The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has caused great concern and debate about its impact on China. The trade pact dubbed as “Anything but China”, extols the dominant view that China’s exports will be negatively affected by the TPP since its members enjoy low tariffs and preferential market access among themselves. China’s outsider status could also be seen as an indictment of its inadequacies, such as limited intellectual property protection and a lack of government procurement standards which will divert trade and manufacturing from China to TPP members.

On the other hand, some of China’s leading trade policy intellectuals say that they are not concerned about the agreement. For starters, China doesn’t need to belong to the TPP to enjoy some of the perks that come with being a member. The country already has free trade agreements with more than half of the TPP countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam, and it can exploit those arrangements to minimize or avoid import duties that would normally apply to made-in-China products. On top of that China is busy negotiating its own free-trade pact with 15 countries in the Asia Pacific region and is expected to become the world's largest economy in the next decade.

In short, TPP is a new partnership that took over 7 years to become effective, and definitely it will have some effects on the Transpacific trade. However, time will show if the effects on China will be as severe as it is thought to be, and how China’s counter measures might affect the future of TPP.

The European Chamber is delighted to have Ms. Mary Boyd, Director at The Economist and Mr. Anthony Chen, partner at Jones Day as they discuss the pros and cons of China’s exclusion to the TPP, and the implications this will have on the trade and power dynamics within the Asia-Pacific region.

AGENDA

9:00 to 9:30           Registration

9:30 to 9:40           Welcome Remarks

9:40 to 10:40         Roundtable Discussion moderated by Dr. Ioana Kraft, General Manager, European Chamber

10:40 to 11:20       Q&A Session

11:20 to 11:30       Closing Remarks

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Speakers

Ms. Mary Boyd

Director, Corporate Network, Shanghai Economist Intelligence Unit

Ms. Mary Boyd

Director, Corporate Network, Shanghai Economist Intelligence Unit

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Mary Boyd is responsible for programme development and client servicing in Shanghai. She also provides research and conceptual support on China for Corporate Network programmes.

Before joining the Economist Group Mary Boyd was in the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, serving on assignment in Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan and China (in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing). Since leaving government service she has researched and published on economic development and governance issues in China, and has undertaken consultancy work for the World Bank and other international institutions, as well as multinational companies. She has written for a number of Economist Intelligence Unit publications, including Country Report, China Hand and Business China. She co-authored the Economist Intelligence Unit report Taking on the Competition: Domestic Companies in China in 2005.

Ms Boyd has an MA (Area Studies) and an MSc (Public Policy and Management) from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and has also completed language studies at Nanjing University. Her research interests include local governance and decentralization policies, and public-sector reform.

Specialist topics:
Mary is an expert on economic development and governance issues in China and has written for a number of Economist Intelligence Unit publications, including Country Report, China Hand and Business China.

Mr. Anthony Chen

Partner, Jones Day

Mr. Anthony Chen

Partner, Jones Day

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Tony Chen's practice focuses on patent litigation and portfolio management, technology licensing, R&D collaborations, and strategy counseling. He has advised Suzhou BioBay on the development of its biopharmaceutical industry as well as Shanghai Pudong New Area. Between 2010 and 2012, he co-chaired the IP subcommittee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

Tony was trained as a molecular biologist before studying law at Harvard University. He practiced patent law in California for more than a decade where he represented a wide range of high-tech and biotech companies in patent litigation, prosecution, and licensing. He also acted as an in-house patent counsel for a leading specialty pharmaceutical company managing patent litigation, IP due diligence, and technology agreements. In addition, he co-founded a drug discovery technology company in Silicon Valley backed by leading venture capital investors from the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

Since moving to China in 2004, Tony has represented multinational companies to enforce their intellectual property rights in civil and criminal actions in China and to assist them in reducing IP risks in R&D activities in China. He also has represented Chinese companies to build and procure intellectual property on a worldwide basis and has advised Shanghai and Suzhou technology parks on life science industry and intellectual property matters.

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