Towards an Asian Economic Community: Vision of a New Asia

摘要

This book contains the revised versions of selected papers presented at the International Conference on "Building a New Asia: Towards an Asian Economic Community" held in March 2003 in New Delhi. Generally the ten papers (chapters) in the book find a compelling case for regional integration among the major Asian economies to form an Asian Economic Community to enhance economic growth in the post-1997 period. The first summit of such a community is being held in December 2005. The formation of such a grouping will signal the beginning of a tri-polar world, contributing hopefully to a more stable global economy. In Chapter 1, the editor, examines the case for and potential of an Asian Economic Community (AEC). The case for is based on the fact that intra-regional trade and investment within regional trading arrangements (RTAs) such as the EU and NAFTA are growing faster than the extra-regional trade of member countries. While there are sub-regional attempts at economic cooperation and a growing number of bilateral and even more plural arrangements in Asia, there is now support and recognition of the need for pan-Asian economic cooperation and integration.