Trade Policy in the Asia-Pacific (eBook)

The Role of Ideas, Interests, and Domestic Institutions

Vinod K. Aggarwal, Seungjoo Lee (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: PDF

2010 | 2011
XII, 158 Seiten
Springer New York (Verlag)
978-1-4419-6833-3 (ISBN)

Infos

East Asian countries are now pursuing greater formal economic institutionalization, weaving a web of bilateral and minilateral preferential trade agreements. Scholarly analysis of 'formal' East Asian regionalism focuses on international political and economic factors such as the end of the Cold War, the Asian financial crisis, or the rising Sino-Japanese rivalry. Yet this work pays inadequate attention to the strategies of individual government agencies, business groups, labor unions, and NGOs across the region. Moreover, most studies also fail to adequately characterize different types of trade arrangements, often lumping together bilateral accords with minilateral ones, and transregional agreements with those within the region. To fully understand this cross-national variance, this book argues that researchers must give greater attention to the domestic politics within East Asian countries and the U.S., involving the interplay of these subnational players. With contributions from leading country and regional trade specialists, this book examines East Asian and American trade strategies through the lens of a domestic bargaining game approach with a focus on the interplay of interests, ideas, and domestic institutions within the context of broader international shifts. With respect to domestic politics, the chapters show how subnational actors engage in lobbying, both of their own governments and through their links to others in the region. They also trace the evolution of interests and ideas over time, helping us to generate a better understanding of historical trends in the region. In addition to scholars of East Asian and comparative regionalism, this book will be of interest to policy-makers concerned with international trade and U.S.-Asia relations, and those interested in understanding the rich trade institutional landscape that we see emerging in the Asia-Pacific.

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East Asian countries are now pursuing greater formal economic institutionalization, weaving a web of bilateral and minilateral preferential trade agreements. Scholarly analysis of "e;formal"e; East Asian regionalism focuses on international political and economic factors such as the end of the Cold War, the Asian financial crisis, or the rising Sino-Japanese rivalry. Yet this work pays inadequate attention to the strategies of individual government agencies, business groups, labor unions, and NGOs across the region. Moreover, most studies also fail to adequately characterize different types of trade arrangements, often lumping together bilateral accords with minilateral ones, and transregional agreements with those within the region. To fully understand this cross-national variance, this book argues that researchers must give greater attention to the domestic politics within East Asian countries and the U.S., involving the interplay of these subnational players. With contributions from leading country and regional trade specialists, this book examines East Asian and American trade strategies through the lens of a domestic bargaining game approach with a focus on the interplay of interests, ideas, and domestic institutions within the context of broader international shifts. With respect to domestic politics, the chapters show how subnational actors engage in lobbying, both of their own governments and through their links to others in the region. They also trace the evolution of interests and ideas over time, helping us to generate a better understanding of historical trends in the region. In addition to scholars of East Asian and comparative regionalism, this book will be of interest to policy-makers concerned with international trade and U.S.-Asia relations, and those interested in understanding the rich trade institutional landscape that we see emerging in the Asia-Pacific.

