Understanding the ASEAN economic community: pragmatism versus conceptualism. Issue 5 (20th October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pelkmans, Jacques
• Is Part Of: Asia Pacific business review. Volume 25:Issue 5(2019)
• Page Start: 619
• Page End: 636
• Publication Date: 2019-10-20
• Subjects: Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- economic cooperation -- economic regionalism -- market integration; Asia -- Commerce -- Periodicals; 338.095
• DOI: 10.1080/13602381.2019.1652976
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-2381

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The ASEAN Economic Community, born in 2003 and developed over the next 12 years, aims to build a 'single market' whilst 'enhancing the production base' in ASEAN for global and regional value-chains. The paper attempts to understand the AEC via a conceptual as well as a pragmatic approach. It summarizes achievements up to 2015 and assesses the 2025 Blueprint in some detail. At times the latter reads like a Roadmap full of details but measures often remain open-ended or somewhat vague, a typical ASEAN characteristic. What ultimately matters to ASEAN is economic growth and the AEC may well serve as a handmaiden to sustained high growth.