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  1. Negotiations

Asia & Pacific


Bilateral deal-making involving governments of Asia and the Pacific region.

US and China tug at ASEAN unity
8-May-2007     Asia Times
ASEAN is being fragmented by intensifying US-China competition for regional influence, which is putting a premium on bilateralism with the big powers at the expense of ASEAN's ambition toward more regional multilateralism.
Bush to hold first summit with ASEAN countries
7-May-2007     ABS-CBN
US President George W Bush confirmed Friday that he will attend his first summit with all 10 Southeast Asian leaders, to talk about trade and security, in September. "I suggested to the president that we should consider a suitable new initiative, which perhaps would be able to take our relations another step forward," said Singapore's PM Lee Hsien Loong.
Business leaders vow to seek US free trade pact
4-May-2007    
Representatives of leading US companies and the Vietnamese Government yesterday expressed a consensus to strengthen bilateral trade relations and hastening the signing of a framework agreement for a free trade area joining the two countries, according to Deputy Minister of Trade Luong Van Tu.
ASEAN to discuss free trade framework with Japan, EU
3-May-2007     Manila Bulletin
ASEAN economic ministers will tackle issues and modalities on proposed free trade negotiations with Japan and the European Union, but not with the US, starting today.
Asia-Pacific trade ministers defend bilateral deals
22-Apr-2007     PDI
Two trade ministers from Asia-Pacific nations -- Singapore and Australia -- on Saturday defended bilateral and regional trade agreements as potentially contributing to, not detracting from, the global trade regime.
India: China seeks market economy status
18-Apr-2007     The Hindu
India and China together represent the "new global economic architecture" Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said on Tuesday. But India and China themselves are often embroiled in fractious trade disputes.
'Jamu' makers get ready for AFTA by standardising products
30-Mar-2007    
‘Jamu' or medicinal herb tonic producers in the Southeast Asian (SEA) region are making efforts to standardize their commodities in the face of the advent of the Asean Free Trade Area (AFTA), an Indonesian jamu businessman said.
Rivalry delays selection of host for Asia FTA research body
10-Mar-2007     Kyodo
The selection of a country to host a body to conduct research on trade liberalization around the Asia-Pacific region has been put on hold due to the rivalry among countries wishing to be home to its headquarters.
ASEAN trade talks in Wellington
5-Mar-2007    
The eighth round of trade talks between New Zealand, Australia and 10 Southeast Asian countries begins in Wellington on Tuesday as negotiators try to reach a deal by the end of the year.
Toward a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific
27-Feb-2007     Peterson Institute
At their latest annual summit in Vietnam in November 2006, the leaders of the 21 members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum agreed to “seriously consider” negotiating a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP).