China
The agreement concerning amendment to the CEPA agreement on trade in services, which was signed on 20 November 2019, went into force on 1 June 2020.
Chinese government officials told major state-run agricultural companies to pause purchases of some American farm goods including soybeans as Beijing evaluates the ongoing escalation of tensions with the US over Hong Kong.
As political and trade tensions with the United States rise, and its image as a global leader is tarnished by riots, China has indicated it could join the CPTPP which New Zealand belongs to.
Though the COVID-19 outbreak has led to delays in bilateral negotiations, major progress on the China-Norway free trade agreement is expected to be made this year, a senior Norwegian official said.
Under the US-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, Washington agreed to treat Hong Kong as fully autonomous for trade and economic matters even after China took control.
South Korea will hold the seventh round of talks with China to discuss expanding the scope of their bilateral free trade agreement to better cover the service and investment sectors.
Many German companies are therefore still hopeful that the current negotiations for an EU-China investment deal can take a decisive step forward this year.
The creation of the AfCFTA could enhance the attractiveness of sub-Saharan Africa as an investment destination and manufacturing base.
The Phase One trade deal had China committing to $30 billion in energy purchases. But US energy exports to China actually shrank by 33% in Q1.
China will welcome India back to negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at an appropriate time.
Indications remain that the India government is not keen to revisit the RCEP grouping at present.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been walking a tightrope between the United States and China even as it nurses its own ambitions for global leadership. Horimoto Takenori assesses the role of the Japan-India relationship in this dynamic context.
China will double the number of trials this year for cross-border electronic commerce to promote foreign trade amid the pandemic.
Crucial European demands include subsidies to state-owned enterprises, access to the Chinese market and environmental issues, according to top official.
A China-Israel agreement could strengthen the Chinese influence in the management of the new port at Haifa. This is a scenario that keeps the Americans awake at night.
More hawkish voices have emerged within China on the phase one trade deal with Washington, with some calling for new negotiations and a tit-for-tat approach on spiraling trade issues.
Any potential trade deal will be more about what the US can take from Britain’s markets rather than what it will give, with big pushes to open up agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors to American businesses.
"The targets were never realistic; they were just gaudy numbers meant to impress. The pandemic made the unrealistic the impossible."
The Khhyber Pakhtunkhwa business community on Tuesday called for signing of a Pak-Afghan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on the pattern of FTA inked with China.
Economic complementarity, lower shipping costs and the upcoming Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will substantially expand bilateral trade between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year.
