DOCSLIB.ORG

42604486.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
42604486.Pdf Soft Power in International Relations: Japan's State, Sub-state and Non-state Relations with China (Volume 1) Utpal Vyas A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield September 2006 Abstract The term `soft power', coined by JosephNye in his 1990 Foreign Policy article of the same title, has been cited by academics, politicians and the mass media with varying degreesof confusion and hype. To some the term has meant the influence of Hollywood film culture around the world; to others, it refers to the economic power exerted by Western countries. In most cases, soft power has been associatedwith nation states and their national interests. However, for many people, the term is a vague conceptwith no real meaning. In order to develop a more precise view of soft power, this thesis begins with an examination of how power has been conceived of in international relations, by reviewing the main historical schools of thought in the field, i. e. the Realist, Liberalist, Critical and Constructivist schools. It then goes on to propose a theory of soft power basedupon Constructivist ideas. To test the application of this conceptualisation of soft power, this study addressesthe case of Japan's post-war relations with China, utilising analyses of three agentsof Japan's soft power. Firstly, at the state level, the activities of the Japan Foundation in China are investigated. Secondly, at the sub-statelevel, Kobe City's sister city relationship with Tianjin City, and its relations with other cities in China, are considered. Finally, at the non-governmental level, the activities of the Japan-ChinaFriendship Association are examined.Through an analysis of soft power at the state, sub-state and non-state levels, this thesis aims to provide a deeper understandingof soft power, and Japan's international relations as an example of its application. Contents List diagrams of .......................................................................... vii Acronyms and abbreviations...................................................... viii Acknowledgements .......................................................................x Note text on ................................................................................. xi Volume 1 Chapter 1 Introduction I ................................................................................ Introduction 1 ................................................................................................. The face in international 2 changing of power relations ................................. Soft in the 5 power as a new concept global system.................................... .. Japan its China 6 and relations with ............................................................... The in international 14 relevance of non-state actors relations ...................... Research hypotheses 14 questions and ........................................................ Three-level 16 agent comparison structure and methodology ....................... State in Japan 17 a) agents ................................................................... Methodology for Chapter 4 19 .................................................................. b) Sub-state in Japan 20 agents ............................................................ Methodology for Chapter 5 21 .................................................................. Non-state in Japan 22 c) agents ............................................................ Methodology for Chapter 6 25 .................................................................. Contributions this thesis 25 of ........................................................................ Structure the thesis 27 of ............................................................................... 1 Chapter 2 Power in international 30 relations ............................................... Introduction 30 ............................................................................................... General definitions of 31 power...................................................................... Theories interaction 34 of power and state .................................................... Realism Neo-realism 35 and .......................................................................... Sources in 36 a) of power realism ......................................................... b) Types 40 of power use....................................................................... Effects Realist theory 41 c) of power ..................................................... Liberalism Neo-liberalism 44 and ................................................................... a) Sources in Liberalism 45 of power ..................................................... b) Types in Liberalism 48 of power use ................................................. Effects Liberalist ideas 50 c) of of power ............................................... i) Individualism, Cooperation Institutionalisation 50 and ........................ ii) International Political Economy interdependence 53 and ................... Critical theories 59 ......................................................................................... Sources in theories 61 a) of power critical ............................................. b) Types 62 of power use....................................................................... Effects the international 63 c) of power on system ................................ Constructivism 67 ........................................................................................... Sources 68 a) of power.......................................................................... b) Types 69 of power use....................................................................... c) Effects 71 of power use ..................................................................... Conclusions 74 ............................................................................................... Chapter 3 Soft is it how does it function? 79 power: what and ................... What is 81 soft power?................................................................................... How is 88 soft power created and utilised? .................................................... Sources 89 a) of soft power ................................................................... i) Cultural 89 attractiveness................................................................... ii) The ideas ideology 91 attractiveness of and ...................................... iii) Economic 93 attractiveness ...............................:............................... b) Agents 93 of soft power ..................................................................... i) Central its 94 government and agencies............................................ 