ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses how legal measures can be useful for the progress of regional integration in East Asia. The general move towards legalization in East Asia will continue for the time being, accompanied by the promotion of regional economic integration. Many scholars support the idea of both strengthening the free trade agreements network in East Asia and building up closer regional cooperation with respect to the environment, energy, information technology and investment. The East Asian region has been characterized as a principal example of soft legalization; for that reason, the degree of three-dimensionality in the notion of legalization is generally low. In the twenty-first century, the governments of most countries in this region have become more accustomed to making use of international legal instruments for achieving their national objectives, including dispute resolution. Distortion of trade or investment flows might arise from differences on rules of origin, trade-protective measures such as anti-dumping duties, and inconsistent decisions by different dispute settlement procedures.
