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This study examines the linkages between regional integration, poverty, and inequality reduction in the South African Customs Union. This was achieved by applying an econometric analytical technique to panel data on the five-member countries covering 2000–17. Results confirmed that regional integration is important in poverty and inequality reduction. This study has revealed that poverty can be reduced by increasing the levels of integration with other economies, increasing Human Development Indexfst and reducing inequalities. Therefore, these findings show that SACU governments’ commitment to enhancing each of these variables is critical in achieving zero or reduced poverty among member states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study unravels the relationship between trade and connectivity and presents a narrative to re-energise the South Asian regional economic integration in the post-pandemic period. In addition, the study also examines the effect on conflicts and institutional factors in South Asian trade. The study uses the bilateral gravity analysis in 2SLS (Two-Stage Least Squares) framework to address the endogeneity issues. The study finds that South Asia may gain enormously if they reduce the conflicts across the border and secure improvement in both hard and soft infrastructure. Given that the trade is a dynamic concept, connectivity disruption costs cause havoc to the region, which then promotes dis-integration. Facilitating business beyond the border in post-pandemic requires an enhanced trade facilitation and connectivity in the region. The renewed and shared agenda of the South Asian regional cooperation in post-pandemic should, therefore, aim to reduce both intra- and inter- regional trade facilitation gaps as well as to expand the connectivity. The process of South Asian regional integration has to contribute to narrowing the gaps by providing resources for the development of trade infrastructure. Therefore, South Asia has to enhance its own connectivity and trade facilitation arrangement to take forward the agenda of South Asian integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does China's growing economic presence pose an opportunity or a threat to regional economic integration? The authors answer this question by analyzing longitudinal and cross-country evidence from three regions, Central, South, and Southeast Asia. A unique panel dataset detailing bilateral economic cooperation and each economy's political-economic factors from 2000 to 2019 was examined. This study concludes that (1) inbound foreign direct investment from China is positively associated with a country's intra-regional integration, (2) trade ties to China show a negative relationship with intra-regional integration, and (3) the level of a country's regional economic integration is conditioned by domestic economic and political factors such as transportation and information connectivity, per capita GDP, population size, trade openness, and public governance. This article contributes to the literature by using fresh cross-regional evidence to decipher the China effect on regional integration, embedding the political economy at both national and regional levels, and identifying variations and significance of various political-economic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the impact of ideational elements on state efforts to achieve regional integration, with a specific focus on Morocco's pursuit of membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This study investigates how shared cultural heritage, historical narratives, and common views on principles such as free trade and security partnerships foster a sense of collective identity among states, thereby promoting deeper cooperation and integration within regions. However, conflicting ideologies can create obstacles to meaningful integration by breeding distrust and friction among participating states. This study argues that constructivism provides valuable insights into regional integration processes by emphasizing the importance of shared norms, identities, and social interactions among states. The analysis reveals thatMorocco's aspiration to align with the interests of other African states in ECOWAS and promote economic integration serves as the ideological basis for its pursuit of ECOWAS membership, viewing it as a symbol of African resurgence and a means to strengthen its regional position. Although Morocco's history, laws, society, and politics align with ECOWAS norms, the absence of provisions for new members in the ECOWAS Treaty presents a hurdle for Moroccan accession. Nevertheless, this article suggests that the ECOWAS Authority of the Heads of State and Government could potentially address this issue by establishing a supplementary protocol to admit Morocco, underscoring the significance of ideological factors in shaping regional integration processes and institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This proposition paper introduces a novel curriculum designed to explore the trends of normalization and integration transforming the Middle East. The curriculum includes a comprehensive textbook and an accessible digital archive for scholars, students, and individuals seeking to deepen their understanding of this subject. The study investigates how academic politicization, biased content, and limited accessibility have contributed to a significant gap in comprehending Israel's integration in the Middle East, particularly within US Middle East Studies. Our methodology involves a comparative analysis of the academic approaches of the Edward Said and Bernard Lewis "camps," representing contrasting perspectives within US academia. Additionally, we assess the divergence between academic and state-led approaches to Middle Eastern integration in the United States. By identifying and analyzing six critical factors – impact on the field of Middle East Studies, impact on academic freedom, impact on religious tolerance, impact on regional stability, fresh research on the US Peace to Prosperity Plan and Arab Peace Initiative, and Israeli-Palestinian peace – this research underscores the necessity for the proposed curriculum and its resources. This curriculum aims to bridge the existing knowledge gap and provide a more balanced and comprehensive understanding of Middle Eastern dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year 2022 marks the significance of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as the agreement enters into force after nearly one decade of negotiations. While the pandemic exposed the vulnerability of the tourism industry to the changing market reality, it also created an impetus for Asia-Pacific regionalism. The RCEP marks the first time a monumental trade agreement is ratified virtually, and member states will be the primary beneficiary given the correct response and strategy. Thus, the Asia-Pacific is set to become one of the fastest-growing regions in the coming decade as countries agree to enhance