11 ii) Regional Local 97 and governments .................................................. iii) Non-state NGOs businesses 98 organisations: and .......................... Means instrumentalising 101 c) of soft power....................................:... i) Mass 101 media and communications............................................... ii) Movement 106 of people.................................................................... Effects 108 ..................................................................................................... The limits in foreign 114 of soft power policy.................................................. Illiberal 116 a) regimes .......................................................................... b) Poverty 117 and remoteness............................................................. Constructivism as a theoretical basis for the understanding 118 of soft power............................................................................................ Japan 124 as an example of soft power use .................................................. Conclusions 131 .......................................:..................................................... Chapter 4 The the Japan Foundation in China 133 activities of .................. Introduction: 133 state-level use of soft power ............................................... The Establishment the Japan Foundation 135 of ............................................ The Purpose the Japan Foundation 142 of .................................................... The Japan Foundation China 149 and ........................................................... Japanese Language Japan Studies 155 a) and ..................................... i) Preparatory School, Changchun 155 ................................................. ii) Beijing Centre for Japan Studies 158 ................................................. iii) Books translated, and original research at the Beijing Centre for Japanese Studies 161 ........................................................................ iv) Secondary Primary School Teachers 163 and ................................... Language Test Proficiency 164 v) -Japanese of ...................................... Japanese language textbooks 165 vi) and other materials ..................... b) Cultural Activities 167 ....................................................................... i) Television Film 167 and ...................................................................... ii) Live Performances Exhibitions 170 and ............................................. Seminars Conferences 174 iii) and ........................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Market Forces Or International Institutions? the Under-Emphasized Role of Ifis in Domestic Bank Regulatory Adoption
    Market Forces or International Institutions? The Under-Emphasized Role of IFIs in Domestic Bank Regulatory Adoption Meredith Wilf∗ January 10, 2017 For discussion at The Political Economy of International Organizations (PEIO) 2017 conference January 12-14, 2017 Abstract The 1988 Basel Capital Accord coordinated an increase in twelve signatory countries’ bank regulatory stringency. By 2001, in the absence of legal obligation to do so, more than 100 non-signatories also adopted the accord’s terms. Why? While existing explanations argue that countries adopted to prevent a reputation as weakly regulated, this is inconsistent with limited public information about adoption status. I argue instead that international organizations played a systematic role in broad adoption. Using an original dataset that codes Basel I status for 167 countries over the period 1988 to 2015, I analyze those factors that correlate with country adoption of Basel I. I find that International Monetary Fund (IMF) programs are robustly correlated and market forces hold little explanatory power. Further, IMF program effects are strongest immediately following 1997, the year that Basel I was embedded in new international best practices that entailed pub- lic reporting by the IMF. For an important bank regulation where adoption can be meaningfully compared across countries, this paper shows that the conventional understanding overstates the role of market forces and understates the role of international organizations. Further, this case illustrates how, even without a strong hegemonic preference for worldwide adoption, international agreements may evolve in unintended ways. ∗Meredith Wilf ([email protected]) is Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) at University of Pittsburgh ([email protected]).
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2018
    ANNUAL REPORT 2018 CARNEGIE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Mission 2 President’s Message 3 Activities Summary 4 Program Highlights 5 Special Initiatives by Senior Fellows 16 Additional Special Events and Activities 18 Ethics & International Affairs Quarterly Journal 22 Calendar of Events and Podcasts 25 Financial Summary 35 Thank You to our Supporters 36 Supporters 37 Officers, Trustees, and Committees 38 Staff and Fellows 39 C2G2 Advisory Group 39 Ethics & International Affairs Editorial Board 40 Pacific Delegates 40 Carnegie New Leaders 40 MISSION Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs works to foster a global conversation on major ethical challenges in international politics and in communities around the world. Broadcasting across multiple formats and media channels, Carnegie Council enriches this conversation with informative lectures, interviews, articles, and programs—all available worldwide to anyone, anywhere. We convene: The world’s leading thinkers in the discussion of global issues We communicate: Ethical perspectives to a worldwide audience We connect: Communities through the exploration of shared values CARNEGIE COUNCIL: MAKING ETHICS MATTER PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Friends, We are living in a time of accelerating climate change, yet the United States’ response is to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and roll back environmental regulations; a time of growing distrust of governments, global organizations, and the very concept of liberal democracy; a time of fake news and misinformation, while professional journalists are persecuted in many countries and labeled “the enemy of the people” here in the United States. This is a time of nuclear threat; a time of increasing inequality, populism, nationalism, and authoritarianism; a time when a record number of people—over 68 million in 2017—have been driven from their homes; a time when artificial intelligence is on the cusp of changing our world forever.
