Good post from FT Beyond BRICS on the Pacific Alliance

Guest post: the Pacific Alliance and why it matters

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By Jorge Rosenblut of Endesa Chile

In January I had the honor to attend a summit of the European Union and the Community of Latin-American and Caribbean Nations in Santiago, Chile. As with many such meetings, the 45 heads of state and prime ministers captured the attention of the international media. But what went almost unnoticed was a seismic shift in Latin American integration — a group of four countries that stood together in what promises to be a historic breakthrough for the region.

After meandering for centuries looking for a raison d’être, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru are forging a 21st century path to the first world. Though these four nations are competitors in many aspects (in exports, foreign investment, talent mobility, etc), their plan for economic integration under the Pacific Alliance heralds a new kind of economic partnership in Latin America: pragmatic not political, forward-looking not historical.

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APEC’s supply chain connectivity and its benefit to agro-industry

[Source] : The Jakarta Post

This year, Indonesia will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference in October 2013, and will hold four Senior Officials Meetings (SOMs), 12 Sector Ministerial Meetings, an APEC CEO Summit and the Economic Leaders Meeting. From Jan. 24 to Feb. 8, APEC, SOM I and related meetings are taking place in Jakarta.

APEC is an intergovernmental forum dedicated to promoting free trade, investment and economic cooperation throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

As stated earlier this month by Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Indonesia will include its own national interest issues on the agenda such as economic resilience, improvement of small- and medium-scale business competitiveness, sustainable growth and food security.

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Colombian president hails close ties with Asia

[Source] : NZ Week

BOGOTA, Jan. 24 — Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Thursday Colombia would consolidate its ties with Asian and African countries in order to create more business opportunities.

On an annual reception for diplomatic corps, Santos said his country has enjoyed close ties with Asian and African countries and he plans to keep close contact with these countries along his administration.

“Colombia has made significant progress in diplomacy,” said Santos.

Colombia has become more active in working with regional organizations, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and it now tops the waiting list to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) after two years of “intense and serious” preparation.

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ASIA ONE: The pros and cons of far-reaching trade agreements

The pros and cons of far-reaching trade agreements

[Source] : The Nation/Asia News Network

Amid stagnant multilateral trade talks under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) but fast-moving bilateral and regional negotiations, Thailand is looking at pursuing more free-trade pacts to ensure its competitiveness and level playing fields for Thai enterprises.

The government has been under pressure to consider three major pacts: the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership, a Thailand-European Union FTA, and a comprehensive Thailand-India FTA. Many enterprises and academics support pushing ahead with talks, claiming that market liberalisation will facilitate trade and investment amid a global economic downturn.

Others, however, have warned against rushing into joining these pacts for fear of losing competitiveness with developed nations.

The Nation has reviewed the pros and cons of these potential FTAs as well as summing up the results of past trade agreements. Should Thailand join every trade pact to grasp the benefits of liberalisation amid the stalling of multilateral talks? Or should we slowly study the possible impacts of such agreements, such as emphasis on intellectual property (IP) rights and liberalisation of trade in services and investment? Should we consider extending the negotiation periods to ensure the readiness of Thai enterprises to compete?

TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

Many Thai enterprises want the country to join the US-initialised TPP. The pact so far involves nine countries: the United States, New Zealand, Singapore, Chile, Brunei, Australia, Peru, Vietnam and Malaysia. Japan, Mexico and Canada have also shown high interest in joining the agreement. Notably, the US is Thailand’s third-largest trading partner, accounting for 10 per cent of total export value. Thai enterprises involved in foods, toys, electronics, garments, sugar, jewellery and ornaments, and footwear support joining the TPP. Exporters share similar views, saying the agreement would entail tariff cuts and lowering of non-tariff barriers to services and trade. Thai exports are facing difficulties amid the slowing economic growth of the US.

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Economic & trading blocs in focus

Headlines galore, with a great deal of political drama hidden behind the scenes.   Below CSA presents a few excerpts from recent news on the ever continuing development of economic and trading blocs between the East and West.

EU, Singapore agree free-trade deal

[Source] : The European Voice

By Andrew Gardner – 16.12.2012 / 16:05 CET

The agreement is the EU’s first with an Asean country and its second in Asia.

The European Union and Singapore today (16 December) announced that they have reached agreement on a free-trade deal, 33 months after they began formal negotiations.

This is the second free-trade agreement struck by the EU in Asia; the first – with South Korea – came into force in July 2011.

The EU began negotiations with Singapore in March 2010 after its hopes of lowering barriers with the ten-country Association of South-East Nations (Asean) were dashed in 2009, and Karel De Gucht, the European trade commissioner, said today he hoped the deal would “open the doors for FTAs [free-trade agreements] with other countries in the Asean region”.

