Photographs and audio are now available from the October 3, 2014 event “ASEAN Centrality & the ASEAN-US Economic Relationship.” The event, co-sponsored by APEC Study Center, featured Michael G. Plummer, Director of SAIS Europe and Eni Professor of Economics at The Johns Hopkins University, and moderator Hugh T. Patrick, Robert D. Calkins Professor of International Business Emeritus and Director of the Center on Japanese Economy and Business at Columbia Business School.
During the event, Professor Plummer presented the central arguments of his new co-authored book titled ASEAN Centrality and the ASEAN-US Economic Relationship. The book considers Asia-Pacific economic integration from the perspective of ASEAN–the Association of Southeast Asian Nations–in the context of the new regionalism in the Asia-Pacific region.
“The term ‘ASEAN centrality’ represents both a goal – the vision of a united ASEAN acting collectively – and the means to achieve it – the expectation that members will coordinate policies, in order to improve welfare,” said Plummer. Given the member countries’ diverging economic and political interests, this goal is difficult to realize; however, Plummer argues that the “potential benefits provide an important incentive to pursue an ASEAN-centric approach.” In addition, Plummer outlined how the success of ASEAN would also benefit its main dialogue partners, including the US and China.
To listen to the lecture, please click here.
