Australia’s WTO Digital Campaign Collides with ASEAN Clampdown

Australia is having mixed success in pressing Southeast Asia to join e-commerce negotiations in the World Trade Organization, which are at odds with the region’s tightening internet restrictions.

Canberra helped spearhead WTO talks starting in January, when 76 governments including the U.S., EU, and China signed a letter agreeing to draft global rules for the digital economy. But countries not participating include nearly half the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, where internet restrictions range from forcing companies to use domestic servers, to authorities seizing computer data despite privacy laws.

“Australia welcomes ASEAN engagement in WTO negotiations on trade-related aspects of ...