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| Image: Flickr User - U.S. Department of State |
By Sara Hsu
Might China be interested in joining the TPP at some point?
While China has long stated that it is willing to consider joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), it was not included in the agreement that was signed last week. The treaty includes 12 countries along the Pacific, with China conspicuously absent. However, it is not clear whether China considers this a snub, whether it plans to join the TPP in the future, or whether it is content to observe the execution of the agreement from the sidelines. Even the most seasoned China watchers have had difficulty interpreting what China’s reaction to the treaty may be.
The TPP reduces thousands of tariffs among the United States, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Peru. The agreement aims to maintain “high standards” on labor, environment, and intellectual property. Although the full text of the 1,500 page agreement has not been released, leaked excerpts reveal intellectual property rights extensively protect pharmaceutical patents, release information on copyright infringers, and set up environmental standards without enforcement mechanisms. This has disconcerted citizens’ groups and lawmakers alike and has generated some opposition to the treaty.
Read the full story at The Diplomat