The impact of plurilateral trade agreements on developing countries – to participate or not to participate?

In the wake of the impasse in the Doha Development Round of multilateral trade talks, sector-specific plurilateral trade agreements (PTAs) have been gaining traction. However, PTAs mostly appeal to developed countries, with the uptake among developing countries (including least-developed countries) being very limited. This article investigates the factors contributing to such a phenomenon, whether there is indeed merit in developing countries playing a more active role in PTAs and how they might be encouraged to do so. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted with specific attention being given to the effects, on a selection of developing countries, of participation in four PTAs: the Trade in Services Agreement, the Government Procurement Agreement, the Environmental Goods Agreement and the Information Technology Agreement II. Among the findings was that although, according to the qualitative analysis, policymakers are generally disinterested in the four PTAs because they are not aligned to the countries’ economic interests or they threaten policy space, the quantitative analysis revealed that gains could often be made from more active participation in these agreements. This clearly points to a research gap and highlights the need for more in-depth analysis of the potential of PTAs in the developing world.     

Anxiety and Diminished Hope: The Potential Impact of Trump’s Presidency on Security in the Pacific Islands Region

Abstract

The election of Donald Trump as the next president of the US has caused much international consternation and anxiety. Reactions have been based on distrust and rejection of Trump’s political ideology, behavioural disposition and unpredictable policy positions. His campaign speeches were filled with provocative utterances which were racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-environment and self-centred. This article examines some possible impacts of Trump’s presidency on the Pacific island countries (PICs). The first issue refers to how Trump’s proposed isolationist and militarisation policies may affect regional geopolitics. The two policies tend to contradict each other because while isolationism means pulling back on US economic and strategic presence in the Pacific, a reversal of the pivot to Asia-Pacific policy, militarisation implies greater strategic reach, regionally and globally. What does this seemingly contradictory approach mean for the PICs? Second, the article looks at the impact of Trump’s climate change denial stance and the responses by PICs, given the fact that climate change is the single most significant foreign policy and development initiative of the PICs since their independence. The third issue deals with the potential impact of Trump’s restrictive migration policies on remittance flow to the PICs and how these affect the small island economies and well-being.     

中国-东盟自由贸易区投资制度安排模式探讨

建立投资领域的制度安排对中国-东盟贸易区的建设意义重大。中国和东盟相互投资日益增长,各国的投资政策相应改善,但投资环境仍不理想。CAFTA下现有的投资制度包括中国与东盟各国的双边投资协定,CAFTA的协议和各国共同参加的世界性投资公约,但对构建CAFTA的投资法律体系远远不够。CAFTA的投资制度安排的模式可以采取多边协议、分层次的双边协议、各投资专题的多边协议的叠加等模式,各种模式都具有一定的可行性和障碍,中国应当积极推进CAFTA投资法律制度的建立,并做好前期准备工作。     

美韩FTA的起步、拖延及影响——以东亚区域合作为视角的分析

美韩签署FTA是两国对现实背景和贸易环境所做出的适应性反应,尽管美国的遏制意图和韩国的抢占制高点的意图有所不同,但其共同点都是试图使自身在未来的东亚区域合作中占据主动位置,但美韩FTA的久拖不决也使其潜在的影响产生了变数。韩国的这一举动显然是在走一条有别于东亚区域合作既有模式的道路,必然会对原有进程产生影响。它还使中国目前在东亚区域合作中所取得的成果缩水,因而有必要重新评估我国自身的FTA战略,以寻找根本性的解决方案。     

WTO成员方认可《TRIPs协议修正案》的法经济学分析

与一般强制许可相比,《TRIPs协议修正案》下的强制许可,其生产成本更高。由于受到竞争、竞售药品、生产成本、风险、市场大小、药品捐赠等经济因素的影响,许多通用药品制造公司不愿意援引《修正案》及其所涉强制许可制度生产并且出口药品。多个经济因素的存在,都会影响到WTO成员方对《修正案》的认可。     

国际区域经济一体化进程与中国

21世纪以来,由于多边贸易谈判屡次受挫,世界各国开始热衷于推进区域经济一体化进程,积极开展区域贸易协定谈判。目前,全球及各主要地区的区域贸易协定在合作模式、运行机制以及运作领域等方面呈现出许多新特征。中国已于2001年起努力寻求与贸易伙伴缔结区域贸易协定。研究区域经济一体化进程及其特点,将有利于深化我国的区域经济一体化战略,应对新的国际区域经济合作进程。     

《中日韩投资协定》的构建

签署双边投资协定是国家间相互保护投资的主要法律途径。但是近年来,越来越多的经济一体化协定尤其是自由贸易协定在对贸易自由化问题进行规范的同时,也对投资等问题加以规定,形成了自由贸易协定投资规则与双边投资协定并存的局面。为了加速中日韩经济一体化进程,三国决定先行签署《中日韩投资协定》,作为未来中日韩自由贸易协定的组成部分。在这种背景下,对《中日韩投资协定》构建的基本原则、具体条款的设计、与双边投资协定的关系进行深入探讨,可以对正在进行的中日韩三边投资协定谈判提供可行性建议。     

从ACTA看国际知识产权保护的趋势与动向

ACTA是由美、日等知识产权强国发起的旨在全面加强国际贸易中知识产权保护的诸边协议。ACTA内容广泛,主要包括知识产权保护的民事、行政、刑事、边境及数字环境执法等四类措施和保护手段,较之《TRIPS协议》,ACTA在知识产权执法水平上提出了更高的要求,进一步凸显了知识产权国际保护的发展趋势。