    [Show full text]
  • Towards a New Paradigm in Open Strategic Autonomy?
    Towards a new paradigm in open strategic autonomy? Éric Van den Abeele 3Working Paper 2021.03 Towards a new paradigm in open strategic autonomy? Éric Van den Abeele european trade union institute trade european 3Working Paper 2021.03 ETUI publications are published to elicit comment and to encourage debate. The views expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily represent the views of the ETUI nor those of the members of its general assembly. Brussels, 2021 © Publisher: ETUI aisbl, Brussels All rights reserved Print: ETUI Printshop, Brussels D/2021/10.574/16 ISSN 1994-4446 (print version) ISSN 1994-4454 (electronic version) The ETUI receives financial support from the European Union. The European Union is not responsible for any use made of the information contained in this publication. Table of contents Executive summary ........................................................................................................................5 Introduction .....................................................................................................................................6 Part One The EU’s dependence on the great powers ..............................................................................7 1. The United States: a love-hate relationship ...................................................................7 2. China: the systemic rival .....................................................................................................9 3. Russia: an inescapable geopolitical power .................................................................11
    [Show full text]
  • The European Community and Its Archives
    40 American Archivist / Vol. 55 / Winter 1992 European Archives in an Era of Change Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/american-archivist/article-pdf/55/1/40/2748321/aarc_55_1_504782446h23750x.pdf by guest on 02 October 2021 The European Community and Its Archives ERIC KETELAAR About the author: Eric Ketelaar is National Archivist of the Netherlands. For an expanded introduction see the Gallery of Contributors at the end of the issue. Abstracts in English, French, German, and Spanish follow the article. "ROLL UP THAT MAP; it will not be wanted bourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain— these ten years."1 With these words Wil- with countries like Austria, Malta, Mo- liam Pitt discarded a map of Europe after rocco, Sweden, and Turkey on the waiting hearing the news of the Battle of Austerlitz list for membership.2 Correlated with this (1805) in which Napoleon defeated the em- perors of Russia and Austria. Likewise, a map of today's Europe will be out of date 2After World War II, there was an organized effort shortly, as a result not of military actions to insure Europe's future strength and security through but of political and economic integration. the formation of three international communities within Europe. They are the European Coal and Steel Com- Borders between countries will continue to munity, the European Atomic Energy Community, and show on the map, but their practical im- the European Economic Community (also known as portance is diminishing. Beginning 1 Jan- the Common Market). The three are known collec- tively as the European Community. The European Coal uary 1993, the following twelve countries and Steel Community, founded in 1952, was the first of the European Community (EC) will con- of the European Communities.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Persistence of Labor Force Participation Rates by Gender: Evidence from OECD Countries
    On the Persistence of Labor Force Participation Rates by Gender: Evidence from OECD Countries Hervé Queneau* Brooklyn College of the City University of New York and University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne/IDHE-CNRS and Amit Sen‡ Xavier University This Version: December 2013 (Preliminary) Abstract We present empirical evidence regarding differences in the time series properties of labour force participation rates across gender for a group of twelve OECD countries. Our results indicate that there are gender differences in the dynamics of labor force participation rates across countries. Specifically, the female labor force participation rates are relatively more persistent in seven countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain), and the male labour force participation rate is more persistent in four countries (Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the U.S.). Keywords: Labour Force Participation Rates, Gender Gap, Persistence, Unit Root JEL Classification: E24 * Corresponding Author: Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Department of Finance and Business Management, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210-2889. Phone: (718) 951-5000 Ext. 2097, Fax: (718) 951-4867, Email: [email protected]. ‡ Department of Economics, 3800 Victory Parkway, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH 45208. Phone: (513) 745-2931, Fax: (513) 745-3692, Email: [email protected]. This author acknowledges support of the O’Conor Fellowship at Xavier University. 1. Introduction The use of the unemployment rate to ascertain the strength or state of the labour market has recently been brought into question. Murphy and Topel (1997) and Krugman (2004), for instance, have argued that there has been a decrease in the labour force participation rates in the United States that point to a weakening of its labour market.
