Yangon has always been a nice place to come back to. It is a very dynamic city, a melting pot of culture, yet distinctively Burmese. Mosques can be seen on the downtown Yangon although Pagodas are the main religious focus of the mainly Buddhist society. I met one Burmese, sitting next to me in the MH 740, a Burmese, yet a Christian, who spoke highly of Malaysia and the way Malaysia has been conducting itself in the past many years that Malaysia overtook Burma who used to be the richest country in Southeast Asia. Myanmar or Burma will soon be back on its past glory.
Whilst in Yangon I come across statements that why some ASEAN Member States like Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand are not in the TPPA. This is not a new issue, just like why are not BRICs countries in the TPPA.
TPPA is a creature of APEC and opens to all APEC economies who is willing to join. It is by way of self invitation when an APEC economy is ready to be involved in the high standard trade agreement, which standard is higher than those in the WTO or the ASEAN Agreements. TPPA started as a P4, which is an agreement between Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore, all are APEC economies. APEC Leaders agreed that the P4 will be the basis of the TPPA and membership is voluntary. No one will be stopped from joining, as and when they are ready.
However, some ASEAN Member States, i.e. ASEAN-6 are not joining due to their domestic issues.
1. In the case of the Philippines, although they have indicated their interest to join, they have to look into capacity building, and further opening of the county's economies. The Philippines' early membership in TPPA is also subject to some constitutional constraints, which they have to overcome. Yet they are interested and are now preparing themselves for the accession into the agreement. Thus, to say that the Philippines is not interested is not true. Read here: http://cnnphilippines.com/business/2015/11/20/President-Benigno-Aquino-III-Trans-Pacific-Partnership-TPP-membership-PH.html
2. In the case of Thailand, the constitutional crisis. Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra expressed the desire for Thailand to join TPP negotiations way back in 2012, when she met with President Obama. Read here: http://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/bridges/news/thailand-expresses-interest-in-joining-trans-pacific-trade-talks-as-tpp
The rest is history.
3. Indonesia has to work on their domestic economy such as liberalisation of their investment in main and services sector before joining. Yet President Jokowi has also stated his country's interest in joining.
Back to Yangon, the country is slowly moving back to its former glory. The successful general election shows the maturity of the people of Myanmar in embracing democracy.
Have a good week ahead.
Whilst in Yangon I come across statements that why some ASEAN Member States like Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand are not in the TPPA. This is not a new issue, just like why are not BRICs countries in the TPPA.
TPPA is a creature of APEC and opens to all APEC economies who is willing to join. It is by way of self invitation when an APEC economy is ready to be involved in the high standard trade agreement, which standard is higher than those in the WTO or the ASEAN Agreements. TPPA started as a P4, which is an agreement between Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore, all are APEC economies. APEC Leaders agreed that the P4 will be the basis of the TPPA and membership is voluntary. No one will be stopped from joining, as and when they are ready.
However, some ASEAN Member States, i.e. ASEAN-6 are not joining due to their domestic issues.
1. In the case of the Philippines, although they have indicated their interest to join, they have to look into capacity building, and further opening of the county's economies. The Philippines' early membership in TPPA is also subject to some constitutional constraints, which they have to overcome. Yet they are interested and are now preparing themselves for the accession into the agreement. Thus, to say that the Philippines is not interested is not true. Read here: http://cnnphilippines.com/business/2015/11/20/President-Benigno-Aquino-III-Trans-Pacific-Partnership-TPP-membership-PH.html
2. In the case of Thailand, the constitutional crisis. Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra expressed the desire for Thailand to join TPP negotiations way back in 2012, when she met with President Obama. Read here: http://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/bridges/news/thailand-expresses-interest-in-joining-trans-pacific-trade-talks-as-tpp
The rest is history.
3. Indonesia has to work on their domestic economy such as liberalisation of their investment in main and services sector before joining. Yet President Jokowi has also stated his country's interest in joining.
Back to Yangon, the country is slowly moving back to its former glory. The successful general election shows the maturity of the people of Myanmar in embracing democracy.
Have a good week ahead.
