East Asian Visions: Perspectives on Economic Development

Despite the diversity in income levels, languages, culture, resource endowments, and political systems, the countries of East Asia are more integrated now than they have ever been. Goods, money, and ideas are being traded across the region. East Asia is redefining itself from a collection of disparate nations that looked mainly to markets in the west, to a more self-reliant, innovative, and networked region. Countries in this region are strengthening ties with each other and seeking more strategic partnerships with the rest of the world.

'East Asian Visions' is a collection of essays that convey, firsthand, how some of the most influential thinkers in East Asia view these challenges. The writers are eminent policy makers, statesmen, and scholars. They write about how competition with the west has bred success; how crises in the region have provoked introspection; and how the rise of China is catalyzing change.

Some of the themes that permeate these essays include:

• How can East Asia's growth success be explained?
• Can all countries benefit from China's success, or will some be crowded out?
• Will regional integration aid efficiency or will it become a source of vulnerability?
• How can East Asian countries deal with the growing domestic concerns such as inequity, slum pollution, and corruption?

Contributors include:

Aun Porn Moniroth, Chariman, Supreme National Economic Council, Cambodia
Roberto F. de Ocampo, President, Asian Institute of Management
Toyoo Gyohten, President, Institute for International Monetary Affairs and Senior Adviser, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
Yujiro Hayami, Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo and Adviser, Joint Graduate Program, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and the Foundation for Advanced Studies in International Development
Jomo K. S., Assistant Secretary General for Economic Development, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Cao Sy Kiem, Vice Chairman, Central Party's Economic Committee, Vietnam National Board of Finance and Monetary Policies Consultancy, and teh Vietnam Learning Promotion Association, and Chairman, Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises
Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore and Chairman, Institue of Policy Studies, the National Heritage Board, and the Chinese Heritage Centre
Haruhiko Kuroda, President, Asian Development Bank and Chairperson of the Bank's Board of Directors
Long Yongtu, Secretary-General, Boao Forum for Asia (China) and Dean, School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University
Kishore Mahbubani, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
Felipe Medalla, Professor, School of Economics, University of the Philippines
Mari Pangestu, Minister of Trade, Republic of Indonesia
Minxin Pei, Senior Associate and Director, China Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Andrew Sheng, Chair, Annual Capital Markets Roundtable, OECD, Tokyo, and Adjunct Professor, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, and Tun Ismail ali Professor of Monetary and Financial Economics, University of Malaysia
Wu Jinglian, Senior Research Fellow, Development Research Center, State Council, China
Joseph Yam, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Zheng Bijian, Chairman, China Reform Forum