    [Show full text]
  • K-Pop: South Korea and International Relations S1840797
    Eliana Maria Pia Satriano [email protected] s1840797 Word count: 12534 Title: K-pop: South Korea and International Relations s1840797 Table of Contents: 1. Chapter 1 K-pop and International Relations………………………………..……..…..3-12 1.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………..…..3-5 1.2 K-pop: from the National to the International Market: The History of K-pop………5-6 1.3 The Drivers Behind the K-pop Industry..………………………………….….….…6-10 1.4 The Involvement of the South Korean Government with Cultural Industries.…… 10-12 2. Chapter 2 Soft Power and Diplomacy, Music and Politics ……………………………13-17 2.1 The Interaction of Culture and Politics: Soft Power and Diplomacy………………13-15 2.2 Music and Politics - K-pop and Politics……………………………………………15-17 3. Chapter 3 Methodology and the Case Study of BTS……………………………..……18-22 3.1 Methodology………………………………………………………………….……18-19 3.2 K-Pop and BTS……………………………………………………………….……19-20 3.3 Who is BTS?………………………………………………………………….……20-22 3.4 BTS - Beyond Korea……………………………………………………………….…22 4. Chapter 4 Analysis ……………………………………………………….…….…….. 23-38 4.1 One Dream One Korea and Inter-Korea Summit……….…………………..……..23-27 4.2 BTS - Love Myself and Generation Unlimited Campaign…………………….…..27-32 4.3 Korea -France Friendship Concert..………………………………………..….…..33-35 4.4 Award of Cultural Merit…………………………………………….………….…..35-37 4.5 Discussion and Conclusion…………………………………………………….…..37-38 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………….….39-47 !2 s1840797 CHAPTER 1: K-pop and International Relations (Seventeen 2017) 1.1 Introduction: South Korea, despite its problematic past, has undergone a fast development in the past decades and is now regarded as one of the most developed nations. A large part of its development comes from the growth of Korean popular culture, mostly known as Hallyu (Korean Wave).
    [Show full text]
  • Detecting Exchange Rate Contagion in Asian Exchange Rate Markets Using Asymmetric DDC-GARCH and R-Vine Copulas
    Munich Personal RePEc Archive Detecting exchange rate contagion in Asian exchange rate markets using asymmetric DDC-GARCH and R-vine copulas Gomez-Gonzalez, Jose and Rojas-Espinosa, Wilmer Universidad de La Sabana, Colombia, Universidad Externado, Colombia 21 August 2018 Online at https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/96253/ MPRA Paper No. 96253, posted 02 Oct 2019 12:01 UTC Detecting exchange rate contagion in Asian exchange rate markets using asymmetric DDC-GARCH and R-vine copulas Jose E. Gomez-Gonzalez1 Wilmer Rojas-Espinosa2 Abstract This study uses asymmetric DCC-GARCH models and copula functions for studying exchange rate contagion in a group of twelve Asia-Pacific countries. Using daily data between November 1991 and March 2017, shows that extreme market movements are mainly associated with the high degree of interdependence registered by countries in this region. The evidence of contagion is scarce. Asymmetries do not appear to be important. Specifically, currency co-movements are statistically identical during times of extreme market appreciation and depreciation, indicating that phenomena such as the fear of “appreciation” do not appear to be relevant in the region’s foreign exchange markets. Keywords: Exchange rate contagion; Asian financial crisis; Copula functions; DCC-GARCH models. JEL Classification: C32; C51; E42. 1. Introduction This paper studies exchange rate contagion in Asia-Pacific markets between 1991 and 2017 following an R-vine copula approach.3 As in 1 Corresponding author. Escuela Internacional de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia. Email: [email protected] 2 Facultad de Economía, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
    [Show full text]
  • The Possibility of a Broad Trade Countries.@- As Part of His Six Weeksr Official Visit Which Also Took Him to New Tial Israeli T
    PUBL!SHED W E E K LY The contents of this newsletter may be quoted or reproduced without lurther permission. EUBOPEAN COMM UNITY INFORiiATION SERVICE 2100M Street,N.W.,Washington,D.C.200g7 Telephone: (202)872-8350 277 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y.10017 Telephone: (212)371-38U NG 35 OCTOBER 4 L97 4 countries.