1 January 2010 saw the going into effect of five free trade agreements concluded by ASEAN. The most important of these is the ASEAN–China agreement establishing one of the world’s largest free trade zones. The liberalization of trade between ASEAN and China should lead to the growth of trade and of China’s investment in the region; on the other hand, in some ASEAN members there are concerns about the adverse effects of an upsurge of imports from China. For China the ACFTA is an important part of its push for closer cooperation with Southeast Asian states and for bolstering its own role in the region.

Download