亚开行-亚太区域合作与一体化指数：增强的框架、分析和应用（英）-2021.10-160页_7mb

Summary of the Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and Integration Index (ARCII)

Core Content

The Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and Integration Index (ARCII) is a comprehensive framework developed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to measure and analyze the extent of regional cooperation and integration (RCI) in the Asia-Pacific region. The report presents an enhanced framework of the index, incorporating new dimensions and indicators to better capture the evolving nature of RCI, particularly in areas such as digital connectivity and environmental cooperation.

The index is designed to support ADB's Strategy 2030, which prioritizes regional cooperation and integration as a key driver for sustainable and inclusive growth. The enhanced ARCII framework includes eight dimensions of regional integration, expanding from the original six, and covers 41 indicators, up from 26 in the baseline version. This improvement allows for a more nuanced understanding of the drivers and outcomes of RCI in the region.

Main Trends and Findings

Regional Integration Trends (2006–2018)

• The overall ARCII for Asia and the Pacific has shown a gradual uptrend, with a 7% increase from 2006 to 2018.
• Trade and investment in Asia have reached levels comparable to the European Union.
• Technology and digital connectivity has seen the most significant improvement, with a 31% increase in the dimension score between 2006 and 2018, making it the highest among all regions.
• Money and finance remains a challenge, with Asia's score only half that of the European Union.
• South and Central Asian economies have the most potential for improvement across all dimensions.

Key Dimensions and Indicators

• Digital Connectivity: Includes indicators such as internet penetration, mobile subscriptions, and intraregional internet bandwidth. Asia's internet penetration rose from 20% in 2010 to 50% in 2018, and intraregional internet bandwidth increased to 56.6 Tbps in 2018.
• Environmental Cooperation: Reflects the region's efforts in environmental agreements and trade. Asia's environmental cooperation is now at 73% of the EU and North America, but regional environmental health has declined.
• Infrastructure and Connectivity: Includes indicators like liner shipping connectivity and logistics performance. The Liner Shipping Bilateral Connectivity Index (LSBCI) and Logistics Performance Index (LPI) show significant improvements in transport and trade efficiency.
• Institutional Arrangements: Measures participation in international intergovernmental organizations, embassy presence, and treaty networks. The number of intergovernmental organizations memberships and bilateral investment treaties have increased.
• People and Social Integration: Highlights migration, tourism, and remittances. Intraregional migration and tourism have grown, while remittances have also increased in value.

Regional Disparities

• Southeast Asia and East Asia report the highest levels of regional integration.
• Subregional differences are most pronounced in trade and investment, infrastructure and connectivity, and people and social integration.
• Technology and digital connectivity and environmental cooperation show more uniform progress across subregions, indicating a more borderless nature of these dimensions.

Key Innovations

• The enhanced framework introduces two new dimensions: digital connectivity and environmental cooperation, reflecting the growing importance of these areas in regional integration.
• Customization options are provided, allowing users to adapt the index to their specific needs and objectives.
• Methodological improvements include:
  • Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for aggregating data.
  • Sensitivity analysis to address potential biases in the index.
  • Spatial autocorrelation correction to improve the reliability of regional integration estimates.
• The framework is also more adaptable to small and less developed economies, enhancing its flexibility and applicability.

Applications and Future Directions

• The ARCII serves as a leading indicator in ADB's corporate results framework.
• It will be used as a research tool to explore the impact of regional integration on development outcomes.
• Future work includes:
  • Developing a globalization index based on the enhanced ARCII.
  • Conducting empirical analysis on the relationship between regional integration and development goals, including income inequality and income convergence.
  • Expanding the index to include more economies and new indicators to further improve accuracy and coverage.

Conclusion

The enhanced ARCII framework provides a more comprehensive and nuanced measurement of regional cooperation and integration in the Asia-Pacific region. It reflects the diversity and complexity of RCI, including the role of digitalization and environmental cooperation. The index is a valuable tool for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to guide strategic actions and development policies. Continued improvements and applications will ensure the framework remains relevant and robust in the face of evolving regional dynamics and global challenges.