trade and investment. Our study examines the potential economic implications of the RCEP on tourism. We offer four interrelated proposals rooted in the tenets of tourism-led growth. Tourism researchers are encouraged to refine the propositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa appears to be an appealing investment destination, with African stock markets offering foreign investors the gateway to tap into the continent's potential growth opportunities. Despite the significant growth and development of stock markets on the continent in recent decades, however, there remain some obstacles to overcome. This paper aims to examine the challenges faced by African stock markets which diminish their appeal to foreign investors and assess regional integration as a potential solution. Key takeaways: (1) African stock markets are often inadequately regulated and exhibit limited size, depth and liquidity, compounded by high currency volatility, prohibitive trading costs and macroeconomic and political instability, making them less attractive to foreign investors; (2) policy makers and regulators in developing countries should focus on fostering the development of vibrant and liquid public equity markets that are well regulated by creating a favourable market ecosystem through legislation, tax incentives and other measures to encourage listings; (3) for financial markets to operate effectively, they must exist within a comprehensive supportive framework encompassing legal, economic and political elements and coordinated monetary policies, potentially through currency zones; (4) the regional integration of stock exchanges can facilitate global integration, and some progress has been made in this regard. African stock markets remain weakly integrated, however, and economic integration initiatives are still hampered by low intra-African trade and inadequate infrastructure; (5) while the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) lays a solid foundation for economic integration, African countries should allocate additional resources to implement the AfCFTA and ensure increased intra-Africa trade to assist in making its stock markets more attractive to foreign investors and potentially launching a continental exchange in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the construction of South American collective identities in Brazil, emphasizing regional integration and identity formation. Using a seven-scale model adapted from European identity research, it evaluates the psychological existence and identification with South America as a transnational imagined community among Brazilians. The findings highlight the complex interplay between national and regional identities, influenced by historical, cultural, and socio-political factors. The study contributes to the field of Comparative Regionalism by providing a nuanced understanding of identity dynamics in South America, underscoring the importance of elite-led integration efforts and their impact on citizens’ perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great significance to explore the causality between regional integration (RI) and PM2.5 pollution within urban agglomerations in the current pursuit of ecological civilization construction and high‐quality development. Using panel data of 285 prefecture‐level cities in China from 2003 to 2016, this study considers the expansion of the city economic coordination committee in Yangtze River Delta (YRDECC) as a quasi‐natural experiment of RI, and use a difference‐in difference method to explore the effect and inner mechanisms of RI on PM2.5 concentration. After a descriptive analysis of the spatial‐temporal variation trend of the PM2.5 concentration in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, the empirical results show that RI helps to alleviate 4.8% of the PM2.5 concentration overall. For the original cities, the reduction effect on the PM2.5 concentration is 5.2%, for the new cities, however, RI exacerbates 2.1% of the local PM2.5 concentration. A series of robustness tests confirm the validity of the baseline results, and further indicate that the effect of RI remains significant in the long term and starts to increase from the third year. Furthermore, the reduction effect of RI on PM2.5 concentration is more pronounced in cities with larger scales, more developed economies, and higher degrees of marketization. The mechanism analysis shows that industrial transfer, population migration and technological innovation are significant channels of RI that affect PM2.5 concentrations. The conclusions of this paper provide a new path to alleviate PM2.5 pollution and achieve ecological conservation and high‐quality development in the city cluster area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development corridors have become a key tool of economic policy in the Global South. Yet, it appears that many of these mega-projects already fail at the stage of implementation. The article deals with three problems that corridors face. Corresponding ideas are drawn from existing literature, and confirmed and expanded against the backdrop of a case study on the Bioceanic Corridor, which connects the central west of Brazil via Paraguay and Argentina to the north of Chile. First, there is a tendency to focus on opportunities and neglect challenges. Corridors often reflect unrealistic grand visions for the future. Second, these initiatives depend on territorial rescaling to sub- and supranational levels, but national governments bundle too much power. Third, being a means to facilitate integration into global value chains, corridors provoke disputes over gains. Each country – and even subnational entities – strives to maximise its benefits at the expense of others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An emerging field of research suggests that the policy and societal pressures for a green transition represent a "green window of opportunity" for peripheral regions. These regions often lag behind in overall innovation performance and may suffer from being places that don't matter. At the same time, these are exactly the regions that the European Union is trying to support through several programmes, including Horizon Europe. This paper investigates the participation of organisations from peripheral regions in environmental projects funded by the Horizon Europe programme. To account for the multidimensional nature of regional peripherality, we define peripheral regions from a geographical, innovation and socio-economic perspective. We then analyse the relationship between these dimensions of regional peripherality and the extent to which regions benefit from Horizon environmental innovation projects in terms of participation, amount of funding and position in the overall network of project consortia. Our findings show a greater participation in Horizon environmental innovation projects for regions in Southern and Northern Europe, while within-country peripherality is negatively related to participation. At the same time, regions that are