The Coming Asian Pacific Community and its Implications for Planning : An Open Opportunity

Abstract

In an era when a European Community and a North American free trade bloc are being formed, there is a basis for dreaming of an Asian Pacific Community. Experience obtained thus far shows that trade becomes a minor part of the overall integration required to maintain a peaceable, stable Community while enhancing the cultural and social exchange. The amount of negotiation required is several orders of magnitude greater than the present capability, investments must be made in recruiting talent and training it. Human resource development and institution building that penetrates all the participating countries will require the most time. A handful of Asian institutions presently, have trans-national coverage but there are gaps in the coverage of the management of modern technology, environment, and planning. A prototype proposal is offered for getting started in a strategic way. It would create a micro-community of predoctorate and post-doctorate fellows in planning at one or two sites that are least limited by library constraints.