Regional Integration Schemes Research Articles

A Comparative Analysis of Policy Responses to Development Gaps in ASEAN: Examining the Effectiveness of Macroeconomic and Regional Integration Strategies

Abstract: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) integration was originally developed to respond more effectively to political and economic pressures from outside and collective bargaining power with a unified regional organisation. However, the significant disparity in development levels among ASEAN member States posed a challenge to that goal and to the sustainable economic development of ASEAN. This paper will analyse all aspects of the existing disparity in the level of development of ASEAN member countries and the reasons behind it. It will also present and analyse existing policies and mechanisms in ASEAN that address the imbalance in the level of development. To analyse the challenges for ASEAN to address the issue of imbalance in the level of development in the light of the effectiveness of the current ASEAN response to the imbalance in the level of development and the objective and realistic context of the ASEAN member States in terms of the comparison between the countries with high level of development and the countries with low level of development. ASEAN's macro-control policies, influenced by the system, do pay attention to the key factors affecting high and low levels of development, but ASEAN lacks targeted response programmes for countries and regions with complex political contexts.

Unravelling the EU’s promotional integration strategy in the MENA region: a dialectical analysis of the Agadir and GAFTA Agreements

Given the rhetoric of the EU on the necessity of economic integration for the MENA region, this article sheds light on the ‘puzzling’ fragmentation in its regional integration strategy through the cases of the GAFTA and Agadir Agreements. It problematises mainstream analyses and employs a dialectical approach based on the philosophy of internal relations, aiming to surpass existing critical literature that has only partially illuminated facets of the EU’s strategy. The article situates the EU strategy within the dynamics of neoliberal capitalism (and its interconnected tensions) and considers its spatial and temporal scales. It argues that the complex interplay of developments at the EU scale, global competition scale and MENA scale across three distinct time frames (1995–2003, 2004–11, 2012–21) has shaped the EU’s fragmented strategy. On the EU scale, while Brussels presents itself as a leading proponent of neoliberal ideology for global market openness, it strategically elevates the Agadir Agreement at the expense of the GAFTA to meet its economic needs. The global competitive dynamics, however, have constrained this preference, as the EU has been contested by the US in the Agadir Agreement area and China and, to a lesser extent, Russia in other GAFTA member states. Lastly, the agency of MENA states has been noticeable, since the EU encounters difficulties in influencing GAFTA’s regulatory framework and dealing with the diverse interests of state elites in the region. We conclude that the dialectical method of the article holds promise for analysing the regional integration strategies of other global powers.

Risk evaluation, spatiotemporal evolution, and driving factors of provincial food safety in China

The cross-regional transfer of food safety risks has become more prominent, bringing new challenges to the food ecosystem and food safety regulation. This study develops an evaluation index system of food safety risks based on the pressure-state-response (PSR) framework. The food safety risk indices of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020 are calculated by determining the index weights using the real-coded accelerated genetic algorithm–projection pursuit model (RAGA-PP). Furthermore, this study elaborates the spatiotemporal differences and correlations of provincial food safety risks, characterizes the spatial aggregation and spatiotemporal changes of risks, and investigates driving factors affecting the spatiotemporal evolution of risks. The following findings are established. First, the overall risk value of food safety in China in 2020 decreased by approximately 5% compared with year 2010. In 2020, the national food safety environment was relatively favorable and tended toward stability. The overall trend of food safety risks in China is decreasing, although socioeconomic development has increased the risks, and the corresponding social management measures have also reduced the risks. Second, food safety risks were unevenly distributed among provinces, showing significant regional differences. Specifically, generally higher risks were observed in eastern provinces versus other regions and in coastal provinces versus inland provinces. Concentrated and superimposed risks were observed in the Yangtze River Delta, a large urban agglomeration centered on Shanghai. Lastly, population density and urbanization level were the main drivers of the evolution of regional food safety risks; whereas policy instruments used by the government to manage risks played a limited role. The results show that establishing a cross-regional collaborative governance mechanism to manage food safety risks should constitute an important component of the regional integration strategy of China.

