Regionalism in the Asia-Pacific Region: How Wide, How Deep?

University of Adelaide School of Economics Working Paper No. 0090

18 Pages Posted: 7 Mar 2010

See all articles by Richard Pomfret

Richard Pomfret

University of Adelaide - School of Economics; CASE - Center for Social and Economic Research

Date Written: July 1, 2009

Abstract

The Asia Pacific region was characterized in the second half of the twentieth century by an absence of regional trading arrangements. The situations changed after 2000, raising questions of sequencing and of the boundaries of the region. This paper argues that the proliferation of regional and bilateral agreements has been driven by the rapid emergence of regional value chains and centres on trade facilitation measures. These create deep regionalism and variable boundaries, depending upon which countries integrate into the regional value chains.

Keywords: Regionalism, Asia

JEL Classification: F15

Suggested Citation

Pomfret, Richard, Regionalism in the Asia-Pacific Region: How Wide, How Deep? (July 1, 2009). University of Adelaide School of Economics Working Paper No. 0090, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1566327 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1566327

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