South-east Asia will further champion free trade

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Community Integration ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
The United States ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
Asean Economic Community ◽  
Trade Preferences ◽  
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

Subject South-east Asia's push for trade agreements. Significance Late last month, an Indonesian delegation led by Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita began a week of negotiations in Washington to lobby against the withdrawal of trade preferences for Indonesian exports to the United States. Meanwhile, South-east Asian states are involved in two major trade agreements: the 11-member Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the 16-state Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Impacts US trade reprisals against Indonesia could weaken Jakarta’s support for Washington’s diplomatic pressure on North Korea. The US-China tariff escalation could prompt partners to redirect some of their trade, boosting trade between Taiwan and South-east Asia. ASEAN Economic Community integration will be slow despite progress in RCEP and the CPTPP.

Prospects for South-east Asia in 2019

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
East Asia ◽  
South China ◽  
Code Of Conduct ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Volatility ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

Subject Prospects for South-east Asia in 2019. Significance The early part of next year will feature important elections in some of South-east Asia's major economies. Meanwhile, financial volatility and a trade downturn pose risks to ASEAN economies. ASEAN under Thailand’s chairmanship will aim to advance the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and a Code of Conduct (CoC) for the South China Sea.

South-east Asia drone sales may raise terror risks

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
East Asian ◽  
The United States ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Media ◽  
Asean Countries ◽  
Asean Economic Community ◽  
Drone Production ◽  
The Eu

Subject Drone sales to South-east Asia. Significance Washington announced last month that it will lift its ban on selling armed/lethal unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or 'drones') to allies and security partners. This decision has South-east Asian implications: many US allies and interests are there. South-east Asia also has a significant appetite for unarmed drones. Consequently, the region is becoming a fruitful ground for sales and use of both types of UAV. However, this brings mixed security implications. Impacts China will compete with major drone vendors the United States, the EU and Israel for South-east Asian sales. South-east Asian governments will update their laws to incorporate drone-related considerations. Authoritarian governments will probably attempt to control the use of drones by the media and civil society. ASEAN countries will expand domestic drone production, especially under the ASEAN Economic Community.

Asia-centred trade pacts will proceed with weaknesses

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
The United States ◽  
Regional Trade Agreements ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Regional Trade ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ◽  
State Regional

Significance In contrast to this tariff escalation, eagerness to preserve the multilateral, rules-based economic order is drawing Asian countries into inter-regional trade agreements. Negotiations are ongoing to bring into effect a 16-state Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and an eleven-member Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Impacts Absent US involvement in the trade agreements, China will champion its own version of global free trade. Modifications within the CPTPP may reduce any incentive for the United States to rejoin. A US withdrawal from the WTO would weaken dispute systems used by smaller countries.

South-east Asia-US trade preferences debates beckon

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
East Asia ◽  
East Asian ◽  
The United States ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Trade Preferences ◽  
Trump Administration

Significance The preferential US trade programme faces renewal or lapse by December 31. South-east Asia’s economies are structured to take advantage of the GSP and many of the products exported to the United States under GSP (such as light manufactures and seafood) are important for South-east Asia’s supply chains. Impacts Vietnam may make another application for inclusion in the US GSP programme. The more authoritarian South-east Asian countries could find it easier to gain US GSP preferences under Trump. The Trump administration could use the GSP as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations or renegotiations.

RCEP will step into gap as Trump pulls out of TPP

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
The United States ◽  
New Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
North East ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

Subject The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Significance Shortly after Donald Trump was sworn in as US president on January 20, his administration announced withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. This leaves the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which unlike TPP includes China, as Asia's most ambitious planned regional trade agreement. The RCEP encompasses North-east Asia, South-east Asia, India, Australia and New Zealand. It has so far received less attention than the larger, more comprehensive TPP, but is now more likely to happen. Impacts The TPP's collapse leaves China as the leader of large-scale regional economic integration, with the RCEP as the main pillar. The RCEP will probably be more open to new members than the TPP would have been. The RCEP may enhance the regional and global role of China, potentially contributing to bilateral rivalry with the United States.

Prospects for South-east Asia in 2021

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Free Trade Agreement ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

Significance All are aiming to revive economies badly hit by the pandemic’s fallout. The ten ASEAN states and five of the bloc’s dialogue partners recently signed a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a free trade agreement (FTA) that will progressively lower tariffs.

Washington will engage more with South-east Asia

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
East Asia ◽  
The United States ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
National Unity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Set Up

Significance She addressed two key issues during her trip: tensions in post-coup Myanmar and China’s growing regional footprint. Shortly after she left the region, the United States announced that it would donate unused COVID-19 vaccines abroad, including to South-east Asia. Impacts Washington will tighten its sanctions on the Myanmar military while supporting ASEAN’s five-point plan to ease the country’s crisis. The National Unity Government, a parallel administration to Myanmar’s junta set up by its opponents, will try to attract greater US backing. Manila and Washington may extend negotiations over renewing their Visiting Forces Agreement to prevent the pact expiring in August.

US TPP implementation faces major hurdles in Congress

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
The United States ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
Us Government ◽  
Key Industry

Significance The Obama administration faces an uphill fight in Congress to secure enough votes for TPP ratification, given Democratic suspicions of free trade agreements, Republican animus for the White House and the frustrations of key industry groups in the United States. The United States can in effect veto the TPP's international implementation, while the White House's 'Asia pivot' policy relies partly on firmer trade ties with East and South-east Asia. Impacts The battle over TPP will likely divert political capital and US government resources from the TTIP negotiations. China may benefit diplomatically in the Asia-Pacific if the United States blocks TPP from coming into force. The trade debate may spill over to greater US legislative attention on currency manipulation issues ahead of 2017.

Thailand deepens China links as hedge against US ties

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
East Asia ◽  
High Speed ◽  
The United States ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
High Speed Railway ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Strategic Imperative ◽  
Trump Administration

Subject Outlook for Thai-US-China relations. Significance Chatchai Thipsunaree, Thailand’s permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport, confirmed on May 17 that construction of the long-awaited Thai-China high-speed railway will begin this year. The project reflects the growing momentum in Thailand’s relations with China, and refiguring of ties with the United States. Impacts Trump administration officials see less strategic imperative in the US-Thailand alliance than previous administrations. China’s growing presence in South-east Asia, particularly on the Mekong, will trigger resistance from affected populations in Thailand. Thai officials will allow Chinese infrastructure projects to proceed despite local protests.

Trump targets South-east Asia-US policy continuity

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
Vice President ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
East Asia Summit ◽  
Trump Administration

Subject Emerging US policy towards South-east Asia under the Trump administration. Significance On May 5, the 30th US-ASEAN Dialogue opens in Washington, to be co-chaired by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. This follows Vice-President Mike Pence’s visit to Indonesia of April 20-22, the first to South-east Asia by a cabinet-level official from the Trump administration. The White House used that occasion to announce that President Donald Trump will attend the APEC meeting in Vietnam and the East Asia Summit (EAS) in the Philippines in November. Impacts Trump may co-chair a US-ASEAN Summit with Philippines president on the EAS’s margins, which could improve frayed bilateral ties. Congress could frustrate any Trump administration plans to sanction countries with trade surpluses with the United States. An ASEAN-US free trade agreement is unlikely soon. Trump has invited Vietnam’s prime minister to visit Washington later, which could make Hanoi more bullish towards China.

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