ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the historical background and process of the RCEP negotiations. The first half delves into the advancement of discussions regarding regional architecture up to the commencement of the RCEP negotiations. The regional architecture evolved after the end of the Cold War, first promoted informally (sometimes referred to as the ‘ASEAN Way’) and then gradually formalised through the establishment of the ASEAN+1 FTAs. Although the Asia-Pacific and East Asia economic integration projects have different origins, they have sometimes influenced each other and facilitated economic integration in the region, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the RCEP. The chapter also briefly examines the link between the RCEP and the TPP (CPTPP), two regional integration processes, and identifies the countries that have sought to lead in these integration efforts. The second half of the chapter examines the RCEP negotiation process from the start of negotiations in 2012, using information from interviews with several RCEP negotiators. By tracing the historical development of the negotiations, we try to discern how the negotiators thought about the relationship between the RCEP and other regional integration processes.
