Assessment of the Proposed India-China Free Trade Agreement: A General Equilibrium Approach

Author(s):  
Rahul Arora ◽  
Sarbjit Singh ◽  
Somesh K. Mathur

Purpose The present study is an attempt to evaluate the impact of the proposed India-China free trade agreement (FTA) in goods trade on both countries under a static general equilibrium framework. Design/Methodology/Approach The study has utilized the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model of world trade with the presence of skilled and unskilled unemployment in the world. For analysis purposes, 57 GTAP sectors, representing the whole regional economy, have been aggregated into 43 sectors and 140 GTAP regions, representing the whole world, have been aggregated into 19 regions. The study has also used the updated tariff rates provided by the World Trade Organization for better results. Findings The preliminary analysis using trade indicators depicted that by utilizing their own comparative advantage, both of the countries can maximize their gains by exporting more to the world. The simulation results from the GTAP analysis revealed that a tariff reduction in all goods trade would be more beneficial for both the countries than the tariff reduction in each other's specialized products. All other regions lose in terms of shifting the Indian imports towards China in a post-simulation environment. Regions with a significant loss are: the European Union (28 members), Southeast Asia, the Unites States, Japan, Korea, West Asia, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Originality/Value The disaggregated sector-wise analysis has been performed using the latest available GTAP database, version 9.

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lubna Uzair ◽  
Ahmad Nawaz

PurposeThis paper aims to empirically examine the trade creation and diversion impacts on merchandise imports of Pakistan under the Pakistan–China Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The analysis of Pakistan’s preferential treatment with its largest trade partner as well as the most substantial exporter of the world will help to shape trade policy, open windows for academic research and also gives an immense contribution in literature.Design/methodology/approachA disaggregated panel data on the imports of Pakistan from China and other WTO member countries and tariff concessions at Harmonized System (HS) two-digit level used for the agreement period of 2006-2012. The empirical analysis takes care of bias through robust and panel-corrected standard errors with time, industry-specific effects and controlling for multilateral trade resistance.FindingsEvidence found in support of trade creation under the Pakistan–China FTA. It means overall this agreement increased the welfare of Pakistani consumers.Practical implicationsFindings are in favour of negotiations and signing for the next round of this agreement and with other major trade partners like the US and Saudi Arabia.Originality/valueIt is worth investigating empirically the impact of preferential trade liberalization between Pakistan – a developing country – and China – the largest importer of the world – explicitly, in the form of trade creation or diversion. The empirical assessment of this FTA signed with the world’s largest exporter will not only contribute immensely to the literature but also help in trade policy formulation and open windows for academic research. Another unique aspect of this study is the use of disaggregated data consisting of all goods imports along with tariff concessions at two-digit Harmonized System (HS) code.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramón Guajardo-Quiroga

Key words: Cucumber world market, international trade, economic integration, quadratic programming, spatial equilibrium models.Abstract. This study empirically analyzed the potential effects of the complete operation of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), European Union and Mexico Free Trade Agreement (EUMFTA), and the integration of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), on the cucumber world market. Special emphasis on the impact on Mexico was presented, from a worldwide perspective. A spatial equilibrium model with endogenous prices was constructed for this purpose. Among the findings are: (1) Mexican producers benefited from the complete implementation of NAFTA and EUMFTA. (2) The incorporation of China as a member of the WTO showed a negligible effect on the commercial flows and prices in the cucumber world market. (3) Mexican cucumber production is highly competitive, in the world market, because it has the lowest supply costs.Palabras Clave: Mercado mundial del pepino, integración económica, comercio internacional, programación cuadrática, modelos de equilibro espacial.Resumen. Este estudio analiza empíricamente los efectos potenciales de la operación completa del Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte (TLCAN), Tratado de Libre Comercio de la Unión Europea y México (UMFTA), y la integración de China a la Organización Mundial de Comercio (OMC) en relación al mercado mundial del pepino. Se presentan, con énfasis especial, los impactos sobre México desde una perspectiva mundial.