Inhalt

Preface 6
Introduction 8
Contents 12
Contributors 14
Abbreviations 16
The Domestic Political Economy of Preferential Trade Agreements in the Asia- Pacific 18
1.1 Introduction 18
1.2 Categorizing Types of Trade Agreements 21
1.2.1 An Example: The Actor Scope and Geography of Trade Arrangements 21
1.2.2 East Asian and USA Trade Accords prior to the 2000s 23
1.3 Diverging Trade Strategies after 2000 24
1.3.1 Country Specific Dimensions: Number of Partners and Sequence 28
1.3.2 Agreement Specific Dimensions: Actor Scope, Location, Size 28
1.3.3 Agreement Specific Characteristics: Issue Scope, Nature, and Strength 29
1.4 Existing Explanations for Asia-Focused Trade Strategies 30
1.4.1 Economic Gains 30
1.4.2 Political Economic Considerations 32
1.4.3 Motivations for Domestic Reforms 33
1.4.4 Power Asymmetry 33
1.4.5 Diplomatic and Security Concerns 34
1.5 The Role of Ideas, Interests, and Domestic Institutions 34
1.5.1 Four Types of Trade Strategy Constellations 34
1.5.2 Ideas, Interests, and Institutions in the Formation of Trade Strategy 35
1.5.3 Changes in Perceptions and Ideas 36
1.5.4 Interest Reconfiguration 38
1.5.5 Domestic Institutions 39
1.5.6 Dynamic Interplay Among Ideas, Interests, and Institutions 40
References 42
The Domestic Political Economy of China’s Preferential Trade Agreements 46
2.1 Introduction 46
2.2 China’s Turn to PTAs 48
2.3 Where Is the Fight? 49
2.4 Whose Voices? 52
2.5 Institutions 57
2.6 Knowledge, Ideas, and Identities 61
2.7 Looking into the Future 63
References 63
The Domestic Politics of Japan’s Regional Foreign Economic Policies 66
3.1 Introduction 66
3.2 Traditional Approaches to East Asian Regionalism 67
3.3 New Regional Strategy in the Post-Cold War Era 68
3.3.1 The Rise of APEC 68
3.3.2 The “Fall” of APEC 70
3.3.3 The Turn Toward FTAs 72
3.3.4 External Sources of Change and Resistance 74
3.4 The Formation of New Regional Strategies: Ideas, Interests, and Domestic Institutions in the Twentieth Century 74
3.4.1 Ideas 75
3.4.2 Players and Their Interests 75
3.4.3 Coalitions and Regionalism 76
3.5 Domestic Change and Regional Strategies: Ideas, Interests, and Domestic Institutions in the Twenty- First Century 76
3.5.1 The Changed Institutional Setting 76
3.5.2 Public’s Attitudes Toward Trade 77
3.5.3 Organized Interests: The Limit of Sector-Based Explanation 79
3.6 Conclusion 84
References 85
South Korea’s Political Dynamics of Regionalism: A Comparative Study of Korea- Japan FTA and Korea- U. S. FTA 87
4.1 Introduction 87
4.2 U.S.-Centered Transregional Multilateralism Before the Asian Crisis 89
4.3 A New Wave Toward East Asian Regionalism After the Asian Crisis 91
4.4 Strong Ideas, Weak Institutions, and Non-Hegemon for Regionalism: Korea- Japan FTA 94
4.5 Strong Ideas, Strong Institutions, and a Re-Empowering Hegemon for Regionalism: The Korea- U. S. FTA 97
4.6 Conclusion 101
References 102
The United States and Asian Regionalism: The Politics of Reactive Leadership 104
5.1 Introduction 104
5.2 Traditional Approaches to East Asian Regionalism 105
5.3 New Regional Strategy in the Post-Cold War Era 109
5.4 The Formation of New Regional Strategies: Ideas, Interests, and Domestic Institutions 121
5.4.1 International Environment 121
5.4.2 Interests and Ideas 122
5.4.3 APEC Policy 125
5.4.4 FTAs, FTAAP, and TPP 127
5.5 Conclusions and Looking Forward: The Obama Administration 132
References 134
The Politics of Singapore’s Bilateral Free Trade Agreements: Enlightened Self- interest to Promote East Asian Regionalism in the New Millennium? 136
6.1 Introduction 136
6.2 Traditional Approach to East Asian Regionalism 137
6.3 Establishing Bilateral FTAs: Singapore’s New Regional Strategy 137
6.3.1 Ideas 137
6.3.2 Domestic Institutions 140
6.3.3 Interests 140
6.4 Singapore’s FTA Strategy: Regional Impacts and Reactions 141
6.5 Relevant Case Studies 142
6.5.1 The Initial Move: An FTA with New Zealand 142
6.5.2 Engaging the Major Players: Bilateral FTAs with Australia, Japan, and the USA 144
6.5.3 Strengthening Ties with East Asian Regionalism: Bilateral FTAs with China, India, and Korea 148
6.5.4 Beyond East Asian Regionalism: Cross-regional FTAs 152
6.6 Concluding Observations 154
References 156
Evolving Trade Strategies in the Asia-Pacific 157
7.1 Introduction 157
7.2 Analyzing Trade Strategies in the Asia-Pacific 158
7.3 Cases 162
7.3.1 China 162
7.3.2 Japan 163
7.3.3 Korea 164
7.3.4 The United States 165
7.3.5 Singapore 165
7.4 The Future of Trade Policy in the Asia-Pacific 166
References 167
Index 168

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 3.11.2010
• Reihe/Serie: The Political Economy of the Asia Pacific
• Reihe/Serie: The Political Economy of the Asia Pacific
• Zusatzinfo: XII, 158 p.
• Verlagsort: New York
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Studium ► 1. Studienabschnitt (Vorklinik) ► Biochemie / Molekularbiologie
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung ► Politische Theorie
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Unternehmensführung / Management
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Volkswirtschaftslehre ► Makroökonomie
• Schlagworte: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) • Doha Development Round (DDR) • Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) • World Trade Organization (WTO)
• ISBN-10: 1-4419-6833-4 / 1441968334
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4419-6833-3 / 9781441968333