lagging in terms of innovation and socio-economic performance also receive less of this specific funding. Overall, geographical peripherality only tells a part of the story as several "places that don't matter" for innovation and economic dynamism are also unable to benefit from these specific green windows of opportunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional integration strategically reorganizes spatially heterogeneous resources to maximize the overall benefits. Ecosystem services (ESs) are promising targets for regional integration due to their inherent heterogeneity and mobility, yet research in this area remains limited. This study quantifies crop production (CP), water yield (WY), carbon storage (CS), and habitat quality (HQ) for the years 2000, 2010, and 2020 using the InVEST model and identifies four ES bundles through a K-means cluster analysis. A conceptual ecosystem service flow (ESF) network at the service cluster scale is constructed based on county-level ESF data. The results reveal the following: (1) there is an upward trend in the ES budget for all services from 2000 to 2020, coupled with spatial mismatches between supply and demand; (2) deficit nodes for CP and CS services are concentrated in densely populated districts, while deficits in WY and HQ services are mainly in western Jilin Province; (3) Bundles I and II act as "sources" of ES, Bundle IV serves as a "sink", and Bundle III is the only cluster with a CP surplus, balancing CP services across the province. In addition, this study provides ecological perspectives for understanding regional integration by suggesting differentiated integrated management for different ecosystem bundles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the urban panel data of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei from 2009 to 2021, this article constructs an indicator system for the development level of the digital economy and regional integration, evaluates the impact of the digital economy on the integration development levels of different types of cities. The study found that (1) The digital economy significantly promotes the integration level of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. The study divides Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei into two categories: large cities and small and medium-sized cities. Large cities and small and medium-sized cities have different effects on the relationship between the digital economy and integration level. (2) From the analysis of different dimensions of the digital economy, digital network infrastructure improvements, industrial digitization, and digital society can all promote regional integration. However, different digital economy contents have different promotional effects on different types of cities. (3) From the results of the mechanism analysis, it can be seen that the optimization of the allocation of human and capital elements, the increase in patent innovation, and the reduction of transaction costs will help enhance the driving force of the digital economy for regional integration. Among them, innovative development significantly impacts large cities' integration levels. The promotion effect is more significant, and small and medium-sized cities are mainly affected by reduced transaction costs and the optimized allocation of capital factors. This study further expands the impact mechanism of the digital economy on the level of regional integration development. It provides a more in-depth analysis of the use of the digital economy to achieve coordinated regional development in regions with excessive economic and technological differences through heterogeneity research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The main goal of this paper is to examine the evolution of Latin American productive integration in terms of the regional value added incorporated in intra-regional exports of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. In addition, the study traces the trade and productive integration trajectories for each of these countries from 1995 to 2015. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the use of OECD’s global ICIO input-output tables, this paper applies the methodological framework by Wang et al. (2018) for the analysis of trade flows at the bilateral level, which allows breaking down the value of gross exports of each sector-country, depending on the origin of the value added contained in exports, as well as their use. Findings – The estimates show very low shares of value added from regional partners in the intra-regional exports of the countries studied. Conversely, the weight of the value added incorporated in these exports by countries outside the region has increased in tandem with China’s expanding involvement in Latin America. This development, along with the downward trend in domestic value added incorporated in exports, indicates a lack of a regional integration process of any depth. Originality/value – This article addresses an economic problem of conventional importance from a global value chain perspective using a novel methodology based on the use of global input–output tables.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) has become a key source of economic growth for the Balkan countries, offering vital funding for development initiatives. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the dynamics of FDI in Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro from 2000 to 2023. An econometric model was used to conduct the research, namely, the relationship between FDI and economic growth in the region was analysed. A multiple regression model was developed that includes gross domestic product growth as the dependent variable. It was established that significant fluctuations in the rates of economic growth are characteristic of all three countries during this period. Serbia has shown particular resilience, with positive growth rates prevailing in most years. Key sectors attracting FDI were also identified, including services, manufacturing, automotive, IT, agriculture, energy and tourism. The obtained results emphasised the importance of reforms aimed at business development, infrastructure development and regional integration, especially with the EU, as critical factors in attracting FDI. In addition, diversification of FDI sources was emphasised with increased investments from China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, which complement traditional investors from the EU. More than 60% of foreign investment in Serbia has been found to be concentrated in the services sector, while North Macedonia has successfully attracted investment in high value-added industries such as information technology and engineering. These findings are consistent with established economic theories about the impact of FDI on growth, while providing specific insights into the Balkan context. It found that a 1% increase in FDI was associated with a 0.3-0.5% increase in gross domestic product in the Balkan countries studied. The obtained results can become the basis for future political decisions and investment strategies in the region

