Separate multiparty free-trade talks in Asia backed by China and the United States are generally seen as a rivalry between the world’s two biggest economies, but some experts say the agreements could prove complementary and ultimately converge. The latest round of US-led negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership begins Wednesday in Peru. In April, Japan declared its hope of becoming the 12th country in the proposed regional free-trade zone.

BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Despite its efforts to boost grain yields for the 10th consecutive year, China - the world's largest rice consumer - is expected to become also the largest rice importer this year, according to a new report. The country's rice imports this year will surge to 3 million metric tons from 2.34 million tons a year ago, according to the report, released by the United States Department of Agriculture. Since 2012, "consumption demand for rice in China has exceeded the supply", the report said.

(Reuters) - A U.S. think tank on Tuesday recommended Congress suspend trade benefits for India, in the latest sign of U.S. frustration over Indian policies that block American exports and "free ride" on costly U.S. research to develop new medicines and other forms of valuable intellectual property. "The United States should not sit idly by as the Indian government enacts regulations that harm American industry and jobs," Stephen Ezell, senior analyst at the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), said in a paper.

May 14 (Reuters) - Rejection by the world's trade body last week of preferential support for domestic solar panel makers in Canadian province Ontario brings helpful but limited guidance in a growing number of other disputes. The case involved domestic content requirements, which block foreign companies from participating in national support programmes, and which are intended to suckle local manufacturers.

Trade officials from 16 Asia-Pacific nations on Monday concluded the first round of talks on a trade pact that will further integrate the region and form one of the world’s biggest economic blocs by 2015.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – and its free trade agreement (FTA) partners – Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, India and South Korea – recently met in Brunei to start detailed negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

HOUSTON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Mexico was the third largest exporter of crude oil to the United States, behind only Canada and Saudi Arabia, a U.S. government report said Monday. Energy trade between Mexico and the United States topped 65 billion U.S. dollars in 2012, accounting for 13 percent of the 494 billion dollars in the two countries' overall trade, according to the report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

In addition to the ongoing U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership talks, negotiations for the formation of a huge new free trade framework in Asia have also got moving. To pursue national interests, Japan must bolster a strategy to promote the two sets of negotiations simultaneously. The first meeting of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), consisting of 16 countries, began Thursday in Brunei. The 16 members are Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India, plus the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

THE Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), when implemented, will provide greater trade and investment opportunities for member countries. Asean officials and their counterparts from Asean’s six FTA partner countries face challenging tasks towards realising the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) after meeting for the first time yesterday at the International Convention Centre.

While the European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht is readying substantial anti-dumping duties (ADs) and, subsequently, countervailing duties (CVDs) against Chinese exporters of solar panels and solar cells into the European Union (EU), warnings of the consequences of such actions have been received both from the European solar energy industry and the China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC).