Advancing East Asian regionalism

Since the 1997 crisis developments in East Asian regionalism have progressed rapidly. The end of the Asian miracle called into question not only the capacity of regional states to meet the needs of their peoples, but also challenged the viability of regional organisations, such as ASEAN, to adapt and respond to the changing circumstances. ASEAN and its three northern partners of China, Japan and South Korea recognised the urgent need to accelerate cooperation in response to the 1997 crisis and a host of other threats, as well as to maximise the opportunities arising from the growing interdependence of regional countries. Although there is much promise in this integration process, significant obstacles remain in its realisation.
Advancing East Asian Regionalism looks at the ways in which ASEAN has expanded since the crisis, particularly the creation of ASEAN+3, and evaluates the potential of East Asia to come together in a regional formation – one capable of representing the region as a whole while protecting the well-being of its peoples, markets and states. It couples case study material on regionalism, institutions, and sectoral cooperation, with theoretical debates on regionalisation, to push our understanding of East Asian regionalism forward. Providing up-to-date perspectives from regional policymakers, scholars and other experts actively involved in the issues of regionalism, this book will be essential reading to those studying Asian politics, regional studies and international relations.