INSIDE GLOBAL ISSUES
Policy Brief No. 201535
A Great Power Mentality towards TTP
Dong Yan
Initiated by the US, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) took shape on October 5, 2015. This has attracted wide attention and flared up extensive discussions among all circles in China. Some feel pessimistic, some deem TPP as a threat, while others sniff conspiracy. Such fear of TPP in China may be attributable to the US’s high profile in publicity of TPP as an internal political game. However, this is also due to the information asymmetry between the academic circle, the government and the public. It was similar to the current suspicions and disputes when China’s academic circle came to know and began their research on TPP several years ago. Five years of researches have provided findings in respect of TPP’s impact, cause and countermeasures. In the meantime, the Chinese government has gradually established a series of strategic schemes to respond to talks on such high standard international economic and trade treaties as TPP. China is not the one it used to be 15 years ago when it first entered the WTO. China has grown into a major player of global economic influence, with the necessity and the capacity to take the lead in pushing forward a new pattern for global economic and trade governance. We should develop a great power mentality towards challenges brought about by TPP, and be more active, confident, tolerant and cooperative.
I. Two perspectives of understanding TPP
……
II. What are the new rules?
Since it is in closed-door negotiations, TPP’s full texts are still confidential. Previous studies on TTP were mainly based on negotiating representatives or information that has been leaked onto the internet. Judging from summaries of the 30 chapters of TPP published on the website of the USUSTR, they can be divided into three categories:
……
III. How do we analyze the influence of TPP upon China’s economy?
There are several model-based results revealing TPP’s influence upon China’s economy, but we should be prudent when we use these research findings.
……
IV. Are “Should China join TPP” and “Should China join WTO” the same?
……