tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post200359376549666381..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: ASEAN, Indonesia & AustraliaJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-60268116534198773722011-05-08T15:53:08.805+10:002011-05-08T15:53:08.805+10:00Very interesting comments, Winton. I had never hea...Very interesting comments, Winton. I had never heard of TPP. I had to look it up. I am obviously badly out of touch.<br /><br />The disappearance of trade policy from national discussion is something that I had noticed in passing, but had not focused on. I guess that trade in general doesn't seem important when everybody is focused on the apparent mining cornucopia - and refugees!Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-43935038845589674972011-05-08T15:26:29.759+10:002011-05-08T15:26:29.759+10:00Jim, I have just noticed this post by Peter Drysda...Jim, I have just noticed this <a href="http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2011/05/08/why-doha-round-matters-to-asia-and-the-pacific/#more-18974" rel="nofollow">post</a> by Peter Drysdale about Doha and TPP on the East-Asia Forum blog. I don't think I have seen much in the papers about the implications of Washington's focus on TPP.<br /><br />I think discussion of those issues also deserves more media attention than it is getting at the moment.Winton Bateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07383561940886657594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-5887763209076012332011-05-08T15:06:14.732+10:002011-05-08T15:06:14.732+10:00I have no idea what Indonesia's six economic c...I have no idea what Indonesia's six economic corridors are, Jim. And there is a Master Plan, too. I wonder what it all means.<br /><br />Perhaps the trade bureaucrats would attract more media attention to such issues if they started negotiating an East-Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere to replace ASEAN. Then again, it might be dangerous to joke about such matters because someone might think I am being serious. Actually, if words mean anything, a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (as proposed between Australia and Indonesia) sounds more ominous than a Co-prosperity Sphere. <br /><br />Jokes aside, it seems to me to be good for us to belong to forums ASEAN if neighbouring countries use them to encourage each other to reduce trade barriers across-the-board. <br /><br />I suppose Indonesia's economic policies would have a larger impact on well-being of Australians than our refugee policies. However, there isn't much we can do about Indonesia's economic polices, so it is not surprising that refugee policies attract more media attention here.Winton Bateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07383561940886657594noreply@blogger.com