What Commercial Policies Can Promote China's Sustainable Trade Strategy?
This paper examines which commercial policy initiatives might best advance Chinese priorities in a sustainable trade strategy.
We consider potential developments within the World Trade Organization, regional trade agreements (notably in the East Asian region), and investment and sectoral accords. Practical considerations, not least those relating to the sharp recent global economic downturn, point to soft-law sectoral accords, perhaps organized initially on a regional basis, as the most promising starting point. Should the appetite return at the international level for signing and faithfully implementing binding accords, possibilities may arise in the medium - to longer-term for Chinese-led global initiatives that advance sustainable development. Until then, however, policy-makers may have to temper ambitions in this regard.
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