Note: This article was originally published in Urdu Point on 18 April 2019. Dr Lurong Chen, ERIA Economist, was featured.

SOCHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th April, 2019) Beijing's recent call on Tokyo and Seoul to establish the long-negotiated free trade area (FTA) as soon as possible may seem a ray of light amid the global rise of protectionism and disintegration trends, yet there are a number of serious factors, including those economic, political and historical, that can put a damper on the process, experts told Sputnik. (Read the full article by using the link above).