East Asian Economic Integration And China's Role

Regional economic integration and globalization have become the main aspects which characterize the world's economic development. Each economy seeks the optimal allocation of resources and the most efficient manner in it beyond the national boundaries with the world's economic growth. Their dependence on and integration with each other in terms of economic development is increasingly close. Besides, their mutual implications are progressively profound. Therefore, the progress of economic globalization is accelerated. All the while, regional economic cooperation featured by economic integration has maintained a favorable momentum. It is represented by the individual country's active participation in it to enhance their economic potential growth and expand economic cooperation through regional division of labor. Lately the development of East Asian cooperation caught the world's attention. The emergence of 10 plus 3 cooperative pattern indicates that eastern Asian economic cooperation starts to enter its institutional phase.This paper begins with the concept and phases of economic integration, and further to sum up the causes and economic effects as well as the interactions between it and WTO. It hopes to set up a relatively thorough framework for the research of East Asian economic integration. Then the paper sets about researching the East Asian integration.Countries and regions in East Asia feel the need to strength the regional cooperation facing the huge challenge of globalization and pressure from other regional communities. The awareness of East Asian cooperation is revitalized with the rapid growth and the increasingly strong mutual dependence in East Asia, which forms the preconditions for regional integration. Though East Asia has been provided with the conditions of integration in economics, it will take a long time to emerge as an institutional and organized regional organization. Because there are a lot of differences in history, culture, economics and politics between East Asian countries and regions, in addition to the unfavorable influence caused by powerfulcountries like the U.S. The second part of the paper analyses the imperatives, possibility and the restrictive conditions for East Asian economic integration.The third part of the paper makes a complete account of the progress of East Asian economic integration, taking China, Japan and ASEAN as examples. It states that 10 plus 3 cooperation is the main channel and the rudimental phase of regional integration, thus inducing that its development signifies the prospects of East Asian integration. Therefore, the research for 10 plus 3 cooperative pattern has the important and profound significance.China has become the engine of the economic growth and important strength to maintain the stabilization and security in East Asia in the 21st century. She should make great contribution to economic integration in East Asia. China's rejuvenation and successful entry into the WTO has profound implications for regional integration and its wish to enhance the level of regional cooperation will greatly prompt the regional integration. In the end, the paper researches China's role and policies in regional integration in East Asia. It tries to offer suggestions on China's participation in regional integration to the Chinese government.