Belgian China Studies Network International Conference on Chinas

Belgian China Studies Network International Conference on China‘s Future FTAAP AND CHINA’S APPROACH TO ECONOMIC REGIONALISM ZHANG, Zhenjiang School of International Studies, Jinan University, China June 20 -21, 2019 Brussels, Belgium

CONTENTS • Origin and Development of FTAAP • Responses and Debates on FTAAP • China Taking over the Banner of FTAAP • China’s Approaches towards Economic regionalisms

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF FTAAP • Expert report entitled "Preliminary Assessment of the FTAAP Program: A Document for ABAC " prepared in 2004, which was welcomed in the joint statement of the APEC Summit. • At the APEC summit held in Vietnam in 2006, the President of the United States gave high-profile support to this idea and called on all parties to "seriously consider" the establishment of the FTAAP. • In 2007 APEC Summit, FTAAP was mentioned in the leaders' declaration: "Through a series of practical and gradual steps, we will study the options and prospects of the FTAAP".

RESPONSES AND DEBATES ON FTAAP

RESPONSES AND DEBATES ON FTAAP • General difficulties • Different economic development levels of members in Asia. Pacific • Collective Goods Problems • Special difficulties for Asia-Pacific • The US strategy towards the rising East Asia • Political Feasibility

CHINA TAKING OVER THE BANNER OF FTAAP • In 2014, the 22 nd APEC Summit in Beijing, all participants reached a consensus on the APEC Promoting the Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area Beijing Roadmap. • Chinese President Xi Jinping – an “Asia-Pacific dream” for the people in the region, “the Asia-Pacific community”. • Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for “all Asia-Pacific countries should work together in building the FTAAP, and free trade arrangements in the Asia-Pacific region should be inclusive and promote each other rather than fragmented or exclusive

CHINA’S APPROACHES TOWARDS ECONOMIC REGIONALISMS • For the global level, China positively supports the WTO and UN process and joins most of the international originations • For the regional and multilateral level, China signed China-ASEAN FTA in 2003 and 2010. In 2012, China-Japan-Korea FTA started in 2012. China also joined the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), initiated by the 10 ASEAN countries.

CHINA’S APPROACHES TOWARDS ECONOMIC REGIONALISMS Date of signature Countries 2005. 11. 18 2006. 11. 24 2008. 4. 7 2008. 10. 23 2008. 11. 19 2013. 4. 15 2013. 7. 6 2015. 6. 17 2017. 5. 13 2017. 11. 29 Chile Pakistan New Zealand Singapore Peru Iceland Switzerland Korea Australia Georgia Maldives

CHINA’S APPROACHES TOWARDS ECONOMIC REGIONALISMS • Competitive regionalisms in the Post-WTO Era • Comparative advantage: “World’s Factory” • Regionalism vs Globalism: From Stumbling-blocks to Building-blocks

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