28-Dec-2009
New York Times
When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, China and 10 Southeast Asian nations will usher in the world’s third-largest free trade area. While many industries are eager for tariffs to fall on everything from textiles and rubber to vegetable oils and steel, a few are nervously waiting to see whether the agreement will mean boom or bust for their businesses.
21-Dec-2009
Jakarta Globe
Indonesian cosmetics and herbal medicine producers are calling for an exemption for their products from the Asean-China free trade agreement. “It is not because we are not ready. The question is our products are even now having to compete with illegal Chinese imports which are usually cheaper but of questionable quality.”
26-Nov-2009
Jakarta Globe
The FTA will allow thousands of products from China to enter Indonesia with no import duties. Millions of workers in the manufacturing sector may be affected.
4-Jun-2009
Brooks Foreign Policy Review
While the United States is generally supportive of ASEAN, it is not in the strategic interest of the U.S. for it to be outside of an Asian economic bloc, especially one that will aid in cementing a strong Chinese leadership position in Southeast Asia.
15-May-2009
Brooks Foreign Policy Review
Over the last decade, ASEAN has negotiated free trade agreements (FTA) at breakneck speeds, signing deals with Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. It is also in the process of negotiating FTAs with India, South Korea, and China. The deal with China has garnered much attention, because it will create the third largest common market by trade volume, with a population of 1.8 billion and a US$2 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