Analysis of the integrated role of the Yangtze River Delta based on the industrial economic resilience of cities during COVID-19

The enhancement of regional comprehensive development ability is significantly impacted by the study on the implementation effect of regional integration strategies. The integration strategy’s impact on urban development during COVID-19 in the Yangtze River Delta(YRD) is unclear. According to prior industrial transfer theory, Hefei, Anhui’s capital, is difficult to transfer industries, and other YRD cities push industry integration in Anhui. This study employs the theory of economic and land resource use to examine the resilience of the industrial economy during an epidemic by using industrial land as a representation of industrial economic development. The three cities in Anhui—Wuhu, Maanshan, and Chuzhou (Wu-ma-Chu) were selected as the research area. The study employed the UNet deep learning method to detect the land use types in Wu-ma-Chu. The land transfer matrix and the standard deviation ellipse were utilised to research the alterations in industrial land use and the spatial distribution of industrial output value, respectively. The results showed that the industrial land in Machu continued to grow during the outbreak, highlighting the resilience of the region’s industrial economy. During 2019–2022, the elliptical ring of industrial output value is distributed in Nanjing, revealing the radiating role of Nanjing in integrating into the integration of the YRD. This confirms China’s YRD integration strategy, strengthens regional economic resilience, and encourages coordinated regional economic development.

Navigating the pandemic: A critical perspective on COVID-19 responses in Central America

Following the World Health Organization’s declaration of the new coronavirus as a pandemic, nations had to act swiftly to draft effective strategies for the prevention and containment of COVID-19. International literature highlights a range of approaches taken by countries, with varying degrees of success, as measured by the quality and responsiveness of their public health systems. This brief perspective proposes a critical-gerontological reflection on the Central American countries, highlighting the divergent regional approaches to the pandemic that resulted in unequal figures between nations. Despite the intention to face the health challenge collectively, varying governmental positions had a direct impact on the health of the older population. Costa Rica and Panama responded similarly to the crisis, showcasing their better social and health scenarios compared to their peers. The Central American approach to public health was tailored to the political ideology of each country, rather than adhering to the common objectives set by the regional integration scheme in place. Despite the pandemic posing a challenge, the region remains committed to building universal, equitable, and comprehensive public health for older people.

Fostering inclusive green growth in China: Identifying the impact of the regional integration strategy of Yangtze River Economic Belt

Inclusive green growth has garnered significant attention from governments and international organizations worldwide. Utilizing data from 282 cities in China spanning from 2010 to 2020, this study employs the dual machine learning model and the chain mediated effect model to delve into the effects and internal mechanisms of the regional integration of Yangtze River Economic Belt on inclusive green growth. Our findings indicate that the regional integration of Yangtze River Economic Belt has a substantial influence on inclusive green growth, particularly in cities with a higher degree of marketization, non-industrial cities, and cities lacking natural resource advantages. Mechanistic analysis reveals that the regional integration of Yangtze River Economic Belt exerts its influence on inclusive green growth through three parallel development paths including enhancing urban innovation levels, fostering mass entrepreneurship, and promoting the advancement of digital financial inclusion. Furthermore, the chain mediated effect is supported. Additionally, the spatial spillover effect of target policy is observed. These findings offer empirical evidence regarding the impact of the regional integration of Yangtze River Economic Belt on inclusive green growth, and provide valuable insights for optimizing and enhancing inclusive green growth strategies in China and other emerging economies.

Assessing the Impact of Regional Integration Strategies on the Development of Urban Green Economies: A Study Based on an Empirical Analysis of Ten Major Urban Agglomerations

Green development represents a critical pathway to achieving high-quality growth. From a regional perspective, examining the impact of regional integration on urban green economic development holds significant importance. This study leverages a quasi-natural experiment of regional integration strategy implementation, utilizing unbalanced panel data from China’s ten major urban agglomerations and non-agglomeration cities from 2003 to 2022. Employing a multi-period difference-in-difference approach, we empirically assess the policy effects of regional integration strategies on urban green economic development. We further analyze the heterogeneity of policy effects in terms of the geographic areas, urban agglomeration scales, and development driving models of the cities under study. Lastly, we use a moderating effect model to explore the mechanisms through which regional integration strategies impact urban green economic development. The research results are helpful for promoting urban green economy development through a regional integration strategy.

