The ASEAN Economic Community: A Conceptual Approach

摘要

On 31 December 2015, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) was officially launched with the intent to mark a new milestone in the path to deeper integration in Southeast Asia. The AEC, together with the Political-Security Community and the Socio-Cultural Community form the three pillars of the ASEAN Community. Many questions have arisen regarding the significance and importance of this long-awaited achievement for economic development and the emergence of the region as a political actor on the international scene. With multiple Chinese initiatives in Asia such as the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, the Asian Investment Infrastructure Bank and the One Belt One Road initiative, the competing U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership initiative, as well as the conflict over the South China Sea, the discussion on the concept of ASEAN is timely.