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  1. Negotiations

Asia & Pacific

Bilateral deal-making involving governments of Asia and the Pacific region.

Asian bloc hopes new deal with Canada could lead to free trade pact
17-May-2007 Embassy Magazine
Vietnam’s assistant foreign affairs minister says Canada and members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) are "optimistic" about a free trade agreement, but doesn’t want to speculate as to when such a deal would come to fruition.
Important challenges face Asian FTAs
17-May-2007 Ohmynews
Asian economic regionalism, driven by active FTAs, reached a decisive point recently as China, South Korea, Japan and ASEAN countries compromised on the plan for financial reserves to put the possible financial crisis under control.
US holds talks with Philippines, Brunei to improve market access
11-May-2007 The Raw Story
The United States held separate talks with the Philippines and Brunei this week on steps to enhance market access for a range of products. The talks were held under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFA) between the United States and the two Southeast Asian nations.
Trade policy in Asia: where next with a crippled WTO and weak FTAs?
10-May-2007 ECIPE
Trade policy in Asia is dangerously unbalanced. It rests on a shaky leg of discriminatory bilateral and regional FTAs. Its other WTO leg has gone to sleep: most Asian countries have neglected the WTO in favour of FTAs. Its regional-cooperation arm is limp: grand visions for regional economic integration are mostly empty conference chatter.
Brunei, US officials study ways to expand bilateral trade
8-May-2007
The United States trade representatives and Brunei government officials yesterday discussed how trade relations can be further expanded as well as what the US can do to support the sultanate’s efforts to diversify its economy.
US and China tug at ASEAN unity
8-May-2007 Asia Times
ASEAN is being fragmented by intensifying US-China competition for regional influence, which is putting a premium on bilateralism with the big powers at the expense of ASEAN’s ambition toward more regional multilateralism.
Bush to hold first summit with ASEAN countries
7-May-2007 ABS-CBN
US President George W Bush confirmed Friday that he will attend his first summit with all 10 Southeast Asian leaders, to talk about trade and security, in September. "I suggested to the president that we should consider a suitable new initiative, which perhaps would be able to take our relations another step forward," said Singapore’s PM Lee Hsien Loong.
Business leaders vow to seek US free trade pact
4-May-2007
Representatives of leading US companies and the Vietnamese Government yesterday expressed a consensus to strengthen bilateral trade relations and hastening the signing of a framework agreement for a free trade area joining the two countries, according to Deputy Minister of Trade Luong Van Tu.
ASEAN to discuss free trade framework with Japan, EU
3-May-2007 Manila Bulletin
ASEAN economic ministers will tackle issues and modalities on proposed free trade negotiations with Japan and the European Union, but not with the US, starting today.
Asia-Pacific trade ministers defend bilateral deals
22-Apr-2007 PDI
Two trade ministers from Asia-Pacific nations — Singapore and Australia — on Saturday defended bilateral and regional trade agreements as potentially contributing to, not detracting from, the global trade regime.

    Links

  • ABAC
    APEC Business Advisory Council is pushing for an FTA among APEC members
  • ASEAN Briefing
    ASEAN Briefing is a platform dedicated to the various and increasing number of trade treaties and agreements throughout the ASEAN region, produced by tax and legal professionals Dezan Shira & Associates.
  • Asia Regional Integration Center
    Database of bilateral and plurilateral FTAs with at least one of Asian Development Bank’s 48 regional members as signatory.
  • Australia-ASEAN-New Zealand FTA
    An Australian government webpage on the Australia-ASEAN-New Zealand FTA negotiations, agreed to end 2004 and begun early 2005.
  • Macau-China FTA
    Official website on the Macau-China Closer Economic Partnership Agreement
  • PANG
    The Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) plays the role of the Pacific regional “peoples’ watchdog on trade issues”.