@- atively agreed September 20, to TRI.IDEAU TO BRI.JSSELS set up an oi1 sharing plan during FOR TMDE ACCORD TALKS crises, consist of the eight EC member states (excluding France), The possibility of a broad trade the United States, Canada, Norway, agreement between Canada and the and Japan. European Community will be discussed between Canadian Prime Minister SOMES MEETS WITH Pierre El1iot Trudeau and Commission ASEAI{ MINISTERS officials in Brussels October 23- Canada had proposed the establis(r- The European Community is committed ment of a rrdirect contractual 1ink" to a new development cooperation with the Community in an April 20 policy towards non-associated devel- memorandum to the Commission. oping countries, including the Following exploratory talks with Association of South East Asian Canadian authorities, the Commis- Nations (ASEAN), Commission Vice sion informed the Council on Sep- President Christopher Soames told tember 12 that it favors exploring ASEAN ministers at a Septenber 24-25 a new type of agreement providing meeing in Djakarta, Indonesia. This a broad EC framework for econonic was the third such meeting between and commercial cooperation between the Commission and ASEAN ninisters Canada and the menber states, €X- since June L972. ASEAN menbers are tending far beyond classic trade Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philip- policy matters such as tariffs and pines, Singapore, and Thailand.
    [Show full text]
  • Asia and the Global Financial Crisis: Conference Volume
    ASIA AND THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS Asia Economic Policy Conference Sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco ASIA AND THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS Edited by Reuven Glick Mark M. Spiegel Asia Economic Policy Conference Sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Santa Barbara, California October 19–20, 2009 The articles in this publication can be obtained in electronic form from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s website: http://www.frbsf.org/economics/conferences/aepc/2009/agenda.php Contents Foreword . 1 Janet L. Yellen, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Conference Summary . 3 Reuven Glick, Group Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Mark M. Spiegel, Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Welcome Address . 11 Asia and the Global Financial Crisis Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System General Discussion . 23 The Impact of the Financial Crisis on Emerging Asia . 27 Morris Goldstein, Dennis Weatherstone Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics Daniel Xie, Research Assistant, Peterson Institute for International Economics commentary . 81 Michael Mussa, Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics General Discussion . 85 Lessons from Asian Financial Experience . 93 Anne O. Krueger, Professor of International Economics, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University commentary . 115 Andrew Sheng, Chief Adviser, China Banking Regulatory Commission General Discussion . 123 Global Imbalances and the Financial Crisis: Products of Common Causes . 131 Maurice Obstfeld, Class of 1958 Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley Kenneth Rogoff, Professor of Economics and Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Public Policy, Harvard University commentary .
    [Show full text]
  • Establishing Health Systems Financing Research Priorities in Developing
    Social Science & Medicine 70 (2010) 1933e1942 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Social Science & Medicine journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/socscimed Establishing health systems financing research priorities in developing countries using a participatory methodologyq Kent Ranson a,*, Tyler J. Law b, Sara Bennett c a Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland b School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada c The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA article info abstract Article history: Donor funding for health systems financing (HSF) research is inadequate and often poorly aligned with Available online 12 March 2010 national priorities. This study aimed to generate consensus about a core set of research issues that urgently require attention in order to facilitate policy development. There were three key inputs into the Keywords: priority setting process: key-informant interviews with health policy makers, researchers, community Research priorities and civil society representatives across twenty-four low- and middle-income countries in four regions; Health policy an overview of relevant reviews to identify research completed to date; and inputs from 12 key infor- Policy making mants (largely researchers) at a consultative workshop. Health systems Priority setting Nineteen priority research questions emerged from key-informant interviews. The overview of fi Developing countries reviews was instructive in showing which health nancing topics have had comparatively little written Review about them, despite being identified as important by key informants. The questions ranked as most Economics important at the consultative workshop were: 1. How do we develop and implement universal financial protection? 2.
