TPP's Impacts and China's Strategies in Response

In 2009, during the very difficult period of WTO Doha Round negotiations, the Obama Administration announced its intention to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP). Relying on its advantageous status in economy, the U.S is making every effort to realize high standards in TPP deal. Obviously, the American TPP strategy has significant impacts not only on the U.S. itself but also on APEC, the WTO Doha Round negotiations and of course on China. Confronting this new situation, China needs to formulate its own strategies in response, with the purpose of pursuing competitiveness both regionally and globally. Based on analyzing the history of the TPP and its impacts, this article puts forth some suggestions on China's strategies in response. The author argues that the Chinese government should respond positively to the TPP and choose an appropriate time to initiate accession negotiations. Considering its relatively low stage of development, China may try to negotiate a reasonable transitional period to implement the rules and commitments under the TPP. At the same time, China should be more active in both pursuing a successful conclusion of the Doha Round negotiations and accelerating the processes of regional economic integration such as "China, Japan, Korea","10 + 3" and RCEP so as to counterbalance the negative effects imposed by the TPP.