The Free Trade Area Of The Asia-Pacific: A Constructive Approach To Multilateralizing Asian Regionalism
Bergsten, C. Fred; Marcus
Noland; Schott, Jeffrey J. | December 2011
Abstract
This paper examines the prospect of realizing regional economic integration via the mechanism of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). The FTAAP initiative represents a politically ambitious, high potential benefit option for achieving Asian regional integration. Among its desirable attributes, the FTAAP initiative could help revive and promote a successful conclusion of the Doha Round negotiations; constitute a “Plan B” hedge if Doha fails; short-circuit the further proliferation of bilateral and sub-regional preferential agreements that create substantial new discrimination and discord within the Asia-Pacific region; defuse the renewed risk of “drawing a line down the middle of the Pacific” as East Asian, and perhaps the Western Hemisphere, initiatives produce disintegration of the Asia-Pacific region rather than the integration of that broader region that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum was created to foster; channel the People’s Republic of China (PRC)-United States economic conflict into a more constructive and less confrontational context; and revitalize APEC, which is of enhanced importance because of the prospects for Asia-Pacific and especially the PRC-US fissures. An incremental approach to the FTAAP, explicitly embodying enforceable reciprocal commitments, offers the best hope delivering on the concept’s abundant benefits.
Citation
Bergsten, C. Fred; Marcus Noland; Schott, Jeffrey J.. 2011. The Free Trade Area Of The Asia-Pacific: A Constructive Approach To Multilateralizing Asian Regionalism. © Asian Development Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/11540/3929. License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.Keywords
Regionalism
Regional Economy
Regional Trading Arrangements
Regional Trade Integration
Regional Economic Integration
Regional Cooperation
Interregional Cooperation
Trade Disputes
Trade Barriers
Economic integration
Regional Development Bank
Preferential tariffs
International negotiation
Protectionist measures
Access to markets
Economic agreements
International trade law
Regional integration
Trade relations
Regional disparities
Interregionalism
Regional economic disparities
Regional economic blocs
Industrial arbitration
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