    [Show full text]
  • QIU DESHU Selected Solo Exhibitions
    QIU DESHU (b. 1948) 1948 Born in Shanghai, China 1979 Founded the Grass Painting Society (Cao Cao She), a group of twelve artists dedicated to the promotion of artistic originality 1985–86 Invited to be artist-in-residence at Tufts University, Medford, USA Present Lives and works in Shanghai, China Selected Solo Exhibitions 2017 Qiu Deshu, Pearl Lam Galleries, Shanghai, China 2015 Art of Fissuring, Pearl Lam Galleries, Singapore Night and Day: The Art of Qiu Deshu—1979 and After, Pearl Lam Galleries, Hong Kong, China Qiu Deshu, NanHai Art, Millbrae, USA Liebian/Fissure: The Art of Qiu Deshu, NanHai Art, Singapore 2013 The Fissuring World of Qiu Deshu, Pudong Airport Terminal 2, Shanghai, China 2012 Qiu Deshu, Ink Painting from 1980 to 2012, Michael Goedhuis Gallery, London, UK B-Cities: Solo Exhibition of Chinese New Painting by Qiu Deshu and Lin Jiabing, Tian Ren He Yi Art Center, Hangzhou, China 2011 New Works by Fissuring, Shanghai Grand Theater Gallery, Shanghai, China 2010 Fissuring—Buildings & Courtyard, Latest works from Qiu Deshu, Wu Chang Shuo Museum, Shanghai, China 2008 Fissuring—Qiu Deshu Contemporary Water-Ink Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China Crack of Dawn—Qiu Deshu Exhibition, Zee Stone Gallery, Hong Kong, China Fissuring—Qiu Deshu, SMYH Gallery, Beijing, China 2007 Fissuring—Landscape, New Works from Qiu Deshu, Leda Fletcher Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland; Shanghai, China Qiu Deshu—Ten Years after the Grass Painting Society, Shanghai Duolun Contemporary Art Museum, Shanghai, China 2006 Chinese Contemporary
    [Show full text]
  • Rcep: the Geopolitical Impact from a New Wave of Economic Integration
    BLOG POST RCEP: THE GEOPOLITICAL IMPACT FROM A NEW WAVE OF ECONOMIC INTEGRATION 02/12/2020 | ELVIRE FABRY | EUROPE IN THE WORLD Elvire Fabry, Senior Research fellow, Jacques Delors Institute Paris. On the 15th of November 2020, the world’s largest free trade agreement was signed. While neither the European Union nor the United States are party to it, China is. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) brings together fifteen countries from the Indo-Pacific region, including the ten members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang presented the agreement as ‘a victory for multilateralism and free trade’ of which China is the new leader. The slowdown in international trade, caused by Donald Trump’s tariffs, has become even more pro- nounced during the pandemic. With the United States disengaging from multilateralism, the outgoing president also brought international cooperation to an all-time low. In this climate of mistrust, in which the World Trade Organization is looking for a second wind and protectionist measures are multiplying every- where, Asia is becoming the center for trade-led growth. Even the escalation of retaliatory measures between China and Australia did not prevent the signing of the RCEP. Why does this matter? The US changes its presidents but not its protectionist course, so the effect of the announcement is first of all political: RCEP marks the end of American leadership for open trade. How- ever, its economic impact must be put into perspective. The agreement is larger in size than it is deep in substance. In other words, it is a ‘wading pool the size of an ocean’.1 But as it enshrines China as the new gravitational center of world trade, the impact of the agreement is primarily geopolitical.
    [Show full text]