ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that reality of change is far less simple, predictable and universally optimistic than is portrayed in much of the neo-liberal literature, and that this has fundamental implications for the social processes of economic integration attracting so much attention in the region. It outlines the main organizations involved in the regional discourse, focuses on the two that are nominally concerned with economic integration, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and East Asian Economic Causus. The economic rhetoric of APEC masks a more complex and multifaceted set of ambitions that also include political, social and strategic goals. The chapter argues that political and strategic considerations buttress support for the organizations in a number of cases, even though economic arguments are stressed. The share of intra-regional trade in a region’s total trade is frequently cited as a sign of rising economic integration and regionalization.