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[Img] : Courtesy of Wiki Commons, Leaders of the TPP

Vietnam sees value in TPP

[Source] : Published: 17/12/2012 at 09:47 AM – Newspaper section: Asia focus

Two competing regional trade plans, while sharing the aims of liberalising trade and improving economic integration, are making many Asean countries nervous at the same time.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has the backing of the United States while the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is favoured by China.

Smaller countries might resent being put in a position where they feel they have to choose between the two. But Vietnam has confidently embraced the TPP, believing it could increase its exports while helping the country attract more foreign investment.

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Trade power play

[Source] : Published: 17/12/2012 at 09:44 AM – Newspaper section: Asia focus

China’s attempt to convince Asean countries to support the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) reflects the country’s aim to become the real economic leader of Asia Pacific and keep the United States at bay, say experts.

While Beijing drums up support for the 16-country RCEP (Asean plus China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand), Washington is making its case for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Both countries went all-out at the Asean and East Asia Summit meetings last month in Phnom Penh, with newly re-elected President Barack Obama talking up the TPP with individual leaders. However, the RCEP now has some real momentum following its formal endorsement by the leaders of the 16 countries involved. They hope to start negotiations in 2013 and finish by 2015. A successful outcome would lead to the creation of the world’s largest regional trading bloc.

The TPP has been on the drawing board for a long time and has proved to be a tougher sell. It envisages a trading bloc covering all of the countries on the Pacific including those in North and South America. Singapore, Chile and New Zealand were original signatories back in 2005, followed by Brunei, while the United States didn’t even enter the picture until 2008. Since then there have been several rounds of talks and six more countries — Australia, Peru, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mexico and Canada — have entered negotiations.

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Australia finally “discovers” Latin America; time now to forge relationships

[Source] : TheConversation.edu.au

Until now, we have paid little attention to Latin America. Our mainstream media hardly mentions the region or is full of misconceptions and stereotypes.

But times are changing. Globalisation and technological change have had a tremendous impact on the relations between the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America, a trend gradually engulfing Australia too.

Increasing numbers of Australians are discovering Latin America offers sustained growth and opportunities in business, political, social and cultural sectors.

Meanwhile Latin Americans are studying, working or settling in Australia in greater numbers. The 2011 census figures shows more than 100,000 first generation Latin Americans now call Australia home.

Latin America is also benefitting greatly from the changing global economic order, with Asia – and particularly China – fast replacing the United States in trade with the region. By 2009, China already surpassed the United States as Brazil’s largest trading partner.

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Asia Pacífico: una tarea pendiente

[Source] : La Republica – Colombia

Bogotá_En la fase actual de transición en que han ingresado la economía y la política mundial, existe cada vez un mayor acuerdo entre analistas de diversas tendencias, en el sentido de que el mundo de los próximos 50 años tendrá un comportamiento de carácter cada vez más multipolar, aunque no necesariamente más equilibrado.

La causa de esta realidad es el declive que hoy se expresa en el liderazgo de Estados Unidos y de la Unión Europea. Esta tendencia ocurre, además, en el contexto de una gran incertidumbre sobre la eficacia de los escenarios multilaterales para favorecer el avance hacia una gobernanza global que ofrezca certidumbre en temas clave como el comercio, el desarrollo sostenible y la seguridad de las naciones.

El surgimiento reciente de los llamados Bric (Brasil, Rusia, India y China) promete consolidar un sólido bloque de países que, fundamentado en su nuevo protagonismo económico, contribuirá de manera significativa a cimentar, sobre una base más diversa, las deliberaciones políticas en torno a un eventual nuevo orden mundial. Y, en todo caso, incidirá para que las expectativas de los ‘países emergentes’ adquieran mayor peso en las negociaciones del G-8 y el G-20, que hoy se han fortalecido como espacios de convergencia entre las naciones, frente al debilitamiento de los mecanismos formales de discernimiento multilateral.

En este contexto, América Latina podría adquirir una mayor relevancia en las corrientes globales de la política, el comercio y la inversión, dada la caracterización de varios de sus países como economías emergentes. En esta dirección, no deberían existir, a nuestro juicio, plataformas excluyentes de inserción internacional.

Es claro que en una transición global marcada por la incertidumbre, Colombia tiene un amplio margen para avanzar en acercamientos más decididos con los países emergentes de su propia región y, al mismo tiempo, con aquellos del Este asiático que se han convertido en el escenario de mayor dinamismo en la economía global.