Con-texto ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Fandl

<p>This article brings to the attention of those public servants involved in the design and negotiation of free trade agreements between the United States and developing countries, such as Colombia, the potential benefits and drawbacks of negotiating in a bilateral forum. Rather than critiquing the free trade agreement for its particular provisions, this article examines the U.S. policy of negotiating bilaterally with developing countries as opposed to multilaterally in the world trade system and what effects such an approach might have on the economic development of the latter. Using an incremental policy analysis, the article critiques the bilateral approach in terms of economic development and fair trade negotiations using the recent Colombia-U.S. trade agreement as a case study. The article concludes that a bilateral approach that is disconnected from a broader multilateral context may be detrimental to developing countries and recommends increased oversight of such agreements by the World Trade Organization to ensure a higher degree of fairness.</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-107
Author(s):  
Roberto Soprano

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the pros and cons of different models of the European Union (EU)-style Rules of Origin (RoO) that could be chosen by negotiators for a future UK–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). It will also underline the impact that any choice would have on economic operators and certain criteria that should be evaluated before taking any decisions on the adoption of RoO. Design/methodology/approach The paper will describe three different RoO models that could be chosen by negotiators. For each of them, it analyses the pros and cons and the impact on economic operators. Findings The choice of a RoO would have an impact on future EU–UK trade relations. It will affect the utilization rate of the FTA as well as investment (and divestment) corporate strategies in the UK and EU. Originality/value The paper introduces different criteria to evaluate the impact of RoO that should be taken into consideration by negotiators. It emphasizes that RoO should be simple, predictable, coherent, IT compatible and easily adaptable.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Floribeth Mora ◽  
Ana Abdelnour ◽  
Franklin Herrera ◽  
Joaquín Salazar

The admission of Costa Rica into the World Trade Organization, and the subscription of the Bilateral Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and the agreements with other Central American countries brought about important changes in bean commercialization in Costa Rica. This partly resulted in the creation of CCCRL as an alternative for bean commercialization. Operation and viability of this Consortium are analyzed under the new conditions for the commercialization of agricultural and arming products, both at a national and international level. Agroecological crop conditions are also examined, as well as the socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the population involved in bean production, and their possible influence on CCCRL viability.


2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Le Trung Ngoc Phat ◽  
Nguyen Kim Hanh

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to employ the computable general equilibrium (CGE) approach to examine how the European–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) impacts on the Vietnamese economy in the case of the removal of industrial tariffs. Design/methodology/approach The authors construct a social accounting matrix based on the latest data of the Vietnam input-output Table for the year 2012 and then apply the CGE model to simulate the economic scenarios when the tariff rate of the industrial sector reduces to 0 percent. Findings The first simulation results demonstrate that the elimination of tariffs in the industrial sector will lead to a 9.13 percent increase in household consumption, together with an increase in the factors of production of the agricultural, industrial and service sectors by 9.61, 9.74 and 8.21 percent, respectively. The EVFTA also causes a deficit in the trade balance because the value of imports increases by 12.54 percent, while exports’ value slightly increases by 2.71 percent. Furthermore, there has been a drop of 2.29 percent in the total government income; nevertheless, social welfare witnesses a gain of 9.13 percent. The second scenario simulation draws crucial attention to policymakers that a small fluctuation in the production tax rate will cause a significant change in the economy. Practical implications The reduction of tariff in the industrial sector will increase the social welfare and strengthen the whole economy regarding the growth of household consumption, factors of production and trade value. On the unfavorable side, the EVFTA causes a national budget deficit and puts pressure on domestic production. This paper is a valuable reference for governments and policymakers when they decide to reduce tariffs or adjust production taxes once Vietnam integrates into the world economy. Originality/value This study differs from previous research works by utilizing a static CGE model to investigate the impact of removing the industrial tariff on the economy under EVFTA.


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