Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

3-2022

Abstract

We live in an unprecedented time, which witnesses the rapid transformation of global trade and politics. The neoliberal legal order in the post-war era has recently encountered multifaceted threats. Rising populist nationalism, US-China tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic have led to diverse forms of trade protectionism that has eroded the normative basis of international economic law. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and corresponding economic sanctions have further worsened the instability of the increasingly fragile supply chain and multilateral trading system. Amid these challenges, new Asian regionalism has emerged to shape and construct the new regional economic order. In response to declining hegemonic powers, developing countries in Asia have utilized their collective power to influence global rulemaking. New EU and US Indo-Pacific strategies also recognize the shift of the economic center of gravity to Asia and seek to enhance their involvement in the region. These developments not merely cement the foundation for the multipolar world, but also serve as a catalyst for trade liberalization. The core pillars of new Asian regionalism include the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (hereinafter "ASEAN") and the mega-regional trade agreements including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (hereinafter "CPTPP") and the Regional

Keywords

Global trade transformation, Neoliberal legal order, Populist nationalism, US-China tensions, COVID-19 pandemic, Trade protectionism, International economic law

Discipline

International Relations | International Trade Law

Research Areas

Asian and Comparative Legal Systems

Publication

Asian Journal of WTO and International Health Law and Policy

Volume

17

Issue

1

First Page

1

Last Page

3

ISSN

1819-5164

Publisher

National Taiwan University Press

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