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Distinguishing Fiction From Reality: The Asean Free Trade Area And Implications For The Global Auto Industry, Terence Lau

Terence Lau

This Article explores the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement ("AFTA") and its implications for the regional and global auto industry. Section I of this article provides a brief history of ASEAN and its attempts to integrate regionally. It outlines the reasons for regional economic integration, and traces the current literature in this area. Section II provides an overview of the current auto industry in each of the major auto-producing countries in ASEAN: Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia. It will also explain Malaysia's protected auto industry and Malaysia's attempts to delay implementation of AFTA, and its neighboring countries' reactions. Section III …