Dilemmas in the Formation of a Northeast Asian Economic Community

Despite their functional integration through markets, the trade powers of Northeast Asia, China, Japan and Korea(CJK) have not yet had an opportunity for an institutionalized economic integration. A Northeast Asian Economic Community, besides its importance in the establishment of an East Asian economic community, is a necessity to share the benefits of the regionalism that has been progressing rapidly along with globalization, and the three Northeast Asian countries acknowledge this. Accordingly, a Northeast Asian Economic Community is a justifiable concept. But, the first dilemma here is the heterogeneity of national and regional identities in the countries comprising Northeast Asia and of the precedence of national interest over that of a region. Furthermore, the conflicts and struggles between China and Japan have negatively been affecting not only the formation of a Northeast Asian community but the East Asian regionalism and regional cooperation attempts. The open regionalization attempts in East Asia and the debates surrounding the boundaries of East Asia that have spread to the Asia Pacific region, have had negative effects on the formation of an economic community in East Asia. These factors have acted as obstacles to the formation of a Northeast Asian Economic Community. Although at the present moment, the changes in the international trade regimes and global governance of Northeast Asia, East Asia, and of Asia Pacific may be perceived as dilemmas, their dynamism gives us a renewed sense of momentum and impetus.