ABSTRACT
Ever since the East Asian Five emerged as enterprising manufacturers and traders, there has been a tendency to see the group more and more as a bloc. The similarities have been accentuated by various writers, some even referring to the region as "Eastasia" to enhance this image. 1 Such an approach is understandable since there is no doubt that these countries do have much in common. If not for that, it is hardly likely that they would have risen at roughly the same time and in roughly the same manner. 2
