Challenges to APEC Trade Policy: The Doha Development Agenda and RTAs/FTAs

Recent development in global trade saw countries moving in multiple fronts in liberalising trade, utilising multilateral, regional and bilateral trade agreements to promote trade. This paper examines the issues surrounding this latest trend, noting the opportunities as well as dangers to global free trade associated with such an approach. In particular, it investigates implications of the the growing numbers of regional trade agreements (RTAs) and free trade agreements (FTAs) within the APEC region, particularly in light of the Doha development agenda.