The Impact. On "south North Weak" Pattern Of Economic Integration In Southeast Asia Economic Region

After World War II , the goverments of countries in the Southeast Asia formulated their own strategies of economic and took effective actions to retrieve and rebuild their own national developmental systems which relied mainly on agriculture , mining and were badly destroyed during wartime . By doing so , expected results were attained. From then on , many ecnom-ic and non - ecnomic factors have always influenced the economic development of countries. At the late 1980s and early 1990s, the level of economic development of Vietnam , Laos, Cambodia ( these countries were called "Indochina Three Nations") and Burma was greatly low , which was compared with other members of ASEAN. The former (Vietnam, Laos , Cambodia, Burma ) lies north in the Southeast Asia, the latter is located south. Then the economic Pattern of "Southern Giants (six countries) and Northern Midgets ( four countries)" appeared in the Southeast Asia region. Some of southern giants approximately became Middle - level developed countries in terms of economic development, others are heading for the goal of "New -rising Industrilized Country". Conversely, Indochina Three Nations and Burm are still economically backward in the Southeast Asia and the world.With the changes of the political and economic situation of the world, the economic cooperation and ties between southern countries and northern countries in the Southeast Asia are becoming closer, these countries tend to form region alliance. Utilizing the opportunity of economic reform and opening , northern countries quicken their steps to incorporate in the region and world economic development systems, actively approach the regionalcooperation organization--ASEAN. Moreover, their successively becom-ing members of ASEAN makes it possile that the idea of the Southeast Asia Community come ture. Meanwhile, depending on their advantages, souther ncountries develop the trade and economic cooperation with northern countries, profitably expand more and more markets in northern countries. Through these means, the process of economically regional integration in the Southeast Asia accelerates.Nevertheless, like a two - edged sword, the economic pattern of "Southern Giants and Northern Midgets" greatly influenced the progressive rate of economically regional intergration in Southeast Asia. For one thing , the apparent gap in the field of economic development amomg new and old members of ASEAN urgers every country to use others' advantages for its own disadvantages in terms of natural resources, industry, the economic structure etc. Within the region of Southeast Asia, a new opportunity to further the process of economically regional intergration rises. For the other hand , the economic pattern of "Southern Giants and Northern Midgets" is an impossible obstacle to the process, which was retarded by the financial crisis occurred in 1997. Besides , the economic pattern is an opportunity for China to deepen the trade and economic cooperation with this region, and then the process of Chinese Southwest areas' opening and tapping the western region will be vigorously pushed forward.