Temporal-spatial analysis of urban education and research efficiency: A case of Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, China

Evaluating the efficiency of education and research plays an important role in optimizing resource allocation and promoting sustainable development of science and education. The Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) is one of the most developed regions in China in terms of economy, science and education, and culture. Quantifying and analyzing its education and research efficiency is of great significance for the development of this urban agglomeration. Therefore, this study applied Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate the education and research efficiency of YRDUA from 2000 to 2021, and applied GIS visualization methods to analyze its spatiotemporal distribution characteristics. The research results indicate that due to the steady implementation of the Yangtze River Delta regional integration strategy, the overall scientific and educational efficiency of the Yangtze River Delta is showing a continuous upward trend. At the same time, the efficiency gap between different cities in the region is showing a narrowing trend,

Global river economic belts can become more sustainable by considering economic and ecological processes

High-quality regional development requires coupling of socioeconomic and natural domains, but it remains unclear how to effectively integrate the regional economy with river basin ecosystems. Here we establish a developmental perspective of 65 river economic belts, formed through history along the main stems of the world’s great rivers, covering initial, developing, and developed stages. We find that river economic belts characterized by basin-based regional integration can substantially upgrade their eco-efficiency through the harmonization of enhanced regional economic growth and efficient utilization of basin resources, once key prerequisites (e.g., gross domestic product per capita, de-industrialization status, and human development index) are met for river economic belts entering the developed stage. Importantly, primary concerns such as resource stress, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss are also inherently addressed. Under representative scenarios of regional development planning and climate change (2015–2050), the basin-based regional integration strategy would provide river economic belts with new opportunities and pathways towards sustainability in emerging regions worldwide.

Global turbulence, emerging powers and the regional integration potential in the Global South

During the past decade the world has witnessed an increase of developments that are shaking the global status quo. Among others, China-US/West economic frictions and the Russian invasion in Ukraine are leading to a retreat of globalization, with emphasis being given to regional production networks and value chains. Likewise, there are signs of reorganization or reinforcement of regional integration schemes such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and South–South cooperation fora such as the BRICS in view of failure of global governance structuresto optimally address the various issues raised. This article explores these developments and highlights how the alternatives created by the emergence of new “grand” actors are producing a potential bandwagoning effect in the Global South.

ANALYSIS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF UZBEKISTAN'S REGIONAL ECONOMY

Uzbekistan is committed to integrating into economic globalization and actively participating in regional integration construction. From the beginning of the period President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.Mirziyoyev has regarded the development of relations with neighboring countries and the strengthening of interregional economic cooperation as the priority of foreign relations of Uzbekistan's diplomatic and economic work, and is committed to building its own regional integration strategy. At the same time, Uzbekistan's economic strategy is of great significance to the stability and development of Central Asia, and will further promote the extensive international cooperation of the “The Belt and Road” initiative.

Dynamic Evolution and Regional Differences in the Efficiency of Compact Urban Development in Chinese Cities—Based on the Perspective of Compact Land Use

Modern cities require urban compact development to be sustainable. The evaluation of urban compact development may help create more accurate and realistic policies. The spatio-temporal dynamic evolution of urban compact development efficiency and its regional differences in China are examined in this study. This paper analysis uses 282 cities from 2005 to 2021. The unexpected output super-efficiency SBM model measures urban compact development efficiency. In this study, the urban compact development efficiency’s spatial and temporal patterns are also examined using kernel density estimation (KDE) and the Theil index (TI). The average efficiency of urban compact development in China has decreased slightly. However, compact efficiency disparities are decreasing. Eastern cities have a relatively stable compact efficiency, while central and western cities vary more. The compact efficiency polarisation has not changed fundamentally. The compact city growth model’s spatial agglomeration is poor, limiting its spatial spillover impact. Thus, compact urban development is necessary to speed up planning, facilitate inter-city production factor movement by creating a comprehensive transport network, and maximise co-location benefits with the regional integration strategy. This method will gradually reduce regional urban development disparities and push Chinese cities towards more refined and sustainable compact development.

