Pacific Economic Co Operation

In 1989, President George Bush was President of the United States the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum was established to promote economic integration around the Pacific Rim and to sustain economic growth. APEC currently has 21 members: Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Republic of the Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; USA; Vietnam. The United States, recognising the value of top-level meetings to advance the work of creating a Pacific community, invited member economies' leaders to Blake Island, Washington, to meet informally to discuss major issues in the APEC region. This gathering of economic leaders has become the single most important institution in the Asia Pacific region. It brings top level attention to APEC's vision of free trade and investment as well as providing a forum for leaders to meet on a regular basis both as a group and bilaterally to discuss current issues and resolve disputes. The economic health of the APEC region is vitally important to America's continued prosperity. Economic growth across the APEC region waned this year, largely in response to the slowing US economy and the weakening global demand for many of the Asian members' exports (particularly electronics). Many members have lowered their 2001 growth projections in light of poor performance during the first half of the year, although most will still post positive results. This compelling book about APEC and its background, goals and problems, provides the reader with the necessary information on the crucial role that it plays. A revived Asia-Pacific region means more exports from and investments by U.S. companies, more jobs for Americans and more U.S. economic growth.

This book provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive account of the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) organisation and examines the challenges APEC now faces in the new century. Subjects covered include: * the history of APEC * APEC and the latest WTO round * case-studies of countries in the region including China, Japan, Malaysia, Korea and Taiwan * APECs approach to competition and deregulation policy * assessment of APECs standing as an international institution Featuring contributions from distinguished groups of international academic experts, this book is essential reading for all those interested in political and economic developments in the Asia-Pacific.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) grouping is the first comprehensive economic arrangement to link countries from around the Pacific Rim. Since its establishment in 1989, APEC has graduated from a ministerial-level gathering of nine countries to an institution that stages annual summits, has a permanent secretariat, and whose twenty-one members have committed themselves to establishing free trade in the region. A decade after its foundation, however, members have been increasingly frustrated with the grouping's progress. In this timely book, John Ravenhill examines the reasons for APEC's establishment, its evolution, and the causes of its failures. His conclusions address central questions in international relations about international collaboration and regionalism. The book will interest all those concerned with broader questions about regional economic and political cooperation.

The Asia-Pacific region has, in the eyes of most observers, the potential to become the engine of global economic growth in the 21st century. Whether it does will largely depend upon the willingness of the region's nations to pursue economic co-operation and peaceful reconciliation of differences. In this volume, scholars, policy experts, and repre

Ippei Yamazawa is one of the fathers to the study of Asia-Pacific regional cooperation in Japan and has contributed hugely to the development and work of APEC over many years. APEC is a crucial trans-regional arrangement that draws the United States into constructive economic engagement with East Asia. This book makes it clear why APEC remains such a crucial element of regional economic architecture and defines an agenda going forward to which regional leaders should aspire. Here is a first rate exposition of the priorities for regional cooperation in Asia and the Pacific. --Peter Drysdale, Professor Emeritus, Australian National University

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was founded in 1989. Since then the forum has developed into a major player in tri-partite relations between North America, East Asia and Europe. The Seattle and Bogor Summits were landmark events suggesting to many observers a gravitational shift in the world economy and world politics. Yet the Asian financial crisis had a sobering effect on high-flying expectations as APEC contributed little to crisis management. In the light of such contradictory performance, distinguished scholars here examine APEC's achievements and failures, its role and functions in international relations, its linkages with regional organisations and the interplay between the forum and national interests of major factors in the region.