ASEAN industrial cooperation - problems and prospects

Abstract

Objectives and approaches ASEAN has been in existence for ten years but measures towards promoting economic cooperation of one form or other among member countries were started only in 1976 at the Bali Summit. It is therefore clear that the idea of regional co- operation has taken quite a while to gain acceptance. The fact that economic co- operation on a regional scale has become acceptable does not necessarily imply that projects and programmes for ASEAN cooperation will be implemented immediately. Implementation too appears to be rather slow and is progressing at its own leisurely pace. Before we evaluate the projects and programmes which have been proposed for fostering closer cooperation among ASEAN countries, it will be useful to review, at the very outset, the objectives of such regional cooperation and how these objec- tives can be taken into account in deciding on the right package of projects and programmes.