China's CPTPP bid: What is Beijing up to?

Currently China’s relations with several CPTPP members range from bad to terrible. (Image: Getty)

Tue, 21 Sep 2021

There are two explanations for last week’s surprising application letter to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). One is economic. The other is political.The economic explanation would have a group of purist economists taking over the decision-making process in Beijing. Upset at the inefficiencies they see in the state-owned enterprise (SOE) sector they look for a way to introduce essential reforms to the sector without risking too big a backlash from the senior national, provincial and city-level...

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