Motif dan Kepentingan China dalam Pembentukan Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

The establishment of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) began because of the conflict between China and Japan. The establishment of RCEP is to create the largest trade agreement in the world because this cooperation unites regional countries with large economies. China as a country that has the largest economic level among RCEP member countries makes China control most of the market in the region. This RCEP helps China in dealing with the trade war between China and the United States, although it has not yet had a big impact. This paper uses a qualitative method and focuses on China's motives in determining the RCEP. The results of this study confirm that China's motive in determining the RCEP is to counter-balance with the TPP and China's good image to Southeast Asian countries. In addition, RCEP has a significant impact on the Chinese economy.

ON THE INTERACTION OF EURO PARTIES WITH PARTIES FROM THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP COUNTRIES. PART 1

The article analyzes the results of cooperation between two leading pan-European political organizations – the European People’s Party (EPP) and the Party of European Socialists (PES) with their counterparts in the countries participating in the Eastern Partnership program (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine), except Azerbaijan. It is considered with which political forces and why the EPP and the PES have established interaction and even accepted them into their membership. The profiles of these political organizations were studied, including the results of their participation in the national parliamentary and presidential elections and interaction with other political forces of their countries on the formation of ruling coalitions. Information is provided on when these parties joined, respectively, the EPP and the PES, and what status they have today in these European structures. The main provisions of the resolutions of the governing bodies of the EPN and the PES concerning the situation in the countries participating in the Eastern Partnership program and the support of their partner parties in these countries are presented. It shows how the foreign policy course of the Eastern Partnership member countries changed after political organizations that closely cooperate with their European counterparts came to power. It is noted that in almost all of these countries there has recently been a steady desire to strengthen political and economic partnership with the European Union and Western countries in general. And only one country. Georgia is still trying to maintain a balance in relations with Western countries and Russia. Key words: European parties, party system, Eastern Partnership program, elections.

THE MAIN TRENDS OF VIETNAM - JAPAN COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF BILATERAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

The article examines the process of formation and development of the comprehensive political and trade and economic cooperation between Japan and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam since 1973, when diplomatic relations were established between the two countries, and then received a new impetus after Vietnam started the market reforms in 1986 and commenced the renewal policy (in Vietnamese – “Đổi Mới”). In 2009, Japan and Vietnam decided to raise the bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership for the common interests of both countries. In 2010, as part of the official visit of the Prime Minister of Japan to Vietnam, a Joint Declaration on strategic cooperation for peace and prosperity in Asia was adopted.The article focuses on cooperation between the two countries in the framework of international and regional organizations, in particular in the framework of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, as well as in the framework of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, in which Japan and ASEAN member states participate. In recent decades Japan has been one of Vietnam’s main foreign economic partners and the second largest investor into Vietnamese economy. At the same time, Japan is the largest sponsor of Vietnam through the Official development assistance program (ODA), actively assisting Vietnam in implementing its national strategy of industrialization and modernization under the framework agreement on cooperation between Vietnam and Japan until 2020 with the prospect of 2030. Besides, the article discusses and analyzes the largest joint projects implemented in Vietnam with the technical and financial assistance from Japan.

India’s Withdrawal from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

The Sino-US competition in the Indo-Pacific has become a central issue in international relations and how the competition of both countries affects state behavior. This article attempts to provide explanations of India's behavior in deciding to leave the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement by using the neoclassical realism theory. Neoclassical realism believes that the actors' behavior is influenced by the constellation of international structures and domestic constellations. India's exit from RCEP was influenced by structural changes in the Indo-Pacific region, with the loss of China's balance of power marked by the withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Moreover, the condition has been exacerbated by the pressure received by Narendra Modi at the domestic level with the emergence of rejection of India's involvement in RCEP. It has influenced Narendra Modi's perception, who was active in the region with the two factors above, decided to resign from RCEP.

GROWING BILATERAL RELATION BETWEEN INDIA AND RUSSIA IN DIFFERENT SECTORS AND EMERGING AS GLOBAL POWERS

73 years of bilateral relation between India and Russia, Today India and Russia have emerged as global powers with cooperation in different sectors like technical, nuclear energy, outer space, security, education,counter terrorism, defense, politics, the food security has recently become an area of cooperation between the two countries. With the coming of Putin to power, we see India and Russia bilateral relationship entering new areas of cooperation. A healthy relation with Russia is a key element for the cultivation of India Foreign policy. The foundation element for the rapid increase in bilateral relation between the two countries can be traced back to October 2000 with the signing of the Declaration on the Indo –Russia Strategic Partnership. India and Russia are dependent on each other and the cooperation exists because of much mutual self-interest. Both India and Russia are part of BRICS, SCO AND RIC which have provided them a platform to have discussion on issues outside the Western block and emerge as global power in Asia, The cultural exchange programme and education initiatives programmes with people to people contact play a vital role in strengthening and bringing the two countries close to each other. Economic partnership between the two countries is regarded as a strong pillar for strategic partnership along with defence cooperation which provide maximum economic growth and development for both the countries. Keywords: Bilateral relation, economic, defence cooperation, mutual self-interest, strategic partnership, cultural exchange

