PECC Workshop: Free Trade in the Asia-Pacific

0900-0930

Welcoming Address and Keynote Speech

Speakers:

• Dr Lin Guijun, Vice President, University of International Business and Economics
• Ambassador Tang Guoqiang, Chair, CNCPEC
• Mr Jusuf Wanandi/Ambassador Don Campbell, Co-Chairs of PECC

Keynote Speech:

• Dr Bayu Krishnamurti, Vice Minister of Trade, Indonesia

0930-0945

Briefing: APEC Work on Regional Economic Integration

• Mr. Chen Chao, Director, APEC Division, Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs, MOFCOM
  pdf APEC Framework of Strengthening Regional Economic Integration (1.78 MB)

0945-1115

Session 1: Global value chains in the Asia-Pacific: mapping and policy implications

The framework for most thinking about the design of trade policy in the region is now the value chain setting. Following the OECD, ‘A value chain identifies the full range of activities that firms undertake to bring a product or a service from its conception to its end use by final consumers.’ [2] This session will consider how value chains are mapped in the region and the implications that this has for trade policy.

Moderator

• Dr Djisman Simandjuntak, Chair, INCPEC

Speakers

• Dr Patrick Low, Vice President of Research, Fung Global Institute
  pdf GVCs in the Asia-Pacific: Mapping and Policy Implications (435 KB)
  
• Dr Shujiro Urata, Professor of Economics at Graduate School Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University, JANCPEC
  pdf Challenges for Constructing an FTAAP: Lessons Learnt from the Results of ERIA’s ASEAN+1 FTAs Mapping Study (472 KB)
  

Question and Answer

1115-1130

Coffee Break

1130-1300

Session 2: Pathways to an FTAAP: What can be expected

There are a number of trade negotiations under way that have been described as possible pathways to an FTAAP, including the Trans Pacific Partnership, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and the Pacific Alliance. This session will discuss these agreements – both their coverage and expected economic impact.

Moderator

• Mr Deny Wachyudi Kurnia, Director of APEC Cooperation and Other International Organizations, Ministry of Trade, Indonesia

Speakers

• Professor Lin Guijun, University of International Business and Economics
  pdf The role of FTAAP amid the diverse needs in the region (193 KB)
  
• Dr Adriana Roldán, Academic Coordinator- Asia Pacific Studies Centre, EAFIT University, Colombia
  pdf The Evolution of the Pacific Alliance and Its Projection Towards Asia (1.71 MB)
  
• Dr Robert Scollay, NZPECC
  pdf What Can Be Expected from TPP? TPP as Pathway to FTAAP? (38 KB)
  

Discussion

1300-1400

Lunch

1400-1515

Session 3: The Economic Impact of an FTAAP

A number of estimates have been made of the potential economic impact of an FTAAP as well the various pathways. This session will discuss those estimates and the underlying assumptions that they make.

Moderator

• Prof Christopher Findlay, Vice-Chair, AUSPECC

Speakers

• Dr Ganeshan Wignaraja, ADBI (via video conference)
• Professor Inn Won Park, Korea University
  pdf The Economic Impact of an FTAAP (1.49 MB)
  
• Dr Kenichi Kawasaki, JIIA/JANCPEC and RIETI
  pdf The Relative Significance of EPAs in Asia-Pacific (781 KB)

Question and Answer

1530-1700

Session 4: Principles for an FTAAP and Recommendations for Next Steps

It has been suggested that it is time to consider what the guiding principles for an FTAAP should be, several documents exist that might provide input into such a document – the TPP Honolulu Statements, the RCEP’s Guiding Principles, the PA’s Framework Agreement, as well as a variety of APEC’s own documents such as the Osaka Action Agenda.

Given the discussions over the previous two sessions, this session will discuss what those principles might be.

This session will define future work on the FTAAP for the PECC over the next 12-24 months.

The format of this session is a moderated discussion led by Dr Charles Morrison, to help define the principles for an FTAAP, followed by a discussion of proposals for next steps in the project from Professor Christopher Findlay.

Moderator

• Dr Charles Morrison, President, East West Center
• Prof Christopher Findlay, Vice-Chair, AUSPECC