Study On ASEAN’s Promotion In Construction Of RCEP

Economic globalization promotes the development of regional economic cooperation. As the most economic dynamic regions in the world, Asia-Pacific has developed various economic cooperation mechanisms. Among those mechanisms, RCEP(Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), proposed by ASEAN, covers most of the countries in the Asia-Pacific, is one of the most important cooperation mechanisms. The process of RCEP is closely related to the situation of economic development and international politics in Asia-Pacific. As one of the most influential powers in this region, China has to play an important role in the construction RCEP.Since 21 st century, Asia-Pacific is once again a major driver for global economy, while the subprime crisis brought varying degrees of impact to Asia-Pacific countries. The multi-centered, collateral economic cooperation mechanisms in Asia-Pacific also blocked up the deepen of regional integration. The transition of Asia-Pacific international system, U.S. strategic “Pivoting to Asia-Pacific” and increasing territorial dispute tensions has brought unstable factors to this region, which affects the effects of economic cooperation mechanism. In this context, motivated by realizing their own interests, ASEAN put forward the construction of RCEP in 2011.The consideration of ASEAN to initiate RCEP is to build a regional cooperation mechanism that more meets the needs of ASEAN, to improve political status by leading RCEP agenda, integrate fragmentation of the cooperation mechanism, to promote sustained economic development and international status. As the initiator, ASEAN plays a leading role in construction of RCEP. Based on FTAs that ASEAN established with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand, RCEP aims to build a modern, comprehensive, high quality, mutual benefit and ASEAN-centered economic partnership agreement by eliminating trade barriers, amplifying trade liberalization and perfecting investment mechanism.Compared with existing economic cooperation mechanisms, RCEP issues with wider field and higher degree of integration, accommodates development gap between different countries and reflects characteristics of gradually, open, inclusive and high practicability. RCEP negotiations have been conducted 12 rounds since 2013, great progress has been made in trade in goods, service trade, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property rights, competition policy and other fields.RCEP and ASEAN are inseparable. From the view of ASEAN, the favorable conditions of constructing RCEP are the important role of ASEAN in regional political and economic affairs which is important factor to the construction of RCEP, other participating countries respond to RCEP positively, the inclusive and flexible of RCEP make it easy to be recognized and economic cooperation already exists between participants. Meanwhile, ASEAN has to deal with various problems such as the lack of political trust, competition pressure from TPP and the difficulties in integration of existing FTA. Factors above caused RCEP failed to come to a deal as expected by the end of 2015.ASEAN constructing of RCEP has had an impact on the Asia Pacific order. In power structure, ASEAN tries to enhance the political status by pushing RCEP, narrow the gap with other power centers, even leveraging existing regional power structure section. In mechanism construction, RCEP represents the orientation of regional economic cooperation mechanisms to deepen the degree of liberalization and extend coverage, promotes the cooperation mechanism to "upgrading", raises the status of developing countries in rulemaking. The more important is, ASEAN’s role transformed from the recipient of rules to the rule maker, which represents the promotion for developing countries in international rule making and the demands of mechanism cooperation. In common concept, as RCEP embodies the "ASEAN Way" and the "ASEAN concept", ASEAN has left its mark in Asia Pacific regional norms and value identity. ASEAN put forward RCEP as a whole also strengthened members’ identity of ASEAN.ASEAN’s promotes the construction of RCEP will have a impact on China. Responding to the efforts of ASEAN to build RCEP, China actively participates in RCEP. The causes are as follows: RCEP is a pan-area wide-ranging cooperation mechanism initiated by developing countries that meets with interests and needs of China. RCEP favors Chinese participating in the regional economic integration process, provides impetus for economic growth and extends political influence. At the same time, it is necessary for China to make a proper evaluation in ASEAN’s leadership in RCEP construction and operation situation, fully aware of the pressure in rules of the game and dominance of ASEAN. In conclusion, China should deepen domestic reform to go with the tide of world development, promote the process of negotiations, seize opportunities to raise the level of economic development and political status. By participating in RCEP, China could promote the development of regional economic integration and its political and economic interests, enhance discourse power in rule making, strengthen political mutual trust in economic cooperation, resolve contradictions and divergences to achieve mutual benefit and create a peaceful and stable development environment.