Editing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (section)

===Proposed FTAAP===
APEC first formally started discussing the concept of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) at its summit in 2006 in Hanoi. However, the proposal for such an area has been around since at least 1966 and Japanese economist {{Interlanguage link multi|Kiyoshi Kojima|ja|3=小島清}}'s proposal for a Pacific Free Trade agreement proposal. While it gained little traction, the idea led to the formation of [[Pacific Trade and Development Conference]] and then the [[Pacific Economic Cooperation Council]] in 1980 and then APEC in 1989.

In the wake of the 2006 summit, economist C. Fred Bergsten advocated a Free Trade Agreement of Asia-Pacific, including the United States amongst the proposed parties to any agreement at that time.<ref>[[C. Fred Bergsten|Bergsten, C. Fred]], "Toward a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific", [[Peterson Institute for International Economics]] Number Pb07-2. Pdf can be found via Google. Retrieved 9 November 2014.</ref> His ideas convinced the APEC Business Advisory Council to support this concept. Relatedly, ASEAN and existing [[free trade agreement]] (FTA) partners negotiated the [[Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership]] (RCEP), not officially including Russia.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://thebricspost.com/china-led-rcep-trade-talks-to-begin-in-may/ |title=China-led RCEP trade talks to begin in May |website=The BRICS Post |date=25 April 2013 |access-date=10 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110180611/http://thebricspost.com/china-led-rcep-trade-talks-to-begin-in-may/ |archive-date=10 November 2014 |url-status=deviated}}</ref> The [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]] (TPP) without China or Russia involved became the US-promoted trade negotiation in the region. At the APEC summit in Beijing in 2014, the three plans were all in discussion.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Chinese President touts 'Asia-Pacific dream' |url=https://www.dw.com/en/chinas-president-xi-touts-asia-pacific-dream-ahead-of-apec-summit/a-18050065 |date=11 September 2014 |access-date=6 July 2023 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |archive-date=16 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116213102/https://www.dw.com/en/chinas-president-xi-touts-asia-pacific-dream-ahead-of-apec-summit/a-18050065 |url-status=live}}</ref> President Obama hosted a TPP meeting at the US Embassy in Beijing in advance of the APEC gathering.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Harper, Obama attend Asia-Pacific trade deal meeting in Beijing |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/1662792/harper-obama-attend-trade-meeting-in-beijing-as-deadline-for-deal-nears/ |first=Lee-Anne |last=Goodman |website=Global News |agency=The Canadian Press |date=10 November 2014 |access-date=6 July 2023 |archive-date=7 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207131000/http://globalnews.ca/news/1662792/harper-obama-attend-trade-meeting-in-beijing-as-deadline-for-deal-nears/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

The proposal for a FTAAP arose due to the lack of progress in the [[Doha round]] of [[World Trade Organization]] negotiations, and as a way to overcome the "noodle bowl" effect created by overlapping and conflicting elements of the copious free trade agreements – there were approximately 60 free trade agreements in 2007, with an additional 117 in the process of negotiation in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.<ref name="BD">{{cite web|url=http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2007/09northeastasia_brilliant.aspx |title=FTAAP |publisher=Brookings.edu |date=September 2007 |access-date=4 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920100958/http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2007/09northeastasia_brilliant.aspx |archive-date=20 September 2011 }}</ref> In 2012, ASEAN+6 countries alone had 339 free trade agreements – many of which were bilateral.{{efn|"As of January 2012 ASEAN countries have 186 FTAs implemented, signed, under negotiation or under proposal/study, which is substantial progress since… 1992. The [[ASEAN+6]] countries have a total of 339 FTAs, including between ASEAN countries and the '+6' countries."<ref>Chia Siow Yue. "The Emerging Regional Economic Integration Architecture in East Asia". ''Asian Economic Papers (MIT Press)''. Vol. 12, No. 1 (2013): p. 1–37</ref>}}

The FTAAP is more ambitious in scope than the Doha round, which limits itself to reducing trade restrictions. The FTAAP would create a free trade zone that would considerably expand commerce and economic growth in the region.<ref name="BD"/><ref name="VG">{{cite web |url=http://www.petersoninstitute.org/publications/opeds/oped.cfm?ResearchID=655 |title=Plan B for World Trade |publisher=Petersoninstitute.org |access-date=4 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102223950/http://www.petersoninstitute.org/publications/opeds/oped.cfm?ResearchID=655 |archive-date=2 January 2016 |url-status=dead }} No reference to numbers of FTAs.</ref> The economic expansion and growth in trade could exceed the expectations of other regional free trade areas such as the [[ASEAN Plus Three]] (ASEAN + China, South Korea and Japan).<ref name="VSM">[http://www.iie.com/publications/pb/pb07-2.pdf Policy Briefs in International Economics] (PDF) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010183255/http://www.iie.com/publications/pb/pb07-2.pdf |date=10 October 2007 }}</ref> Some criticisms include that the diversion of trade within APEC members would create trade imbalances, market conflicts and complications with nations of other regions.<ref name="VG"/> The development of the FTAAP is expected to take many years, involving essential studies, evaluations and negotiations between member economies.<ref name="BD"/> It is also affected by the absence of political will and popular agitations and lobbying against free trade in domestic politics.<ref name="BD"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific |url=https://www.pecc.org/research/ftaap |website=pecc.org |access-date=16 January 2023 |archive-date=16 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116213103/https://www.pecc.org/research/ftaap |url-status=live}}</ref>

At the 2014 APEC summit in Beijing, APEC leaders agreed to launch "a collective strategic study" on the FTAAP and instruct officials to undertake the study, consult stakeholders and report the result by the end of 2016.<ref>{{Cite news |title=APEC roadmap on FTAAP a historic decision: Xi |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-11/11/c_133782162.htm |website=Xinhuanet |date=11 November 2014 |access-date=16 January 2023 |archive-date=7 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207014747/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-11/11/c_133782162.htm}}</ref> APEC Executive Director Alan Bollard revealed in the Elite Talk show that FTAAP will be APEC's big goal out into the future.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elite Talk: A talk with APEC chief Alan Bollard on China's APEC championship, the FTAAP and New Silk Road |url=http://en.people.cn/102775/310666/index.html |website=People's Daily Online |date=10 November 2014 |access-date=16 January 2023 |archive-date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108095239/http://en.people.cn/102775/310666/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]] included 12 of the 21 APEC members and had provisions for the accession of other APEC members, five of which expressed interest in membership.