Asia’s RCEP - a China-led trade agreement - could set up a stable future for the continent despite today’s conflicts. Here’s how RCEP is re-shaping Asia’s destiny.

If effective policy measures can't be taken to contain it, the risks to the world economy caused by the escalation of protectionism could severely disturb the world in 2018.

Based on what we know from leaks, Transatlantic and Pacific trade deals disproportionally empower corporations. Instead of trade regionalism driven by corporatism and overrated security imperatives, the EU, the USA and China, should join forces and with a trilateral trade commission shape a vast economic space from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

In the new phase of the U.S. rebalancing strategy, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, stressed military capacity building, the acceleration of TPP negotiations, and increased use of the U.S.’s network of allies and partners. This will create more unnecessary tension, imbalance, and estranged economic Free Trade Agreements.

As the two largest economies, China and the U.S. are trying to formulate a new-type of major-country relationship. The establishment of a free trade area should be an integral part of such relationship. This will be a challenging mission, but the rewards will be tremendous.

Dan Steinbock discusses the history of Asian-Pacific regional trade zones, and the U.S.’s geopolitical trade concerns with APEC. For the U.S. to see greater economic cooperation with China, it should consider the more inclusive FTAAP proposal.