The Modality of East Asia’s Economic Integration

Abstract

Until recently, East Asia was lagging behind the worldwide boom of regionalism, but this is no longer the case. Table 2.1 shows the networks of bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) in East Asia and other neighbouring regions as of November 2007. A double circle represents an FTA signed and/or entered into force, a single circle denotes an FTA that has been agreed or already under negotiation, and a triangle shows an FTA under consideration or for which a feasibility study has been initiated. ASEAN+3 (China, Japan, Korea) is almost filled with concluded FTAs except for Northeast Asia. FTAs in ASEAN+3+3 (India, Australia, New Zealand) also seem to be almost within reach in the short run. The ASEAN free trade area (AFTA) has become a hub of FTAs in East Asia. A growing number of trans-Pacific FTAs are also observed, stimulating discussion on a variety of competing ideas for future plurilateral FTA arrangements.KeywordsEconomic IntegrationEast Asian CountryJapanese FirmInvestment TreatyKorean FirmThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.