INTRA-REGIONAL TRADE CO-OPERATION IN DEVELOPING ASIA.

This paper argues the need for trade co-operation to increase regional trade among the developing countries of Asia as a major component in the solution to the region's long-term development problems. In the course of this, it examines the existing pattern of trade within the region and its prospects, the state of trade policies, the implications of other regional schemes for economic co-operation, and the feasibility of trade co-operation policies. A detailed quantitative analysis of these problems would be monumental; the literature that already exists gives an idea of the scope of the task involved and, frequently, the inadequacy of the data. The more modest aim here is to make a largely qualitative assessment using broad statistical aggregates. Since, however, the problem of accelerated development from low per capita income levels is a dynamic one, this type of analysis can be illuminating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]