A Chinese vision of free trade
China’s motives for joining the CPTPP range from benign to worrying
SOMETIMES CHINA makes shrewd decisions. At other times it is capable of grave mistakes, even acts of wickedness. But the Chinese government is rarely silly. In particular, officials do not stake the prestige of their supreme leader, President Xi Jinping, on a whim. That makes it worth revisiting dismissive foreign reactions to a move that, though dry-looking, is important and revealing.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “China’s vision of free trade”
From the October 9th 2021 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from China
A pay rise for government workers sparks anger and envy in China
The effort to improve morale has not had the intended effect
A big earthquake causes destruction in Tibet
Dozens are dead, thousands of buildings have been destroyed
Militant Uyghurs in Syria threaten the Chinese government
How much does China have to fear?
Does China have the fiscal firepower to rescue its economy?
There is a fierce debate over whether it can afford to keep spending
China approves the world’s most expensive infrastructure project
It has China’s neighbours on edge
Xi Jinping has much to worry about in 2025
A struggling economy, rising social tensions and Donald Trump will test China’s leader