THE ROLES PLAYED BY CHINA AND JAPAN IN THE ASIAN INTEGRATION PROCESS

Iulia Oehler-Şincai

Romanian Economic Business Review, 2014, vol. 9, issue 3, 131-148

Abstract: Both a result and an active constituent of the globalization process, the Asian economic integration is characterized in the literature as dynamic, flexible and pragmatic. The ASEAN+6 “construction” and particularly China and Japan play leading roles in the regional integration process, due to their networked participation at regional and global value chains and also trade, investment and technology flows. Nevertheless, the rise of “Factory Asia” encounters many obstacles, including the gradual erosion of competitive advantages, increasing complexity of global production networks and an incipient re-shoring movement. Having in mind the actual opportunities and risks that arise for the Asian integration, the present paper has a threefold objective: (1) to outline the Asian integration state of the art in the context of global changes and challenges; (2) to illustrate that China and Japan are both partners and competitors and they occupy a distinct place in the regional economic order not only by means of roles played in trade in value added, but also if we consider their stance toward the integration process as compared to their neighbors; (3) to underline that, although a deep partnership between China and Japan is still difficult to conceive, due to their common historical background, this would be the most fruitful path to face up to the global challenges and concurrently to invigorate the regional integration up to the stage of the “New Factory Asia”.

Keywords: economic integration; global production networks; trade in value added; China; Japan; factory Asia; Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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