French Economic and Monetary Policies in Francophone Africa:

Since granting independence to her former colonies (especially the countries in the West and Central Africa subregions), France has maintained tight economic, political, and to a great extent, social control over their internal and external affairs. These continued ties with France have become the subject of contentious debates (previously considered taboo) among scholars in recent times, evidenced in the development of activism in Africa and continental Europe where the former has been sensitized or radicalized about France’s exploitative approach to economic partnership. The economies of these African nations have suffered stagnation and retrogression in contrast to their non-French-influenced neighbors. This essay employs a literature review to assess the impact of French hegemony over these former colonies, therefore providing a cogent argument for the abolition of the monetary agreement in favor of a local currency, and cessation of political dependencies that also carry a negative stigma. Intellectuals and politicians have argued that the continued use of the CFA franc currency (a relic of colonialism with a different twist) is exploitative; recognized even by French politicians who have appealed to their government to employ moral and ethical considerations to desist from the persistent exploitation of Africa. Social movements have developed today in demanding that African nations still using this currency should withdraw from the agreements due to the severe negative effects on economic development.

Vietnam-Japan Trade Relations in the 1st Decade of the 21st Century

<p>Since the early years of the past century, the expansion of integration and economic cooperation has become an inevitable trend for economic development of countries. The globalization has opened up significant economic opportunities to countries that no one can deny. In such context of the international division of labor is going strong, the international economic cooperation has become the best way for states to promote their maximum advantage, as well as fully exploit the benefits of the other countries to serve their country namely, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Vietnam, too, to accelerate the process of industrialization and modernization, the Communist Party and government have been implementing the foreign policy of openness and diversification and multilateral international economic relations, taking the objectives of peace and development as the standard for all external activities. Unexceptionably, both Vietnam and Japan have found each other in the favorable conditions, as well as the mutual national economic benefits to develop and strengthen bilateral cooperation relationships between the two countries. The pinnacle of this relation was marked by the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement signed in 2008. After over three years of implementation, there have been a significant benefits and opportunities gaining from the Vietnamese-Japanese trade relations. Besides the positive results achieved in the trade relations, there have been some limitations that need to be surmounted, removed to further develop the full potential of the two countries, to strengthen the relationship between the two nations. The purpose of this research is to evaluate economic effects of Vietnam’s accession to Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA) by implementing tariff elimination, logistics enhancement, and reduction in service trade barriers. The hypothesis is that two participating countries can benefit from the accession, resulted in higher real GDP and economic development. The research has found out that VJEPA is an important step on a longer journey of partnership between the two countries through the evidences of new opportunities for both but there is still a lot of work to be done on both sides to take full advantage of the relationship.</p>

Vietnam-Japan Trade Relations in the 1st Decade of the 21st Century

<p>Since the early years of the past century, the expansion of integration and economic cooperation has become an inevitable trend for economic development of countries. The globalization has opened up significant economic opportunities to countries that no one can deny. In such context of the international division of labor is going strong, the international economic cooperation has become the best way for states to promote their maximum advantage, as well as fully exploit the benefits of the other countries to serve their country namely, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Vietnam, too, to accelerate the process of industrialization and modernization, the Communist Party and government have been implementing the foreign policy of openness and diversification and multilateral international economic relations, taking the objectives of peace and development as the standard for all external activities. Unexceptionably, both Vietnam and Japan have found each other in the favorable conditions, as well as the mutual national economic benefits to develop and strengthen bilateral cooperation relationships between the two countries. The pinnacle of this relation was marked by the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement signed in 2008. After over three years of implementation, there have been a significant benefits and opportunities gaining from the Vietnamese-Japanese trade relations. Besides the positive results achieved in the trade relations, there have been some limitations that need to be surmounted, removed to further develop the full potential of the two countries, to strengthen the relationship between the two nations. The purpose of this research is to evaluate economic effects of Vietnam’s accession to Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA) by implementing tariff elimination, logistics enhancement, and reduction in service trade barriers. The hypothesis is that two participating countries can benefit from the accession, resulted in higher real GDP and economic development. The research has found out that VJEPA is an important step on a longer journey of partnership between the two countries through the evidences of new opportunities for both but there is still a lot of work to be done on both sides to take full advantage of the relationship.</p>