China must be kept out of CPTPPBy Liu Ming-te 劉明德On Thursday, China applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) — a regional economic organization whose 11 member countries have a combined GDP of US$11 trillion. China says there are two main reasons: To consolidate its foreign trade and foreign investment base, and to fast-track economic and trade relations between China and member countries of the CPTPP free-trade area. If China joins the CPTPP, it would gain another chain with which to bind these countries and consolidate its initiative. If China joined the CPTPP, the other member countries’ systematic economic dependence on China would deepen, and even Australia would be unable to resist. Joining the CPTPP is another step in China’s strategic expansion, so Japan and Australia must find a way to stop it.

Source: Taipei Times September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC