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geopolitics

Will Asia’s largest FTA make a difference?
1-Jul-2013 Jakarta Post
Unless there is enough political will to close potential loopholes disguised as “flexibility” and pursue reforms deeper than those ever before attempted, RCEP may be seen as serving the geopolitical interests of a few players, to little economic effect.
Despite promising start, Taiwan misses free trade deals
22-Apr-2013 Forbes
The island known for moving big batches of electronics to world markets is struggling to keep a toehold in Asia politically and economically against rivals that make the same stuff and have more trade deals, writes the business magazine Forbes
Joining TPP best answer for worries of further US encirclement
10-Apr-2013 Global Times
It is easy to perceive why China is highly apprehensive at the thought of Japan joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This move fits into a complex pattern that has fed China’s paranoia about being encircled.
China left out of Obama free trade party
2-Apr-2013 FT
Obama’s new trade approach might be characterised as ABC – Anyone But China.
Experts call for BRICS free trade pact
27-Mar-2013 China Daily
"BRICS should consider proposing a free trade agreement at the summit, regardless of whether it’s feasible right now," said Wang Junwen, chairman of the China Association of International Trade.
Australian-US alliance a factor in Chinese investment decisions
1-Mar-2013 ABC
The growing size and value of China’s investments in Australia makes the case for a bilateral investment treaty increasingly urgent, according to a leading China expert.
EU-Ukrainian Association Agreement: To sign or not to sign?
12-Dec-2012 EurActiv
The leak of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement (AA) turns the focus of their relations to a Shakespearean question: to sign or not to sign.
Pak-US hectic talks on BIT draft
2-Sep-2012
Pakistan and the United States remained engaged on Friday to narrow their differences over the draft of Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) which Islamabad and Washington have been discussing since March 2012
S. Korea says Japan free trade talks ‘difficult’ due to tensions
27-Aug-2012
South Korea said resuming negotiations with Japan over a free trade agreement will be difficult given a maritime territorial spat.
Geopolitical tsunami in the Southern Cone
9-Aug-2012 Americas Program
When the Paraguayan Senate approved the “political judgment” against Fernando Lugo on June 22, it unleashed the biggest political crisis in the Mercosur in the last 20 years. The dust still hasn’t settled, but it’s clear that nothing will be the same since the shake-up.
Asia Pacific talks not aimed at containing China - US official
9-Aug-2012 Reuters
Some in China see the Trans Pacific Partnership as a US attempt to rewrite the rules of trade for the region to economically contain China, whose rapid growth continues to rattle many lawmakers and companies in the United States. Deputy USTR Demetrios Marantis rejects the charge.
Goods from occupied lands should not be part of trade deal with Israel
21-May-2012
In late 2010, former trade minister Peter Van Loan announced that Canada and Israel would start exploratory talks to upgrade the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA). Earlier this year, the Ministry of International Trade finished public consultations and is now in internal discussions to implement the upgrades.
Heart breaker: US says Pakistan cannot offer much in free trade
28-Jan-2012
The United States has said that a free trade accord is too big for Pakistan as there is no match between the economies of the two countries, says a top official of the commerce ministry.
Taiwan’s Ma seeks to join Trans-Pacific Partnership
25-Jan-2012 Asia Sentinel
US President Barack Obama’s promotion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral free trade agreement, put forward in November at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Hawaii, is seen as a strategic tool to drive a wedge between the US and its Asia-Pacific friends on one side and China on the other.
Tensions grow ahead of EU-Ukraine summit
15-Dec-2011 Euractiv.com
Days before a crunch EU-Ukraine summit on 19 December, Kyiv is under increased pressure as Brussels urges its leaders to release political prisoners and Russia moves to take control of its gas pipeline network, diplomats told EurActiv.
Linking Kashmir to trade
15-Jun-2011
The European Parliament has passed a resolution linking a Free Trade Agreement with India to an improvement in its human rights records, and to greater democracy.
India, Pakistan agree to enhance trade
28-Apr-2011
India and Pakistan agreed Thursday to set up a joint working group to enhance trade, in a further move designed to ease tensions between the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals, officials said.
Tackling trans-Pacific trade
16-Sep-2010 Xinhua
With a third round of negotiations scheduled to be held in Brunei in October, the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP) still faces ambiguity in promoting its intentions.
Free trade, disputed waters
17-Aug-2010 The Irrawady
The full story of China-Asean relations is a mix of good and bad.
Politics behind trade
11-Aug-2010
When politicians and bureaucrats make frequent remarks about the welfare and interests of citizens, one senses another election season is coming. That seems to be the case with the United States these days.