Toward Deepening East Asian Integration: How Convergent Are the Rules of Origin in the ASEAN+1 Free Trade Agreements

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The East Asian region has taken center stage in global economic growth and dynamism in recent decades. While deeper economic integration has been both the result of and the force behind such dynamism, new challenges and vulnerabilities are bound to arise. At the heart of this evolving East Asian regional architecture is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). To date, the ASEAN has forged free trade agreements (and economic cooperation) with all countries of East Asia. This Policy Note particularly discusses the importance of harmonization of rules of origin in the ASEAN+1 free trade agreements.