TPPA and RCEP: How will they benefit Malaysia?

Malaysia’s International Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, said recently that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is complementary to the TPPA  concluded last October.

Both TPPA and RCEP embrace similar goals of trade liberalization and economic integration and have received the widest attention in the Asia Pacific region.

So what is the RCEP?

Both TPPA and RCEP are two mega FTAs in which Malaysia intends to participate.

With regards to the TPPA, although the signing of the TPPA by the twelve member states has taken place on February 4 this year in New Zealand, the signing does not indicate that Malaysia has a definitive commitment to implementing the pact, as the TPPA has yet to take its full effect upon ratification.

The debate on the pros and cons of participating in TPPA continues nonetheless.

Astro AWANI: TPPA and RCEP: How will they benefit Malaysia?