Previous work in the literature on regional economic integration has proposed the use of machine learning algorithms to evaluate the composition of customs unions, specifically, to estimate the degree to which customs unions match “natural markets” arising from trade flow data or appear to be driven by other factors such as political considerations. This paper expands upon the static approaches used in previous studies to develop a dynamic framework that allows to evaluate not only the composition of customs unions at a given point in time, but also changes in the composition over time resulting from accessions of new member states. We then apply the dynamic algorithm to evaluate the evolution of the global landscape of customs unions using data on bilateral trade flows of 200 countries from 1958 to 2018. A key finding is that there is considerable variation across different accession rounds of the European Union as to the extent to which these are aligned with the structure of “natural markets,” with some accession rounds following more strongly a commercial logic than others. Similar results are also found for other customs unions in the world, complementing the insights obtained from static analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Based on limited theoretical applicability of metropolitan area concept under China’s circumstances and the planning practice in Greater Shanghai Metropolitan Area, this article proposes a Chinese understanding on the concept of “Metropolitan Area”, which extends its core connotation from a commuting area to a multi-functional area. It further proposes to utilize the preparation of spatial plans as means to promote high-quality development of metropolitan areas and to achieve coordinated regional development. Metropolitan area planning takes spatial planning as its basic attribute, and simultaneously embodies the contents of economic and social arrangements. It could become a binding contract based on consensus among member cities. In terms of technical innovations in planning practice, this article firstly suggests using a “problem-based, goal-targeted, action-driven, space-oriented and implementation-guided” approach to form a framework of “objective (indicator)-strategy-action-mechanism” to realize collaborative goals. Secondly, the spatial plan should focus on “bottom line factors” as well as “collaborative factors”, establishing a technical framework for regional spatial organization from multiple dimensions such as ecological pattern, city function, spatial structure, and conduction mechanism which drive transformations in regional governance modes.

Regional integration in the marketized socialist context has been regarded as a cross-boundary development led by governmental apparatuses, wherein administrative toolkits have been employed to consolidate coalitional benefits on different scales. Since 1980s, when an ideological transition from managerialism to urban entrepreneurism reshaped urban and regional governance, municipalities have become an active role in bargaining for local development opportunities. Based on this, the market economy objectively promotes social capital for participation in regional development agendas and capital circuits. Thus, municipalities no longer dominate capital flows with bureaucratic tactics but by diversifying development through a variety of approaches, including state-owned enterprise reform, the introduction of foreign capital, and encouragement of private enterprise operations. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) represent an important form of state-business cooperation, which generally refers to a type of multilink and process-based cooperation carried out by the public and private sectors. Existing literature discusses the different roles of these sectors in PPP projects from the perspectives of growth machines, fiscal decentralization, and institutional establishments. However, few studies on PPP projects reveal the operational mechanism at the regional scale compared to that at the urban scale, leading to research gaps in (1) how regional governments participate, (2) how regional and city governments interact, and (3) how the interests of multilevel governments and the private sector are coordinated. The study aimed to dialogue with the theory of regional integration and conceptualize PPP projects on a regional scale using an analytical framework. Additionally, it intended to summarize the research basis of urban PPP projects, discuss the formation mechanism of PPP models and government-enterprise cooperation against the background of regional integration, and systematically describe the path of multiregional integration under the market economy system. Sino-Singapore Jiashan Industrial Park was identified for the empirical case study. The study methods included semi-structured interviews and in-depth text analyses. As of August 2023, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted, and interviewees included officials of the industrial park, heads of relevant departments, and residents living adjacent to the park. Based on the interview materials, in-depth analyses of the policies and plans relevant to Yangtze River Delta regional integration and documents on industrial development and urban construction in Zhejiang Province, Jiaxing City, and Jiashan County were conducted for comparison with empiricism from the interview records. The main difference between PPP projects in terms of the regional and urban scales was the flow of factors in the regional space. The flow of factors included material factors, such as capital and labor, and abstract factors, such as policies, business models, and management experience. For example, the Sino-Singapore Group not only brought the industrial capital of Suzhou Industrial Park to Jiashan Industrial Park but it also introduced the existing excellent development model and government-enterprise cooperation mode of Suzhou Industrial Park into the development of Jiashan Industrial Park. Using market tools to assist in the construction of regional integration systems and mechanisms plays a core role in regional-scale PPP projects. Considering that the development of PPP projects on regional and urban scales is blocked by administrative boundaries, the relationship between cross-regional subjects is key to the success of the project and includes the complex relationships between the Suzhou Industrial Park Government and Sino-Singapore Group, the Jiashan County Government and Sino-Singapore Group, and the Jiashan State Investment Group and Sino-Singapore Group. Cooperation between the Jiashan County Government and the Sino-Singapore Group is inseparable from the support of the Suzhou Industrial Park Government. Introducing the Jiashan State Investment Group and Sino-Singapore Group as close partners is also necessary. Whether a multi-subject relationship can be properly handled determines the success or failure of regional-scale PPP projects.

