China's Regional Trade Initiatives and Their Impact in Asia

• Main Authors: Robert Coleman, 羅意新
• Other Authors: Lin, Tsoyu Calvin
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/46633574773580707584

碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 亞太研究英語碩士學位學程(IMAS) === 104 === China’s evolving role in Asia as a regional player has caught the attention of the international community. Many scholars have focused on a range of considerations regarding China’s rise, such as its expanding economic and political presence in Asia; however, insufficient focus has been applied to the effects of Chinese trade in the region. This paper examines the evolution of China’s trade with its East and Southeast (EA&SEA) neighbors from 1992 to 2014 and how these trade relationships have changed. It accomplishes this by examining several indicators, including trade openness, market concentration, and trade intensity for the selected countries and China. This paper’s results indicate that EA&SEA countries and China have experienced significant changes to their trade relationships from 1992 to 2014. There has been substantial growth in the trade openness for the majority of countries in the EA&SEA region, in terms of both trade to GDP ratio and in terms of trade policy. Additionally, relative to China, the EA&SEA region is now less diversified than it was in 1992. Lastly, the number of the EA&SEA countries with high trade intensity with China has increased, as well as the degree of trade intensity of EA&SEA countries. This paper concludes, that as a result of changes in trade from 1992 to 2014 and the evolving trade relationship between China and EA&SEA countries, EA&SEA countries are, on average, more vulnerable to trade and trade dependent on China. Keeping in mind China’s past and present trade relationships with EA&SEA countries is important when considering the future of the region. With the development of China’s new initiatives such as “One Belt, One Road,” evaluating and possibly reducing trade dependency is likely now more than ever, a wise endeavor.