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China Watch|Why Beijing’s bid to join TPP trade pact was a major miscalculation
If Taiwan becomes a member first, China will find itself in the miserable position of having to beg for Taiwan’s consent to join the TPP.
Countries race to join CPTPP
Chinese Taipei is the latest of three countries seeking to join the CPTPP – the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership.
Japan’s position on the CPTPP applications of China and Taiwan
When it comes to their position on the applications, CPTPP members are divided. The CPTPP operates on unanimous consent, so if even one country is against an application, membership will not be granted.
Taiwan questions China’s suitability for Pacific trade pact, fears ’obstruction’
China’s restrictive practices present fundamental problems for its application to join a major pan-Pacific free trade pact, and if it joins before Taiwan there is a risk it could block their application.
Xiplomacy: Xi-proposed "eight major initiatives" facilitate China-Africa trade
At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in September 2018, Chinese President proposed that China would launch eight major initiatives in close collaboration with African countries.
Australia’s real leverage in China’s CPTTP bid
When China applied earlier this month to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the renamed 11-nation trade pact spanning Asia and the Pacific, Beijing seemed to hand Australia the rare diplomatic gift of leverage.
Africa: China’s trade with the continent grows to record highs
Trade between China and Africa almost doubled between 2020 and 2021, and over the last 20 years trade between China and the region has increased twenty-fold.
China will likely fail in its CPTPP bid — but it’s a ‘smart’ move against the US, say analysts
China will likely fail in its bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership — but its move to submit an application highlighted the lack of U.S. economic policy in Asia-Pacific, said analysts.
Taiwan applies to join TPP free trade pact on China’s heels
Taiwan formally submitted an application to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal, the government said, just days after mainland China filed its bid for membership.
China wants to join the trade pact once designed to counter it
CPTPP members will have a robust discussion on China’s application. It’s hard to argue that Beijing’s trade regime will be in line anytime soon with CPTPP disciplines on state-owned enterprises, labor, digital trade, and intellectual property protection, among other concerns.
Senate approves draft laws on RCEP, bilateral FTA with China
The senate on September 20 unanimously passed (38-0) two draft laws authorising the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and the bilateral Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA).
Thailand plans to sign free trade deals with more Chinese provinces
The government aims to sign mini-Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with other provinces in China following strengthened partnerships from the first FTA with Hainan province in late August.
China’s entry to CPTPP trade pact is closer than you think
China’s entry to the CPTPP trade pact will not be easy, requiring the agreement of all existing members, including countries experiencing strained ties with Beijing such as Canada and Australia.
China applies to join Asian trade deal US abandoned
Beijing has applied to join an Asia-Pacific trade pact once pushed by the U.S. as a way to isolate China and solidify American dominance in the region.
China and ASEAN push for timely RCEP start as Jan. 1 looms
Countries that have signed on to the East Asia-spanning RCEP trade deal are going full speed ahead with plans to implement it on Jan. 1, 2022, despite foot-dragging by a majority, with China and ASEAN especially keen, for their own reasons, on seeing the pact come into force soon.
Uruguay and China will seek bilateral FTA, Uruguayan president announces
Uruguay and China will begin negotiations to seek a bilateral free trade agreement, Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou announced, an issue that has generated risks within Mercosur.
Free trade agreement with South Korea may be signed next month
A long-awaited trade deal with South Korea may be signed next month, according to the country’s ambassador to Cambodia.
European lawmakers seek to upgrade ties with Taiwan
The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee adopted a report that urged the EU to begin work on a bilateral investment agreement with Taiwan.
What’s going on between African nations and the EU?
African leaders still have incentives to maintain the partnership between the two continents, not least because of the trade links and development assistance Europe offers. But they also have a strong interest in revising that relationship.
Beijing will back Hong Kong’s entry into world’s biggest free-trade deal, China’s commerce minister tells belt and road summit
Wang pledged to support Hong Kong in joining “as soon as possible” the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s biggest free-trade deal covering China and 14 other nations in the Asia-Pacific region.