Infrastructure connectivity and regional economic integration in East Asia: Progress and challenges

Hong Yu

doi:10.24294/jipd.v1i1.21

Infrastructure connectivity and regional economic integration in East Asia: Progress and challenges

Hong Yu

Article ID: 21
Vol 1, Issue 1, 2017

VIEWS - 3284 (Abstract) 1874 (PDF)

Abstract

Intra-regional trade serves as a key growth engine for East Asian economies. Accompanying the rapid growth of bilateral and intra-regional trade ties, the East Asian economies are becoming increasingly connected and interdependent. Infrastructure connectivity plays a crucial role in bridging different areas of the East Asian region and enabling them to reap the full socioeconomic benefits of economic cooperation and integration. Nevertheless, further improvement of infrastructure in the region faces major challenges due to the lack of effective mechanisms for coordination and dialogue on regional integration through funding infrastructure projects, as well as the serious trust deficit among member states that has arisen from the on-going territorial and historical disputes.

Keywords

East Asia; regional economic integration; infrastructure connectivity; China; trust deficit

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v1i1.21