Asian Economic Integration and Cooperation: Challenges and Ways Forward for Pan-Asian Regionalism

Arbeitspapier

As the Asian economies have grown larger and become more complex, they have also be-come more integrated at both the regional and the subregional level. Yet although economic integration has increased, regionalism in the sense of economic cooperation at both the pan-Asian and subregional levels has lagged behind. Regionalism or economic cooperation in terms of bilateral or multilateral FTAs is a relatively new phenomenon, but one that has in-creased rapidly in recent years. However, the progress of Asian regionalism faces several challenges. Also, the increasing number of FTAs could lead to a 'spaghetti-bowl-effect' and reduce trade volume instead of increasing it. In addition to resolving the existing challenges, actors in the region need to convert some of the existing FTAs into a broader one that can serve as a hub for further integration. Given the potential economic gains and future eco-nomic dynamism of the region, this paper suggests the pursuit of the Comprehensive Eco-nomic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA) rather than the East Asia Free Trade Area (EAFTA).

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: GIGA Working Papers ; No. 152

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie, Anthropologie
• Subject: economic integration ; regionalism ; economic cooperation ; ASEAN ; SAARC ; spaghetti-bowl effect ; FTAs ; Handelsregionalismus ; Freihandelszone ; Wirtschaftsintegration ; Asien

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Rai, Durgesh K.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
• (where): Hamburg
• (when): 2010

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/47817
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET