) www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffai...
IPEF members discuss response to supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East crisis - The Korea Times
Members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) held a virtual meeting Tuesday to discuss the response to global supply chain disruptions cau...
koreatimes.co.kr
Devon Whittle@devonwhittle.bsky.social · 4mo agoIPEF is still a thing - "IPEF members discuss response to supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East crisis" (although only nine members participated) en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2026...
Argentina seeking to join the CPTPP - www.reuters.com/world/americ...
Argentina seeks to join Trans-Pacific Partnership treaty, minister says
Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said on Tuesday the country intends to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and will present its applicati...
reuters.com
Conclusion of negotiations of ASEAN’s Digital Economy Framework Agreement announced - signing aimed for November of this year asean2026.gov.ph/post/view/?t...
ASEAN 2026 Post
ASEAN 2026 Post
asean2026.gov.ph
CPTPP ISDS dispute with Mexico progresses with claimant Almaden filing Reply, including increase in damage claim to US$2.68 billion static1.squarespace.com/static/5ed92...
static1.squarespace.com
Devon Whittle@devonwhittle.bsky.social · last yr.Update on CPTPP ISDS dispute with Mexico: "Almaden Announces Calendar for Arbitration Process with Mexico" www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/ma...
IPEF is still a thing - "IPEF members discuss response to supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East crisis" (although only nine members participated) en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2026...
IPEF members discuss response to supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East crisis | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) -- Members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) held a vir...
en.yna.co.kr
Devon Whittle@devonwhittle.bsky.social · 5mo agoIPEF is still a thing - "IPEF labor body lives, working on violation reporting tool, says Manila" | InsideTrade.com insidetrade.com/trade/ipef-l...
