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The Yomiuri Shimbun
Expansion of free trade framework must center around TPP pact
ＡＰＥＣ　自由貿易拡大はＴＰＰを軸に

Broadening high-level trade liberalization based on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement is indispensable to the further development of the world economy.
　環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）をベースにした、高水準の貿易自由化を広げることが世界経済の発展に欠かせない。

A declaration was adopted Thursday at a summit meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, of which a major pillar is to speed up discussions about creating a “Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific” (FTAAP).
　アジア太平洋経済協力会議（ＡＰＥＣ）首脳会議は、「アジア太平洋自由貿易圏（ＦＴＡＡＰ）構想」の検討加速を柱とする首脳宣言を採択した。

The declaration stressed that the realization of the envisioned FTAAP “should be pursued as a comprehensive free trade agreement.”
　宣言は、ＦＴＡＡＰに関して、「包括的な自由貿易協定として追求されるべきだ」と強調した。

The FTAAP would endeavor to economically integrate 21 countries and regions, including Japan, the United States, China and Russia. We welcome the fact that the APEC members — despite their widely different levels of economic development, ranging from industrially advanced to developing — have reconfirmed the importance of unifying trade rules.
　ＦＴＡＡＰは、日米中露など域内２１か国・地域の経済統合を図る試みだ。先進国から途上国まで経済の発展段階が違うＡＰＥＣメンバーがルールを統一する重要性を確認できたのは、歓迎できる。

If the broad agreements reached in the TPP negotiations, such as the abolition of tariffs and the application of fair and transparent trade rules, spread to nations outside the TPP, it will certainly invigorate the economic activities in the region.
　ＴＰＰで大筋合意した高いレベルの関税撤廃や、公正で透明な貿易ルールの適用がＦＴＡＡＰでより多くの国々に広がれば、地域の経済活性化に弾みがつこう。

It is a cause for concern that China and Russia, which are not involved in the TPP, have reacted adversely to the envisaged economic integration centering on the TPP.
　懸念材料は、ＴＰＰに参加していない中露がＴＰＰを軸にした経済統合に反発していることだ。

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed caution in a lecture during the summit, saying: “With various new regional free trade arrangements cropping up, there have been worries about the potential of fragmentation.”
　中国の習近平国家主席は講演で「自由貿易の計画が次々と現れ、地域がバラバラになることを懸念している」と警戒感を示した。

Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote in an article ahead of the APEC summit that “the confidential fashion in which the TPP negotiations were conducted is probably not the best way to facilitate sustainable growth in the Asia-Pacific region.”
　ロシアのプーチン大統領も「ＴＰＰの秘密交渉スタイルは、地域の成長を促す最良の道ではない」とする論文を発表した。

U.S. Congress is key

One country after another has shown interest in taking part in the TPP, including South Korea and the Philippines. China and Russia, whose intentions to vie with the economic order led by the United States are now in jeopardy, have apparently taken steps to check the moves of other nations to become additional TPP members.
　韓国やフィリピンなどの参加検討表明が相次いでいる。中露は、米国主導の経済秩序に対抗する目論もくろ見みが危うくなったため、新規参入の動きを牽制けんせいしたのだろう。

China is poised to seek the region’s economic integration based on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which it has been negotiating with countries including Japan, South Korea and India. The United States is not a party to RCEP negotiations.
　中国は、日韓やインドなどと交渉中の東アジア地域包括的経済連携（ＲＣＥＰ）を基礎に経済統合を目指す考えだ。米国は交渉に参加していない。

However, the tariff abolition targets being sought in the RCEP initiative are lower than those under the TPP. It has been pointed out that the RCEP talks have yet to make progress regarding such matters as environmental protection and human and intellectual property rights, while TPP member countries and businesses are required to comply with standards regarding those matters.
　だが、ＲＣＥＰは、ＴＰＰに比べ、目標とする関税撤廃率が低い。ＴＰＰが締結国の政府や企業に求めた環境や人権、知的財産権などへの配慮についても、議論がまだ進んでいないとされる。

To ensure fair and free economic activity, it is more desirable to have the TPP rules accepted as international standards.
　公正で自由な経済活動を確保するには、ＴＰＰルールを国際標準とする方が望ましい。

It was right that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at the APEC summit: “Japan hereafter will energetically pour our efforts into expanding the TPP.” By cooperating with such countries as Australia, Japan must play a leading role in the RCEP negotiation process — in which the United States is absent — with the aim of bringing its levels of trade liberalization closer to those of the TPP.
　安倍首相が「日本は今後、ＴＰＰを広める取り組みに注力する」と語ったのは適切だ。豪州などと連携して、米国不在のＲＣＥＰ交渉をリードし、自由化の水準をＴＰＰに近づけねばならない。

It is worrying that rough sailing is expected regarding the ratification of the TPP by the U.S. Congress. In addition to objections from the Republican Party, trade unions, which are the support base for the Democratic Party, have also been intensifying their resistance toward the TPP.
　気がかりなのは、ＴＰＰの批准が、米国で難航しそうなことである。野党の共和党に加え、与党・民主党でも、支持層の労働組合が反対を強めている。

The TPP cannot be put into force without ratification by the United States. We hope the U.S. administration will strenuously tackle the challenge in Congress.
　米国が批准しないと、ＴＰＰは発効しない。米政府は議会対策に精力的に取り組んでほしい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 20, 2015)