A Comparison of the FTA Strategies of Japan and China and Their Implications for Multilateralism

Abstract

Japan and China's trade policy has historically centered on multilateralism. Over the past ten years, however, these two countries have shifted course somewhat by pursuing a number of free trade agreements (FTAs) and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). As the two largest economies in Asia, the actions and interactions of China and Japan have a direct impact on the global trading system. This paper investigates the divergent motivations and strategies of these two countries in negotiating FTAs and its impact on regional integration and multilateralism.