The Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), signed by a total of 13 countries on May 23, 2022, in Tokyo, is being dubbed by many as a means of checking China’s economic clout in Asia and sending out a message that the US is keen to bolster economic ties with its allies and partners in the … Continue reading Two visions of multilateralism are competing in the Indo-Pacific
Introduction Australia and the UK signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on December 17, 2021 (an in principle agreement had been announced in June 2021). This FTA will drastically reduce tariffs on a number of Australian exports to the UK and reduce duties on a number of British commodities to Australia. Significantly, it will also … Continue reading The Aussie-UK Free Trade Agreement
Introduction The convincing victory of Jacinda Ardern is important for more than just one reason. First, the 40 year-old Ardern’s centre-Left Labour party has won convincingly — securing 49% of the vote, and securing 64 seats in the 120 seat assembly. Ardern has delivered the biggest election victory for her party in half a century. The … Continue reading New Zealand’s elections and the geopolitics of the Pacific
As countries look to recover from the economic setback caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the three t’s – trade, travel, and technology – are likely to play an important role in getting the global economy back on the rails. Trade Even in the midst of the pandemic, countries have been in talks regarding Free Trade … Continue reading The Three T’s in a post-coronavirus world
Introduction The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade agreement, also known as CPTPP 11, consists of 11 member states (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam). The TPP agreement was a brain child of former US President Barack Obama. The main objective of the agreement … Continue reading Multilateralism is alive and well in the Indo-Pacific
There is a clear consensus with regard to the fact that Vietnam has been one of the economic success stories of recent years. The country has witnessed robust economic growth (GDP growth rate for 2018 was estimated at 7.15%, while the growth rate for 2019 is estimated at 6.6%) and has been successful in poverty … Continue reading More tariffs on Vietnam would be great news for China
Notes On Liberty 