30-Nov-2020
Australian Institute of International Affairs
Australia’s recent signature of the RCEP has attracted world attention for its significance in consolidating Asia-Pacific geopolitical relations. But in celebrating this agreement, we seem to have forgotten its unfinished business regarding labour and human rights.
27-Nov-2020
Hellenic Shipping News
China will step up efforts to expand the free trade area network across the world to enlarge its “circle of friends”, according to China’s Commerce Minister Zhong Shan.
23-Nov-2020
South China Morning Post
The challenge is not that the world’s biggest trade deal is China-led or heralds a Sinocentric order – both of which are misrepresentations anyway – but that the Asia-Pacific region has shown no need of US leadership or even involvement.
23-Nov-2020
Mathrubhumi English
India, which has not signed any trade agreement since 2012, will soon revive talks on the possible free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union and the US.
20-Nov-2020
Hindustan Times
India’s decision to stay out of the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, Asia’s mega free-trade agreement (FTA), has been met both with a sense of approval and disappointment and divided economists on the issue.
18-Nov-2020
People Over Profit
RCEP is a threat to people’s rights. Thus, it is imperative that the people push back the neoliberal narrative of RCEP and confront the corporate dictates over economic and political policies.
18-Nov-2020
Inter Press Service News Agency
Fifteen countries will sign a mega-trade deal at the ASEAN conference this weekend imposing secretive restrictions on how governments help workers through the pandemic, trade union leaders and parliamentarians have warned.
17-Nov-2020
The Economic Times
India will avoid joining agreements which are actually trade pacts by stealth with China and instead explore trade agreements with developed countries with large markets such as the US and EU where Indian products and services would be competitive unlike ASEAN.
16-Nov-2020
The Straits Times
Trade-dependent Taiwan has made relatively good progress towards joining the revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but it is awaiting clearer rules on membership, the island’s chief trade negotiator said.