The Impact of Regional Integration Strategies on the Formation of City Regions and Its Agglomeration Shadow: Evidence from the Yangtze River Delta, China

Using a sample of 122 county-level units in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region from 2000 to 2017, this study employs a difference-in-differences model (DID) to examine the impact of regional integration strategy (RIS) on city-region formation and a difference-in-difference-in-difference model (DDD) to test whether it has spatial heterogeneity. The results indicate that RIS has a significant positive impact on industrial integration while it also displays obvious industrial heterogeneity and spatial heterogeneity. The results of the present study contribute to the following points: First, the implementation of RIS promotes a balanced layout of the secondary industry in the region, yet the tertiary industry tends to agglomerate towards central cities. Furthermore, we found that RIS has a more significant negative effect on the integration of the secondary industry and tertiary industry in cities adjacent to metropolis. Consequently, RIS magnifies the “agglomeration shadow” within city regions in terms of industrial integration. Last, our in-depth fieldwork on Jiaxing unravels the mechanism of the shadow effect of RIS.

Embracing or Rebuffing “the International”? Populist Foreign Policy and the Fourth Wave of Populism in Latin America

Abstract Under what conditions do populists embrace or reject “the international”? Some scholars of populism argue that populist leaders tend to neglect political (inter-)action in the international arena due to their stated preference for isolationist, nationalistic, and protectionist stances. Meanwhile, others claim that through their promotion of performative encounters and transnational solidarities between “People(s),” populists are actually more likely to engage with actors, ideas, styles, and agendas coming from abroad. This article explores this apparent contradiction, hypothesizing that three main elements influence the “populist mindset” to narrate the external world and thus adopt or rather resist new contingencies originating internationally: legitimacy, support, and opportunity. To examine the combination of these behavioral patterns, we compare two populist presidents who are paradigmatic of a fourth wave of populism in Latin America: Brazil's Jair Messias Bolsonaro and Mexico's Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO). A comparative analysis of Bolsonaro's and AMLO's discursive responses to numerous foreign policy issues reveals how these three mechanisms condition their engagement or apathy toward external developments in bilateral frameworks of cooperation, regional integration schemes, multilateral organizations, and global governance institutions. The findings of this study can contribute to a greater understanding of populist foreign policies and their outcomes, with a special emphasis on Latin America and the Global South, and more generally to the emerging research on populism in international relations.

Evaluation and Spatial Correlation Analysis of Green Economic Growth Efficiency in Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration

The Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration has an extremely important strategic location in the national regional development pattern, is the engine of China’s green economic development, and plays an important role in promoting the green transformation of the national economy. It is important to clarify the region’s current situation and the space–time characteristics of green economic growth. This study uses a super-efficiency dynamic Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model to measure the green economic growth efficiency (GEGE) of 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. Based on this, the exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) method is used to analyze the spatial correlation of the GEGE. Differently from previous studies, this paper evaluates the GEGE based on a dynamic perspective, considering the intertemporal role of capital. At the same time, the space–time analysis of regional systems (STARS) is used to explore the long-term development pattern and transition path of the GEGE in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. The results show the following: (1) The GEGE in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration shows a fluctuating downward trend. The efficiency values of the Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui are significantly different, showing the distribution law of “high in the east and low in the west”. (2) The global spatial autocorrelation has weakened, but the characteristics of local agglomeration are obvious. (3) The space–time transitions show high spatial stability and path dependence. The findings highlight that the economic development of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration is undergoing a difficult period of transition. Despite a decline in the GEGE, the overall regional linkage shows a positive trend. The conclusions can provide a reference for enhancing the green economic development of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. The implications of this research are important for the implementation of a regional integration strategy and the early achievement of the emission peak and carbon neutrality goals.

How does the belt and road initiative affect the carbon emissions of China’s cities?

