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Xi Jinping’s pet Belt and Road Initiative could be sticking point in India-China ties, say experts
14-Mar-2018 Financial Express
Xi Jinping’s pet Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) can pose a "major challenge" in resetting China’s ties with India, says analysts, days after the Chinese parliament backed his plan to rule indefinitely amid Sino-India rapprochement following the Dokalam standoff.
MAN cautions FG on free trade agreements
14-Mar-2018 Vanguard
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria urges the Nigerian government not succumb to the pressure by the European Union to sign the EU-ECOWAS Economic Partnership Agreement as well as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
South Korea, US to hold third round of FTA talks this week
14-Mar-2018 Yonhap News Agency
South Korea and the United States will hold the third round of talks on amending the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations in Washington this week, Seoul’s trade ministry said on Wednesday.
US-China ties wobble as trade war escalates
14-Mar-2018 Global Times
Since China began its reform and opening-up in late 1970s, growing trade and investment ties have been a key pillar of Sino-US relations. But US President Donald Trump’s recently imposed 25 percent steel tariffs and 10 percent aluminum tariffs on China and others exporting those goods to the US is just the start of nationalist economic policies that not only strain US-China ties, but put the entire global trade regime at risk.
Narendra Modi may decide on course of RCEP trade talks
14-Mar-2018 Narendra Modi may decide on course of RCEP trade talks
The development comes after a meeting convened by the prime minister’s office saw growing opposition to RCEP FTA from the secretaries of various government departments
EU-Mexico FTA: Draft investment chapter (Feb 2018)
14-Mar-2018
Letter: Gambia is about to pay half a million dollars at the International Settlement Investment Dispute Court
13-Mar-2018 Freedom Newspaper
Shocking information from insiders tells us that the authorities are about to make a payment to the International Settlement of Investment Disputes of nearly US dollars 500,000 as a prepay for the three litigations.
Gov’t suspends FTA with Turkey
13-Mar-2018 Jordan Times
The FTA with Turkey has not yielded the expected fruits, but has rather further tilted the trade balance in favour of the Turkish side, says Governement.
Court in confusion – the EU and Western Sahara
13-Mar-2018 Euractiv
Representatives of the Polisario Front, the independence movement which claims to represent the people of Western Sahara, say that talks should now start on a separate EU-Western Sahara agreement.
UK faces ‘cliff edge’ over EU trade pacts, warn MPs
13-Mar-2018 Euractiv
Rolling over EU trade agreements with third countries after Brexit must be treated as “an urgent priority” if the UK is to avoid a trade ‘cliff edge’, UK MPs have warned.
New centre opened in Thailand as part of China’s Digital Belt and Road program
13-Mar-2018 Open Govt Asia
DBAR ICoE-Bangkok is one of eight such centres around the world. It will leverage Earth observation and big Earth data from satellites and other sources to support decision-makers in the implementation of projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative and managing risks associated with climate change.
India, EU to decide fate of trade agreement next month
13-Mar-2018 The Economic Times
India and the European Union will discuss next month resumption of the much-delayed Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) that hasn’t progressed much over the past five years.
South Korea considers joining revamped Pacific trade deal CPTPP
13-Mar-2018 The Straits Times
South Korea needs to move faster to join a Pacific trade deal signed by 11 regional nations last week without the presence of the United States says experts.
RCEP talks advance as members set sights on 2018 conclusion
13-Mar-2018 Business Mirror
In a speech at the Malaysia Business Forum, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez revealed that the RCEP will have substantial documents ready before the end of Singapore’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. This was agreed upon by trade ministers of RCEP negotiating countries in their recent meeting in Singapore.
Pakistan, Iran agree to conclude FTA on priority
13-Mar-2018 Samaa TV
Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and his Iranian counterpart Dr. Javad Zarif on Monday agreed to continue engagement for enhancing economic cooperation including bilateral trade, investments, and commercial interaction to promote shared prosperity.
Mercosur, Canada begin free-trade talks
12-Mar-2018 Xinhua
The foreign ministers slated the first round of talks for the Mercosur-Canada FTA from March 20 to 23 in Ottawa, Canada.
Fears tobacco giants will use TPP to sue Australia over plain packaging as secrecy shrouds legal costs in Philip Morris case
12-Mar-2018 South China Morning Post
Political party says the newly signed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, which contains similar clauses to the Hong Kong deal, could prompt more costly challenges in The Hague
UK defies EU over Indonesian palm oil trade, leaked papers show
12-Mar-2018 The Guardian
UK is pushing for a deal that would boost imports linked to deforestation despite EU moves to ban unsustainable palm oil, diplomatic papers reveal.
Don’t sign CFTA, Labour; ex-NACCIMMA boss, others beg Buhari
12-Mar-2018 Vanguard
Organised labour pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari not to sign the African Continental Free Trade Agreement CFTA.
African trade ministers approve Free Trade Area in Kigali summit
12-Mar-2018 The Star
Africa Ministers of Trade have approved an agreement to give local traders access to the continental trade market.