IDEAS, SEANET EXPLAIN THE POWER OF FREE TRADE FOR ASIAN NATIONS

The road to global prosperity requires widespread free trade between nations, allowing the best goods and services at the lowest prices to reach the people who demand them, regardless of political borders. Government officials too often fall prey to the economic fallacy of protectionism, however, succumbing to the pleadings of special interests who demand restrictions and tariffs on outside competitors — thereby propping up their own interests at the expense of everyone else.
In a series of events during recent weeks, Malaysian Atlas Network partner the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) has brought together participants from throughout the business community, government, non-profit organizations, research institutions, universities, and media, to explain how the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free-trade treaty currently being negotiated with 11 countries, can bring new economic prosperity to all participants by allowing mutually beneficial exchange.
A March 28 public debate hosted by IDEAS featured Dr. Razeen Sally, IDEAS chair in political economy and governance, arguing for the benefits of the trade agreement before nearly 100 attendees. A May 7 discussion brought another 100 people to see Ambassador Michael Froman and Tan Sri Dr. Munir Majid of the IDEAS Advisory Council discuss how TPP would affect several regulatory regimes and sectors of the economy.
On May 21, IDEAS project SEANET co-hosted an event in Singapore with the Geneva Network that featured several policy, university, and industry experts to explain how trade liberalization increases health care outcomes by accelerating economic growth and allowing nations to share knowledge and technology.