By the end of 2006, however, it seemed likely that the region would have at least
13 more deals 10 de facto bilaterals from the impending ASEANKorea FTA,
and 3 more bilaterals between Japan and the advanced ASEANsIndonesia,
Philippines, and Thailand. That brings the total to 70. Japan may also conclude FTAs with Viet Nam and Brunei Darussalam and ASEAN as a whole, bringing the
total to at least 75. Of course, a reasonable person could count these differently
and come up with a different number, only serving to strengthen the basic point:
in the Noodle Bowl, it is unclear just how many deals there are in the region.
How did East Asian trade relations get so tangled