The Evolution of ASEAN+X Free Trade Agreements -Implications for Canada

This essay examines the question of whether Canada should also form an FTA with ASEAN. The first section will provide an update on the status of the various FTA agreements that ASEAN has signed since 2002. This will be followed by an examination of these FTA agreements in relation to the ASEAN Community project and the proposal to form an East Asian Free Trade Area (EAFTA). The concluding section briefly discusses the implications for Canada and other major trading partners as well as for APEC and trans-Pacific relations in general, and suggests ways to improve Canadas diplomatic and commercial relations with ASEAN.