There is growing concern about carbon emissions as the economy grows, which is of great importance to the implementation of the green Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) development strategy. Using panel data of 282 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006–2020 and the difference-in-differences method, this paper empirically examines the effects of the BRI on carbon emissions. Both theoretical and empirical analyses indicate that the BRI can significantly reduce the carbon emission level of cities along the routes, but the impact varies in different regions and cities. The mechanism analysis shows that the BRI reduces the carbon emission level of the Belt and Road cities through the economic agglomeration effect and industrial structure effect. Therefore, China should vigorously promote green Belt and Road construction, implement a regional integration strategy, and promote the transformation and upgrading of the industrial structure. These findings have a certain reference value for the follow-up implementation of the BRI.

Trade Liberalisation Policies, Intra-regional Trade and Opportunities for Sustainable Agricultural Development

Many of the Near East (NE) countries are currently opening their agricultural markets at three distinct but interacting levels: unilateral liberalisation, regional integration schemes and multilateral trade liberalisation. These changes hold important implications for intra- and extra-regional trade, use of agricultural resources and sustainability of agricultural development in the NE countries. Unilaterally, and since the late 1980s, most countries of the region have liberalised their agriculture sectors by eliminating or reducing input subsidies, removing or reducing guaranteed producer prices, reducing the number of subsidised commodities and liberalising the exchange rate and the trade regime. Most of the implicit and explicit subsidies for agricultural inputs and outputs were withdrawn. However, some of the NE countries were able to continue supporting agriculture mainly for food security reasons. Experiences showed that domestic reform is necessary but not sufficient condition for economic growth.

Inaugural Address

I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all of you assembled here this morning. It is a great honour for me to address this opening session of the Twentieth Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Pakistan Society of Development Economists. Recent decades have witnessed a proliferation of regional integration schemes around the world involving both developed and developing countries alike. In the context of developing economies, the promotion of regional economic cooperation and integration is increasingly being viewed as an important instrument for expediting the process of economic development. It is widely believed that regional economic cooperation yields gains in production specialisation, efficiency and improved quality of exports, all of which benefit the countries participating in the regional cooperation effort.

The Problems and Countermeasures of Suzhou Enterprises' Development under the Background of "Double Carbon"

Enterprises are the most extensive market players to achieve the goal of "double carbon". The green and low carbon transformation of their production and operation activities is an important way to practice the concept of green and low carbon development and achieve the synergy of pollution reduction and carbon reduction. This paper is based on the new development stage, implements the new development concept, follows the requirements of high-quality development, and discusses how to better promote the green and low-carbon transformation of enterprises under the new development pattern, so that enterprises can play their due role in achieving the "dual carbon" strategic goal. Achieving the goal of carbon peaking and carbon neutralization is an inevitable choice to cope with climate change, strive to solve the outstanding problems of resource and environmental constraints, and realize the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. It is a solemn commitment to build a community with a shared future for mankind. In this regard, the Central Economic Work Conference has made it one of the important tasks of economic and social development to do a good job of "double carbon". At the same time, the realization of the "double carbon" goal was included in the overall layout of ecological civilization construction, and was proposed and emphasized in the government work report. Based on the national proposal of "supporting qualified cities to take the lead in reaching the peak carbon emissions", Suzhou, as one of the central cities in the Yangtze River Delta, should show "C responsibility" and more Suzhou actions in promoting regional integration strategy. This study puts forward some suggestions for Suzhou enterprises to achieve the goal of "double carbon" from the perspective of regional synergy.

The role of regionalism for tourism: an analysis of responses to Covid-19 in the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

This article analyses the role of regional integration schemes in the management of the COVID-19 crisis and the policies towards the tourism sector, focusing on the policies and strategies developed by the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the pandemic crisis. It presents the concepts of old and new regionalism from the International Relations field of studies and how regional integration correlates with policies and strategies for tourism, which have been put to the test by the need to bring the activity to a halt. This is an exploratory article, which relies on a qualitative methodology based on documental research, content analysis and access to secondary data. It presents the hypothesis that the tourism sectors from countries which are part of regional organisations benefit from these structures, once they provide mechanisms for developing coordinated
 recovery plans and the management of tourism mobilities. As a conclusion, the article provides a possible scenario where tourism will take place in a “world of regions”, with long-haul transit between continents returning at a slower pace in comparison with a faster restart of the activity within “intraregional bubbles”, such as the EU and ASEAN.