ABSTRACT
I. Introduction China has emerged as an important trading partner for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since the mid-1990s. ASEAN-China trade is said to have expanded more than five-fold between 1997 and 20051 and by 2007, the trade volume between ASEAN and China had surpassed the US$200 billion target, three-years ahead of schedule.2 Based on the 2006 data, China ranked as the fifth export market destination and third import market origin for ASEAN? Though the export intensities
of ASEAN to China are increasing, they are said to differ considerably amongst member countries.4
