TTLV: Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement: Negotiation Process and Issues to be Addressed.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name:Chu Hong Thang2. Gender:Male    

3. Date of birth:12 / 8 / 1971                            4. Place of birth:Bac Ninh

5. Decision number for student admission:1042/QD-SDHJune 18, 2013, from the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in the training process:Are not

7. Thesis title:Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement: Negotiation process and issues to be addressed.

8. Major:International relationsCode:60310206

9. Scientific supervisor:Dr. Bui Thanh Nam;Deputy Head of the Faculty of International Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of the thesis results:

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement currently has 12 official members participating in negotiations, along with several countries and territories expressing their desire to join, with the goal of completing negotiations in 2014. Once in effect, the TPP will create the world's largest free trade area, encompassing nearly 800 million people, contributing approximately 40% of global GDP and over 30% of global trade. Based on the experience of the TPP negotiations over the past six years, several issues related to multilateral free trade negotiations and their impact on economies and international relations in the Asia-Pacific region and the world can be identified as follows:

- With its high and comprehensive standards and commitments, the TPP is expected to be a model for free trade agreements (FTAs) in the 21st century. The trade and economic benefits for each member and the region as a whole are clear. Studies consistently show that all members will benefit, with even smaller, developing economies having greater opportunities to benefit. However, the challenges are also significant, requiring all participating members to prepare thoroughly and comprehensively domestically. The TPP has a large number of members and commits to opening its doors to various countries and territories; the members have different levels of development, sometimes with large disparities. This requires members to make concessions during negotiations, and the regulations need to take into account the level of development and the implementation roadmap of the agreement.

- The TPP impacts international relations in the region in both positive and negative ways. It helps promote cooperation and linkages between countries and the region, both economically and in foreign relations; at the same time, it poses challenges in terms of competition for influence among major powers. Considered one of the tools to promote the US's "rebalancing in Asia" policy, the TPP could cause misunderstandings and negative reactions from China, the leading economic power in the region. Therefore, the TPP creates both challenges and opportunities for members to implement a balanced policy in their relations with the US and China.

- In the context of globalization, accelerating regional and international integration is something Vietnam cannot delay or slow down. Participating in the TPP presents both opportunities and challenges for Vietnam; however, many experts believe that opportunities outweigh challenges. Preparing the necessary conditions and infrastructure in all aspects, from legal policies to human resources, is crucial to seizing opportunities and mitigating risks when participating in the TPP.

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name:ChuHong Thang.......................... 2. Sex:Male...............................................

3. Date of birth:August 12, 1971.......................... 4. Place of birth:Bac Ninh.................

5. Admission decision number:1042/QD-SDHDated 6 August 2013...................................

6. Changes in academic process: None...................................................................................

7. Official thesis title:

Transpacific Partnership Agreement: Negotiation Process and Major Issues

8. Major:International Relations9. Code:60310206..................................

10. Supervisors:Dr. Bui Thanh Nam;Vice Dean,Faculty of International Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU.

11. Summary of the findings of the thesis: ..............................................................................

Agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) now has 12 official members participating in negotiations, with a number of countries and regions expressing their desire to participate, and with the aim of negotiating negotiations in 2014. When in effect, the TPP will create one of the largest free trade area (FTA) in the world, with almost 800 million people and contributing about 40% of world GDP and over 30% of global trade. Since actual TPP negotiations for nearly six years, we can draw a number of issues related negotiations of multilateral FTA, affecting the economy and international relations in Asia - Pacific region and the world, as follows:

- With high and comprehensive standards and commitments, TPP is expected to be a “model” for FTA in the 21st century. The benefits of trade and economic development for its members and the whole region are clear. Studies have shown that all members can benefit from the agreement, and the smaller development would benefit more. However, the challenges are not trivial, requiring all participants to be carefully and comprehensively prepared. TPP has a large number of members while committing to open to countries and territories to join. The current members have different levels of development. This requires members to make concessions in negotiations, and at the same time, the regulations should take into account the level of development, and the different route of treaty implementation as well.

- TPP impacts on international relations in the region, one side, it has helped promote cooperation and links between countries and regions, both for economic development and foreign relations; the other side, it poses challenges in terms of competition between the major countries. Considered as one of the policy tools to promote “rebalancing in Asia" by the United States, TPP can cause misunderstandings and negative actions from China, a key economic power in the region. Thus, TPP creates both challenges and opportunities for members to implement the policy balance in its relations with the United States and China.

- In the context of globalization, Vietnam cannot delay or reduce the rate of regional and international integration. Joining TPP, Vietnam stands in front of both opportunities and challenges, but as many experts say, more opportunities than challenges. The preparation of all-side conditions, from policies and laws to human resources, is essential to take advantage of the opportunities and to avoid the risks of participation in TPP.