Amidst ASEAN's vibrant economic expansion lies an urgent need for a specialized financial institution—an ASEAN Development Bank (ASDB)—to harness and guide this growth. The region's dynamic diversity in development stages presents a unique opportunity for the ASDB to act as the catalyst for economic resilience and regional integration. This urgency is underscored by the potential for the ASDB to provide targeted financial strategies, directly addressing the specific challenges faced by member states. A robust and equitable governance structure will be crucial for the ASDB to facilitate strategic decision-making and sustainable development. The establishment of the ASDB is not just timely but imperative to ensure that ASEAN's economic growth is balanced, inclusive, and sustainable, positioning the region as an integrated, resilient economic powerhouse on the global stage.

Purpose – The article aims at exploring the challenges and possibilities of cooperation of higher education in a Latin American social, political and cultural context that faces historical difficulties of integration, as well as the potential contribution of academic cooperation for global citizenship. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a general overview of networks and international centers of academic cooperation of higher education in Latin America. The analysis comprises objectives, countries, stakeholders, activities, projects and scope. The study is based on literature on internationalization, regional integration and the development of higher education, as well as on empirical gathered with networks/centers and key actors in the field. This study was carried out as a mixed qualitative method design. Firstly, a systematic review of a literature corpus of studies produced by Latin-American scholars was performed. Semi-structured interviews were then carried out with a group of scholars who are members of networks. Findings – The findings include a review of the role of higher education in a politically fragmented reality, a panorama of major networks and international centers of academic cooperation with emphasis on internationalization of higher education, as well as their connections. The are highlighted examples of successful initiatives of cooperation and, based on interviews, there is presented a preliminary view on cooperation and trust building from professionals in higher education in Latin America. Originality/value – In the last decades, with the growing interest and need for internationalizing higher education, many universities have organized or joined networks and international centers. The article will contribute for mutual knowledge of these spaces, their shortcomings and potentials, thus creating conditions for dialogue among them, as well as with universities in other continents.

The relevance of the study is due to the fact that in the context of the sanctions policy, the Russian Federation is interested in building a new paradigm of international relations focused on achieving economic and political advantages based on cooperation with friendly states. Azerbaijan, of course, acts as such a state, which, due to its geographical location, political stability and international cooperation with Russian manufacturers, is now able to become a strategically important partner, taking into account geopolitical and geo-economic realities. Despite the availability of scientific papers on the problem of economic cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan, there is currently no comprehensive study of the possibilities of expanding economic partnership in the conditions of turbulence of global processes. The purpose of the study was to determine the priorities of economic cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan in the context of the global transformation of modern international relations and the turn of the Russian Federation to the East. To achieve this goal, the methods of comparison, system analysis, synthesis, logical generalization, and economic analysis were used. As a result of the study, the current situation of the development of economic cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation was studied, taking into account the political peculiarities of the development of the global community, which makes this study interdisciplinary. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that for the first time the factors contributing to the deepening of the economic partnership between the two countries have been identified. It was noted that in the new conditions, the role of Azerbaijan as a strategic partner of the Russian Federation is growing. The role of Azerbaijan as an international transport and logistics center has increased due to global turbulences, and in 2023 alone, the volume of traffic through the territory of the republic from Russia has almost doubled. It is concluded that the countries are interested in expanding economic cooperation and creating conditions for the development of international cooperation. Azerbaijan is expected to cooperate more closely with the states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), including the process of deepening the integration partnership within the framework of the formation of a single economic space. In addition, new priorities for international economic cooperation and strategic directions for the development of international relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation in the long term have been identified, taking into account the turbulence of global processes.

