China and the Rules‑Based Order
Seven experts debate China’s approach to the rules‑based international order
Friday 27 Nov 2020 | 10:24 | SYDNEY
What's happening on 
Averting a global calamity? Trump and Xi at the G20
The outlines of a trade deal between the United States and China are there. But without a return to the negotiating table, the dispute could rapidly escalate, magnifying the damage to world growth
By John Edwards
Economic diplomacy: ASEAN trade, BRI deals and ageing Asia
When the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry surveyed its members last year about their use of trade agreements, the ASEAN-Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement surprisingly emerged as the third best known and used of 14 available trade concession frameworks.
So, it is appropriate
By Greg Earl
Is an Asia Pacific free market feasible?
This is the second in a three-part series on the future of world trade from a global (part 1), Asia Pacific (part 2) and Australian (part 3) perspective.
The Trump Administration's dramatic disavowal of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement in January prompted the question 'Is the
By Alan Oxley
Economic diplomacy brief: Who’s our biggest partner, Asian business capability, Globalisation 2.0
Buying friends
The debate over Australia’s most valuable economic partners hit fever pitch this month with new arguments over old measuring sticks for an increasingly contested aspect of international relations.
There is no absolute way of resolving this debate which involves value judgements
By Greg Earl
Beware the infrastructure debt trap
Much has been written about the massive infrastructure investments needed to sustain Asia’s growth performance. The Asian Development Bank estimates that the region’s infrastructure will require investments of $US26 trillion by 2030, or $1.7 trillion annually, more than double its estimate less
Economic diplomacy brief: Supply chains in the robotic age, China’s foreign investment and more
Unchained
The release of a new study on Australia’s offshore investment has triggered an interesting divide between former trade minister Craig Emerson and his old advisers on the outlook for global supply chains.
Emerson has been forecasting a winding back of the fragmented global production
By Greg Earl
Economic diplomacy brief: Thailand’s recovery plan, RCEP, CEOs cool on China
Go east young khun
As the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the big question hanging over the party is to what extent this diverse group of 10 countries is going to put collective interest before individual ambition.
The divisions over how
By Greg Earl
Economic diplomacy brief: TPP post-Trump, China backs coal, Austrade shake-up
Time for RCEP to step up
Donald Trump’s abandonment of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal has left his Australian allies with the awkward choice. They can either play for time with a domestic row about trade or embark on the tougher task of trying to introduce some of the TPP
By Greg Earl
Indonesia considers trade options post TPP
US President elect Donald Trump's confirmation he intends to pull out of the TPP has led to confusion and uncertainty across the region. For its part, Indonesia is still keen to sign on to the TPP but there are many factors to consider in the cost-benefit analysis on the topic the
By Retno Maruti