Canada and China’s new Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (“CC-FIPA”) came into force on October 1, 2014. This work discusses some of the main benefits to be gained from building stronger investment relations between Canada- China, as well as a Canadian perspective on the main investment risks that are most likely to impede either country from achieving the full potential in their investment relations. Against this backdrop, this work then examines those provisions in the CCFIPA that are most central to promoting Canada-China investment benefits, as well as those provisions that are most relevant to protecting against the investment risks in Canada-China relations.

The ECFA was signed by Taiwan and Mainland China on June 29, 2010. It is Taiwan’s new overall national economic policy calling for rapproachment with Mainland China. A primary purpose of this Agreement is to establish a quasi national cross-strait common market within the framework of the WTO as well as to design the legal framework of bilateral economic cooperation. It is a course for the Chinese common market as the final economic integration. By its nature the current ECFA lies somewhat between a free trade agreement and a bilateral trade agreement within the framework of the WTO in the sector of trade in goods. Two parties have agreed on a new model of preferential treatment for goods exported from Taiwan to Mainland China. An agreed Early Harvest for Trade in Goods list is favourable for Taiwan, while an Early Harvest for Trade in Services list is balanced one for both parties. Other principles formulated by the ECFA are related to intellectual property rights and mutual investment. The success and failure of the ECFA will depend largely on the future cross-strait political atmosphere.