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) represents a significant pivot in the economic and strategic orientations of the Indo-Pacific region, reflecting a collective endeavor to foster economic integration, sustainability, and security among its member states. This shift has profound implications for China, a main regional power with vested interests across the economic, political, and security spectrums. This paper delves into the multifaceted options available to China in response to the IPEF, analysing the strategic, economic, and diplomatic avenues Beijing might pursue to safeguard its interests and maintain its regional presence. Through a comprehensive examination of official statements, policy adjustments, and strategic engagements, the paper outlines China's nuanced approach towards the IPEF, ranging from competitive economic policies and regional partnerships to diplomatic overtures aimed at reshaping the narrative around regional cooperation and development. By dissecting these strategies, the paper sheds light on the evolving dynamics of regional power play, offering insights into how China navigates the challenges and opportunities posed by the IPEF. The analysis concludes with a discussion on the potential ramifications of China's strategies for the regional order, suggesting pathways for future research and policy considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on limited theoretical applicability of metropolitan area concept under China's circumstances and the planning practice in Greater Shanghai Metropolitan Area, this article proposes a Chinese understanding on the concept of "Metropolitan Area", which extends its core connotation from a commuting area to a multi-functional area. It further proposes to utilize the preparation of spatial plans as means to promote high-quality development of metropolitan areas and to achieve coordinated regional development. Metropolitan area planning takes spatial planning as its basic attribute, and simultaneously embodies the contents of economic and social arrangements. It could become a binding contract based on consensus among member cities. In terms of technical innovations in planning practice, this article firstly suggests using a "problem-based, goal-targeted, action-driven, space-oriented and implementation-guided" approach to form a framework of "objective (indicator)-strategy-action-mechanism" to realize collaborative goals. Secondly, the spatial plan should focus on "bottom line factors" as well as "collaborative factors", establishing a technical framework for regional spatial organization from multiple dimensions such as ecological pattern, city function, spatial structure, and conduction mechanism which drive transformations in regional governance modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional integration in the marketized socialist context has been regarded as a cross-boundary development led by governmental apparatuses, wherein administrative toolkits have been employed to consolidate coalitional benefits on different scales. Since 1980s, when an ideological transition from managerialism to urban entrepreneurism reshaped urban and regional governance, municipalities have become an active role in bargaining for local development opportunities. Based on this, the market economy objectively promotes social capital for participation in regional development agendas and capital circuits. Thus, municipalities no longer dominate capital flows with bureaucratic tactics but by diversifying development through a variety of approaches, including state-owned enterprise reform, the introduction of foreign capital, and encouragement of private enterprise operations. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) represent an important form of state-business cooperation, which generally refers to a type of multilink and process-based cooperation carried out by the public and private sectors. Existing literature discusses the different roles of these sectors in PPP projects from the perspectives of growth machines, fiscal decentralization, and institutional establishments. However, few studies on PPP projects reveal the operational mechanism at the regional scale compared to that at the urban scale, leading to research gaps in (1) how regional governments participate, (2) how regional and city governments interact, and (3) how the interests of multilevel governments and the private sector are coordinated. The study aimed to dialogue with the theory of regional integration and conceptualize PPP projects on a regional scale using an analytical framework. Additionally, it intended to summarize the research basis of urban PPP projects, discuss the formation mechanism of PPP models and government-enterprise cooperation against the background of regional integration, and systematically describe the path of multiregional integration under the market economy system. Sino-Singapore Jiashan Industrial Park was identified for the empirical case study. The study methods included semi-structured interviews and in-depth text analyses. As of August 2023, seven semistructured interviews were conducted, and interviewees included officials of the industrial park, heads of relevant departments, and residents living adjacent to the park. Based on the interview materials, in-depth analyses of the policies and plans relevant to Yangtze River Delta regional integration and documents on industrial development and urban construction in Zhejiang Province, Jiaxing City, and Jiashan County were conducted for comparison with empiricism from the interview records. The main difference between PPP projects in terms of the regional and urban scales was the flow of factors in the regional space. The flow of factors included material factors, such as capital and labor, and abstract factors, such as policies, business models, and management experience. For example, the Sino-Singapore Group not only brought the industrial capital of Suzhou Industrial Park to Jiashan Industrial Park but it also introduced the existing excellent development model and government-enterprise cooperation mode of Suzhou Industrial Park into the development of Jiashan Industrial Park. Using market tools to assist in the construction of regional integration systems and mechanisms plays a core role in regional-scale PPP projects. Considering that the development of PPP projects on regional and urban scales is blocked by administrative boundaries, the relationship between cross-regional subjects is key to the success of the project and includes the complex relationships between the Suzhou Industrial Park Government and Sino-Singapore Group, the Jiashan County Government and Sino-Singapore Group, and the Jiashan State Investment Group and SinoSingapore Group. Cooperation between the Jiashan County Government and the Sino-Singapore Group is inseparable from the support of the Suzhou Industrial Park Government. Introducing the Jiashan State Investment Group and Sino-Singapore Group as close partners is also necessary. Whether a multi-subject relationship can be properly handled determines the success or failure of regional-scale PPP projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the liberalization of air travel, tourism development, and visas openness in Africa. The Umbrella Literature Review methodology, which provides a thorough review of the current state of knowledge on a given issue, was applied in this study. Umbrella Literature Review entails a thorough evaluation of previous research studies. The study additionally employed gravity models to demonstrate the relationships between the liberalization of air travel, the expansion of tourism, and visa openness in Africa in order to meet the primary goals of African Union Agenda 2063. The results of the study demonstrate that the main objective of liberalizing air travel is to create a dynamic and competitive market through boosting trade, enabling connectivity, and boosting tourism, for the economic growth of