Analyzing the Negotiation Process of ASEAN-China FTA: A Two-Level Game Approach

Whether there exists certain degree of linkage between domestic and international political economic agents has been an enduring debate since the 1970s. Scholars in International Political Economy offer a variety of theoretical approaches to examine this problem. The two-level game structure cultivated by Putnam has gained importance since its publication. In this essay, we will take advantage of this theory and analyze the negotiation and ratification process of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between ASEAN and China. Given the slow economic growth, industrial resemblance with China and the democratic political institutions, I will take the Republic of Philippines as my main research subject. After the completion of the case study, the essay will also make reflections on what the capabilities and limitations of two-level game are and offer some proposals for possible modification.