Redundancy in the Twenty-First Century: An Examination of and Argument Against APEC

Once poised to become a significant regional trade agreement (RTA), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (APEC) strength has waned in the twentyfirst century, leading many to question its viability and relevance as a cooperation. Taking into account several other RTAs that have arisen in Asia and the Pacific, the paper examines whether APEC still aligns with the interests of the Cooperation’s nations and economies. A closer examination of how APEC is structured reveals several weaknesses inherent in the RTA. These, coupled with the vast geography APEC encompasses, calls into question whether APEC can continue to effectively function in its intended capacity.