Washington Report, 2006-03

Abstract

Some Asian leaders have declared the emergence of a "new regionalism," pointing to the conclusion of numerous preferential trading agreements and other integrative initiatives. In Reshaping The Asia Pacific Economic Order (Routledge: 2005), the contributing authors examine the forces reshaping the Asia Pacific economic order and consider how these changes may affect transpacific ties. During a recent visit to Washington, Prof. Christopher Findlay of Adelaide University, who co-edited the book with Dr. Hadi Soesastro of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, discussed its main themes. In particular, he emphasized the importance of continued U.S. participation in the debate about Asia Pacific architectures and the value of using existing mechanisms — such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum — for this purpose. Washington Report is a bimonthly newsletter that provides an "inside-the-Beltway" perspective on developments in U.S.-Asia Pacific relations. The centerpiece of the report is an interview with a leading authority on an economic, political, and/or strategic issues of importance to transpacific relations.