Working Paper: NBER ID: w10992
Authors: Agata Antkiewicz; John Whalley
Abstract: This paper discusses the recent regional trade agreements that China has concluded rapidly following accession to the WTO in 2002. Agreements are in place with Hong Kong, Macao, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand, and are either in negotiation or under discussion with South Africa, Chile, India, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. These agreements differ sharply in form and substance, and involve process commitments to ongoing negotiation and cooperation on a wide range of issues. Differences relating to the regional agreements negotiated by the EU and the US are emphasized, as are later potential difficulties these agreements create in moving to an Asian trade bloc centred on them.
Keywords: China; regional trade agreements; WTO; economic cooperation
JEL Codes: F02; F10; O24
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| China's WTO accession (F13) | more complex trade environment in Asia (F15) |
| regional trade agreements (F13) | formation of an Asian trade bloc (F15) |
| agreements with Hong Kong and Macao (F53) | promote bilateral trade in services (F13) |
| absence of formal dispute resolution mechanisms (D47) | manage trade relationships through conciliation (J52) |