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Article: Towards an Asia-Pacific community: Michael Powles discusses current trends in Asia-Pacific economic integration and the evolving concept of 'Asia'.
- Article from:
- New Zealand International Review
- Article date:
- November 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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There are so many regional economic or political arrangements, in place or proposed, in the Asia-Pacific region that they have been described as a regional noodle bowl. But despite some movement towards regional economic integration, that goal has not yet been achieved, and it may still be some distance away. There can be no enduring regional economic integration unless it and the vehicle, or architecture, devised to bring it about are built on a solid political foundation. The construction of this essential political foundation is today only in its early stages and is proceeding slowly. Hardly anything is clear or decided, not even what constitutes 'Asia' for this ...