China says it wants to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
It’s a smart move, tactically and strategically, by Beijing, with potentially profound consequences for the pact and the region. Expert opinion is divided on whether to let China in. It should be allowed to join — but only if it is prepared to live up to the CPTPP standards. There can be no bending of the rules to accommodate Beijing.
It’s far more likely, however, that Beijing is neither serious nor sincere about its readiness to comply with CPTPP standards as they are written. The Chinese leadership is testing members’ commitment to the agreement’s purpose and ambition while assessing the limits of Beijing’s influence.