ABSTRACT

Currently, development emphasizes the necessity and rationale behind the ideology of East Asian regional integration and a comparable study of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Open regionalism that might be regarded as a new paradigm of regionalism in the region. The new areas of emphasis are essential for elaboration of the regional legal regime: IP protection, environmental issues, investment regimes and service trade to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for Asian regional integration. Some argue that a de facto East Asian trading bloc is emerging 'by default', given the increased pace of the movement to regional integration in Europe and the Western Hemisphere. A rationale underlying East Asian economic integration is increased self-reliance and increased participation in rule making. The simultaneous integration and opening is a new direction for ASEAN in balancing generalized liberalization with deeper regional integration.