Africa. The ease and volume of international tourism were found to be significantly influenced by visa regulations, which are closely related to international air travel. A number of significant research gaps regarding Africa's aviation industry and tourism development were also identified in the literature. In order to better understand how visa liberalization influences tourism flows, the study advises policy makers to include visa friendly policies into their national policies and develop strategies that maximize the benefits of air transport liberalization, tourist development as well as visa access while guaranteeing safety and security to tourists and tourism destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a strong relationship between regional integration and economic performance. This paper investigates the impact of regional integration on macroeconomic indicators in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) – a trade block created by the former Soviet republics in 2014. This study compares two types of regional collaboration strategies: first, unilateral trade liberalization with the one-sided opening of market access that does not imply any mutual concessions, and second, reciprocal regional liberalization evaluated as the degree of regional economic integration between the countries. We apply a random effect panel data analysis with the dataset over 25 years since 1995 covering five countries (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia). We find that, under the current stage, the EAEU positively affects trade flows, negatively affects the level of employment, and has no impact on other economic performance indicators. We also conclude that despite the declared level of economic integration – customs union – Eurasian block functions mainly as a free trade area facilitating mutual trade, which is different from the broader objectives that regional integration aims to achieve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at the role of regime types and political leadership in influencing regional integration in the East African Community (EAC). Although the EAC is one of the most highly integrated Regional Economic Communities in Africa, and there are many instances where member states cooperate with decisions made at the EAC level to strengthen integration, in other instances members choose to defect from regional commitments. The study used secondary data sources to determine why this is so and employed game theory to understand the game of cooperation and defection among the players, who are the member states of the EAC. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania were selected as case studies because they are the founding members of the EAC and are assumed to be most invested in deeper cooperation within the EAC. The study found that member states make conscious, calculated decisions to cooperate or defect on specific issues after gauging the costs and payouts associated with each action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The era of digital economy is an important opportunity to promote the regional integration strategy. Based on the theoretical analysis of the causal relationship between digital economy and regional integration, using the data of 26 prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2013 to 2020, an evaluation index system of digital economy and regional integration was constructed, and the panel data fixed effect model was used to empirically test the impact of digital economy on regional integration and its mechanism. It is found that: ① the development of digital economy can significantly promote the process of regional and regional integration, and from the perspective of subdivision, digital infrastructure has the greatest positive effect on regional integration, followed by digital industry; ② Optimizing the allocation of regional capital, technology and human factors is an important path for the digital economy to promote regional integration, among which the improvement of the allocation level of capital factors has the greatest impact on the regional integration effect of the digital economy. Therefore, further deepening regional integration should improve the level of regional digital economy development, continue to promote and improve the construction of digital infrastructure, strengthen the training of talents with higher education, and continuously stimulate the driving role of the digital economy in regional integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

US international trade policy under both the Trump and Biden administrations has been increasingly protectionist. This paper considers two policy scenarios under active discussion: (1) an across-the-board increase in all US tariffs by 10 percentage points, and (2) a severe escalation of the US trade war with China. The scenarios are analyzed using a multi-country computable general equilibrium (CGE) simulation model of the global economy. Trade wars or policy regimes of widespread protection will increase tariffs in many sectors simultaneously and include both final goods and intermediate inputs. The impacts are complex, with a web of direct and indirect forces coming into play across domestic and international markets. The global CGE model captures these mechanisms, including both short and long-run effects, with and without retaliation by partner countries. In a world economy where the US accounts for only 10 % of global trade and potentially rival trade bloc have emerged in Europe and E&SE Asia, the US is no longer hegemonic in global markets. We find that across-the-board tariffs do not protect manufacturing jobs because the cost of imported intermediate goods increases, raising costs in manufacturing production. The US trade war with China leads to a dramatic fall in bilateral trade. Other countries expand their trade to China and the US with the exception of closely linked partners (e.g. Canada and Mexico and all countries in E&SE Asia). We find that the world economy can adjust to US trade wars, diverting trade around the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The establishment of a regional organization in East Asia is a complex endeavor fraught with legal and institutional challenges. This article explores the institutional structures, legal frameworks, historical background, and policy consequences associated with the establishment of this kind of organization. This study draws on a thorough literature assessment to emphasize the political ideologies, long-standing historical tensions, and lack of trust amongst East Asian nations that impede cooperation efforts. Regional integration is made more difficult by legal heterogeneity, concerns about sovereignty, and economic inequality, which calls for creative approaches to institutional design and legal harmonization. While comparative studies of current regional models—like the European Union and ASEAN—provide insightful information, East Asian dynamics call for modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a regional integration perspective, South Asia is a complicated region. Because of its closeness in terms of geography, history, and society, it can integrate, yet it still confronts many obstacles. The first regional endeavor in South Asia was the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, or SAARC. However, SAARC has not significantly achieved regional integration, in contrast to the successful regional projects of the European Union (EU) in Europe and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Southeast Asia. In addition to political factors and the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, there are several additional problems that have impeded South Asia's regional integration and contributed to this lack of success. This article offers a thorough examination of these problems, concentrating mostly on the ways in which bilateral disputes between South Asian countries impact regional integration. A comparative