Hwang, Hae-Du, and Xiangshuo Yin

Introduction
The Regional Trade Agreement (RTA) has gradually become one of issues at stake among Northeast Asian Countries since the currency crisis of 1997. Different proposals for a RTA in this region may have stemmed from the introduction of various kinds of gimmicks for facilitating economic cooperation. To put it another way, such proposals are not introduced as byproducts of pure intellectual stimulus of pioneering frontiers of economic integration so much as they are an extension of trade policy.
This paper addresses policy changes and new patterns of trade and industrial development in China since its entry into WTO and analyzes the possible impact of such an entry on regional economic cooperation and the RTA. It aims at drawing an overall mapping of the region by substantiating further regional economic cooperation, taking into account the boosted economic performance of China since its procurement of WTO membership, and the systematic assessment of possible changes in China’s policy towards a formal RTA in Northeast Asia. Additionally, this paper will also address the corresponding policy changes of South Korea (Korea hereafter) and Japan as they move to install a RTA.
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