China has submitted an exchange document to the CPTPP organization, which is an important measure for China to actively participate in international cooperation. What is CPTPP? It is the acronym for Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is a high-standard free** agreement initiated by the members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Its predecessor was TPP, or Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was led by the United States and included Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and many other countries. But in 2017, the United States announced its withdrawal from the TPP, which brought the agreement to a standstill. Later, other member states did not give up and continued to push for a new agreement, the CPTPP, which entered into force in March 2018.
The content of the CPTPP is very extensive, involving tariff concessions, facilitation, investment, services, intellectual property rights and other fields. It not only retains most of the TPP, but also adds some "behind-the-border" rules, such as competition policy, intellectual property protection, labor policy, etc. The purpose of the CPTPP is to strengthen economic ties among member countries and promote investment, investment and economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region.
The conditions for joining the CPTPP are higher than those of the WTO, mainly due to the following points: 1. A stable and transparent political system. 2. An open and free economic environment. 3. It has long-term market potential. 4. Good rights and interests in labor life and work. 5. Unanimous consent of the remaining Member States. These conditions reflect the CPTPP's compliance system, not the commitment system. In other words, countries that join the CPTPP must meet certain criteria, not just make some commitments.
However, this does not mean that the CPTPP standards are fixed or public. In fact, the standards of the CPTPP are jointly determined by the member states and will be adjusted according to the actual situation. For example, some of the CPTPP member countries do not have a high level of economic development, such as Vietnam and Mexico. When they joined the CPTPP, they also promised to carry out some reforms after joining to adapt to the requirements of the CPTPP. Therefore, the CPTPP standard is not set in stone or non-negotiable, but has a certain degree of flexibility and leeway.
The process of China's accession to the WTO has provided us with some valuable experience, which is also of reference significance for applying for the CPTPP. First of all, China should attach great importance to the application of the CPTPP, and the senior leaders should take the lead and actively communicate and negotiate with member states. Second, China needs to win supporters within the CPTPP, especially some important countries such as Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, etc. At the same time, China should carry out some necessary reforms and policy adjustments at home to meet the requirements of the CPTPP, and also disclose and clarify its reform plan and implementation details to the outside world to increase the trust of all parties. Finally, on the premise of retaining its own bottom line, China should try its best to meet the interests of all parties, especially some key issues, such as tariff concessions, services, intellectual property rights, etc., and try to avoid delays and disputes.
Of course, we must also be soberly aware that CPTPP is not the only way for China to participate in international cooperation, nor is it a necessary condition for China's development. China is already the largest country in the world and an important member of the WTO, and has also signed 22 free trade agreements with 29 countries and regions. China's market is the largest market in the world, and it is also the most attractive market, and it is a partner that cannot be ignored for any country or region. Therefore, China's application for the CPTPP is based on its own development needs, but also out of its contribution to the Asia-Pacific region and the world, which is a gesture of openness and cooperation, a concept of mutual benefit and win-win, and a desire to expand exchanges and promote development.
Therefore, we should use wisdom and sincerity to engage in friendly and equal dialogue with the member states of the CPTPP to build long-term and stable trust, seek the greatest degree of convergence of interests, and achieve the best cooperation plan. If the members of the CPTPP can agree to China's accession, it will be a welcome for China and a promotion for the Asia-Pacific region and the world, and we will be happy and honored. If the members of the CPTPP cannot agree to China's accession, it will not be a disaster for China, nor will it be China's isolation, and we will continue to maintain an open and cooperative posture, carry out diversified cooperation with other countries and regions, and safeguard and develop our own interests and rights and interests. We will not overestimate because of the addition of CPTPP, nor will we be too depressed because of the rejection of CPTPP, we will continue to stick to our own development path and continue to enjoy our good life.