TPP VS Belt and Road (B&R): Who really benefits?

... classic, the Hikayat Hang Tuah, was inspired. Naturally, this period is fondly referred to as the Glorious Age of Malacca (Zaman Kegemilangan Melaka). The glory ended when Portuguese cannons appeared off the coast of Malacca in 1509.Two years later, Malacca fell and there were new rules to live by with new terms of trade, all benefiting the conquerors. The locals, once producers of goods and services, now became workers in a larger imperial scheme. The TPP, whatever its pretensions, echoes a similar pattern. Now is the time for Asia to jump on the Silk route caravans and vessels—a time-tested path to prosperity that preserves cultural and national sovereignty. This article first appeared as ...