Introduction to the Handbook on East Asian Economic Integration: An overview of shifting paradigm in globalisation, trade, and investment in East Asia

This chapter provides an overview of the content in this volume on East Asian economic integration. It outlines debates about the nature and value of trade and economic integration, and examines whether East Asia will follow a similar evolution in the debate, as well as how East Asia will be affected by the growing anti-trade and anti-globalisation policy debates. The overview also includes policy discussions on the development of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and its implications for East Asia. Following this discussion, it reviews the chapters of the volume in terms of four areas of focus relevant for the future development of East Asia: (i) new regional and multilateral trading arrangements: analysis and evaluation; (ii) production networks, investment policies, and global value chains; (iii) structural transformation, skills, and domestic capacity; and (iv) infrastructure, digital technologies, regional security, and environment.