Asian Regionalism: Competition and Co-operation Between Japan and the NIC’s

The topic of regionalism, trading blocks, and the role of Asia is becoming increasingly debated among academics and policymakers. The purpose of this paper is to analyze this topic from the viewpoint of co-operation and competition. Many of the Asian countries are “co-operating†, in the sense that they are forming certain blocks, such as APEC, in order to increase their bargaining position with the European Union and Nafta, and to encourage greater economic and business integration. At the same time, there is an increasing “competition†, between certain countries within Asia. A key part of this conflict, is between Japan, and the NIC’s, especially the two larger countries, South Korea and Taiwan. This paper will focus on the growing co-operation, mixed with competition and rivalry between Japan and these other Asian NIC’s.