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Asamblea de FMI y BM 2015 será en Perú

[Source] : El Siglo De Durango MX

El presidente Ollanta Humala anunció que Perú fue designado sede de la Asamblea Anual del Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI) y del Banco Mundial (BM) del año 2015, lo que constituye un reconocimiento a su expansión económica.

En conferencia de prensa en Palacio de Gobierno, el mandatario aclaró que “este evento es uno de los más importantes en el ámbito mundial porque reúne a las economías más importantes del planeta”.

Acompañado del ministro de Economía, Luis Miguel Castilla, y del presidente del Banco Central de Reserva, Julio Velarde, Humala aseguró que la reunión del FMI y BM tiene la misma “importancia” que el Foro de Cooperación Económica Asia Pacífico (APEC).

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China dispuesta a compartir su modelo tecnológico de desarrollo agrícola con Perú

Image courtesy of WikiCommons

[Source] : Andina

Por William Ríos Rosales, enviado especial

Harbin, China, set. 10 (ANDINA). China está dispuesta a compartir su modelo tecnológico de desarrollo agrícola con Perú, esquema que integra al campesino, al sector privado y al Estado, sostuvo el presidente de la Academia de las Ciencias Agrícolas de Heilongjiang, Han Guiqing.

En una visita al poblado de Wuzhan, el funcionario explicó al Diario Oficial El Peruano que en este modelo el campesino –agrupado en cooperativas– es el dueño de la tierra y tiene derecho a su uso, pero está asociado a una empresa privada que es la encargada de industrializar y comercializar los productos.

Los fondos de inversión para el proyecto provienen de cuatro sectores: el fondo fiscal del municipio, la Dirección General de Agricultura de la provincia de Heilongjiang –que también ofrece créditos para el desarrollo de esta zona–, el gobierno del poblado, y los campesinos que aportan sus tierras.

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Book Review, The Final War: Avoiding It through a New Harmonic Society

Being distracted by the blitzkrieg onslaught of “news stories,” makes it quite easy to get distracted in this day and age. To name a few headlines from around the world sucking in people’s limited attention span we have –>

• Election season in the US, along with Hurricane Isaac and drought in much of the US heartland of farming
• Droughts in Russia and India as well, causing a rise in fear around the world of a possible repeat of the 2007-2008 food crisis.
• Eurozone Crisis, will the Eurozone survive? Will the PIGS be forced to leave? Etc…
• Talk of leadership change in Canada and a possible referendum on succession of the French Speaking regions.
• The beginning stages transition of power in China
• … and many more which deserve mention but as the title of this entry states, this is a book review, not a recap of Global News. You can tune into any 24/7 news station or open your chosen News App on your tablet or phone to be blitzed with more “global news.”

Image courtesy of http://thefinalwar.net/

This entry is about a new book which has just hit the presses: The Final War: Avoiding It through a New Harmonic Society. Co-authored by Fernando Morote Solari (a military hero, expert in geopolitics, professor), Dr. Sofia Morote (his daughter and also a professor and expert in geopolitics), and a colleague of theirs Patricia Bowens McCarthy.

I am a professor at Dowling College (www.internationalprofessor.com), and I wrote this book in a team with my father Fernando Morote Solari (a military hero, expert in geopolitics, professor) and my colleague Patricia Bowens McCarthy.

The first part of the book discusses the role of several countries in a possible World War and why we may have one. The second part, discusses a way to impending a world war through creating a new Harmonic Society. The book also praises China president statements in the UN about Harmonious World, instead of dismissing them as US Media often does as simply political jargon.

The authors initially discuss the precarious and ongoing situations throughout the Middle East- Israel – Pakistan and finally how the emergence of China begins to factor in. It also encompasses Africa, Central and South America (Latin America), where Chinese interests are growing.  The authors asset that the projected confrontation can be avoided by The Law of Universal Harmony, which is undergirded by Judeo-Christian precepts, Eastern concepts and principles such as dynamic balance, static equilibrium, ascending and descending transformation, and synchronized movements. 

The goals are objects of Universal Harmony as discusses in the book are achievable when nations take ownership for development strategies, policies and programs.  In sum, The Final War: Avoiding It through a New Harmonic Society, reveals the realities of what a confrontation could mean for the world, and offers solutions and steps which can be taken to prevent. Overall a very worthwhile and interesting read for geopolitical intellectuals out there, specifically ones interested in transpacific relations.

The book is currently available through multiple mediums in both English and Spanish.  Please visit the home of the page of the book http://thefinalwar.net/ to learn how to purchase wither E-Book or hard copies ranging from $7 USD – $20 USD in price.