Why is the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific little known?

Comments on Chen Dongxiao "China aims to set the regional cooperation agenda", 28/07/2015

It is surprising that there is little mentioning of or discussions about the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP) promoted by China and the Conference of Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) as the author mentioned in this post.

There are plenty of discussions about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)—the two leading regional trade negotiation groups in the Asia Pacific but little is known of the FTAAP, even though the author says the FTAAP "can provide an overarching framework that transcends the narratives of competition between the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)".

The author also says that China’s endorsement of the FTAAP demonstrates its commitment to more open, liberalised and high-quality trade and investment, as well as a more integrated regional economy.

I am a bit confused by who was the initiator of FTAAP, given that it is said China was promoting and endorsing it?

On security issues and China's initiative of New Neighbourhood Diplomacy and its guidelines, how does that link or connect with its perceived more assertive and aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, that apparently upset a number of its neighbours?