analysis is also included, looking at why regional integration has worked well in Southeast Asia and Europe but not in South Asia. This article concludes by giving a realistic perspective of the regional scene and discussing the potential, problems, and complexities of regional integration in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trade is considered one of the main drivers of a country's economic growth and development. Therefore, a successful analysis that identifies the bilateral trade flows, their determinants, and the regional integration costs and benefits opens new horizons for international trade perspectives. This study examines the effects of new and existing regional agreements on the international trade patterns of Western Balkan countries based on the Albanian case. In this regard, an extended trade gravity model is applied with a panel data set of trade flows between Albania and 43 of its regional strategic partners during the period of 2008 to 2022. This work considers two different similarity indexes to explain the effect of the economic structures of partner countries on their trade volumes: the relative factor endowment and the absolute factor endowment. The first is used to test the Linder Hypothesis, and the latter is used to test the effect of similarity in economic size between trading partners. Empirical results indicate that the effect of the selected explanatory variables, such as transportation costs, economic size, economic strength, exchange rate, and their relative as well as absolute endowment, is within expectations. Unexpectedly, the domestic economic size and strength are found to be insignificant in explaining the import flows and inversely proportional to the exports of Albania. Finally, it is indicated that trade flows are clearly dependent on traditional ties rather than on new incentives like the Open Balkan, which cannot offer a new regional center of gravity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the gravity of the Open Balkan initiative has been tested for one of the participating countries. The study concludes that while the Open Balkan initiative shows potential, the Berlin Process remains a more reliable path toward EU integration for Albania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The growing number of member states in the East African Community (EAC) calls for greater efforts in common market integration. The region has been facing constraints in the execution of its Common Market Protocol (CMP) established in 2010 to sanction the uninhibited movement of capital, workers, people, products, and services and permit the right of establishment and inhabitation. There are deterrents ranging from insecurity, the absence of common market laws, financial constraints, failure to observe the principle of subsidiarity, limited recognition and facilitation of the informal sector, poor regional connectivity and challenges in the identification of persons, that must be subdued. With the new entrants, these challenges can become more pronounced and stall the regional integration agenda. However, the prospects that the entrants bring to the EAC including new markets, immense resources and thriving youthful populations can be tapped into for the benefit of the region. This paper provides policy recommendations on how the EAC can accommodate new members and profit from a robust common market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study examined the effect of free trade on intra-African bilateral trade balances for Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania to assess the potential implications of the African Continental Free Trade area. The four countries have experienced persistent trade deficits. Whether free trade within Africa can improve the national trade balances, and the drivers of bilateral trade balances are important questions for policy and strategic programmes for the countries to make the most gains from free trade area. The econometric model estimated for each country is an extension of the standard Keynesian model of trade balance to include determinants of bilateral trade flows from the gravity model. Quantitative analysis using panel regression was augmented with qualitative data from interviews with trade policy experts and trade officials from various African countries and focus group discussions with small-scale cross-border traders at the Busia and Namanga border posts in East Africa. Findings show that complete tariff elimination on intra–African trade may not impact the bilateral trade balances of Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania but could improve bilateral trade balances for Uganda by 6 percent. Within the free trade areas, Uganda's bilateral trade balances were higher within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa but lower within the East African Community, than outside these areas. Kenya's trade balances were lower in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, than otherwise. On the contrary, no significant difference in trade balances is established for the membership of Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania in the East African Community; Rwanda in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa; and Tanzania in the Southern African Development Community, when compared to trade balances with non-members. The importance of macroeconomic factors is demonstrated by the increase in bilateral trade balances with higher relative price levels of trade partners; the reduction with increase in relative production and expenditure capacities of trade partners; and improvements following a depreciation of home currency for Tanzania and Uganda, yet a worsening of trade balances in Kenya. A lack of harmony in documents required for cross-border movements within the free trade areas is reported as counterproductive. All African countries should therefore fully implement protocols and cooperate in the harmonization of trade procedures for the free movement of people and goods across borders. Country policies and trade programmes should pursue increased productivity in the leading intra-African export sectors and diversify exports via foreign direct investment in strategic sectors to substitute imports from outside Africa; reduce costs of production; increase the quality of products; and improve transport infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the impact of ideational elements on state efforts to achieve regional integration, with a specific focus on Morocco's pursuit of membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This study investigates how shared cultural heritage, historical narratives, and common views on principles such as free trade and security partnerships foster a sense of collective identity among states, thereby promoting deeper cooperation and integration within regions. However, conflicting ideologies can create obstacles to meaningful integration by breeding distrust and friction among participating states. This study argues that constructivism provides valuable insights into regional integration processes by emphasizing the importance of shared norms, identities, and social interactions among states. The analysis reveals that Morocco's aspiration to align with the interests of other African states in ECOWAS and promote economic integration serves as the ideological basis for its pursuit of ECOWAS membership, viewing it as a symbol of African resurgence and a means to strengthen its regional position. Although Morocco's history, laws, society, and politics align with ECOWAS norms, the absence of provisions for new members in the ECOWAS Treaty presents a hurdle for Moroccan accession. Nevertheless, this article suggests that the ECOWAS Authority of the Heads of State and Government could potentially address this issue by establishing a supplementary protocol to admit Morocco, underscoring the significance of ideological factors in shaping regional integration processes and institutions.