This edited collection draws together papers on competition policy that were presented at the twenty-eighth conference of the Pacific Area Forum on Trade and Development (PAFTAD), held in Manila on 16th to 18th September 2002.

Shows how cultural factors have influenced the development of competition law in China, Japan and Korea.

'This is a very timely book which provides an unprecedented analysis of the factors which have shaped the competition law systems of ten Asian countries and Australia. The comprehensive discussion from varying viewpoints against the backdrop of the significantly different environments within which the respective regimes have developed creates a framework for the comparative assessment of competition law systems elsewhere in the world.' Lutz-Christian Wolff, The Chinese University of Hong Kong 'New competition laws have been adopted throughout Asia in recent years, and some of the older laws have been significantly strengthened. This makes Asia a fascinating region in which to look at the political and economic circumstances of the countries in which such laws are to be found, and to consider the very different conditions that exist within them. This book will be an invaluable guide to anyone with an interest in the developing competition law regimes of this immensely important part of the world.' Richard Whish, King's College London, UK This detailed book describes and analyses the essential political economy features that provide the backdrop to the competition policies and competition law regimes of several of the most important Asian economies. The book also discusses the impact of these political economy influences in determining whether the adopted competition policy is effective. Each of the authors experts in their respective countries offer specific insights into the nature and structure of their competition regimes and discuss to what extent the varied political economy factors unique to that country help to determine whether and to what extent the established system promotes or hinders economic competition in that jurisdiction. Comprising wide coverage of Asian jurisdictions, including Australia, this book will strongly appeal to students and academics of law, politics, economics and economic development, policy makers in national governments, international agencies and competition authorities, as well as practicing competition lawyers and in-house counsel.

Exploring the thorny issues of industrial organisation, competition policy and liberalization in the Asia-Pacific region, this book examines the ways in which governments regulate business. Using case studies from China, the USA, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan, the authors take a comparative look at the evolution of policies and their implementation on the ground. With a specific focus on the energy, transport and telecommuncations sectors, this book represents the most up-to-date analysis of the ways in which governments in the Asia-Pacific are coping with rapid industrial and economic change.

This book is important from the public policy and foreign investment points of view and should be read by all who need to understand the competitive policies in the ASEAN Countries. As the author has rightly pointed out, the narrow capitalistic model to maximize profits even at the expense of income distribution, has been modified in ASEAN countries, to take into account the need for equity and distributive justice. The socio economic strategy has been essential, to pomote political stability, without which there cannot be economic growth and development. The book argues impressively that competition policy cannot be unfettered, but has to be efficiently and compassionately managed, to ensure balanced business and steady socioeconomic development. Competitive policies have to follow the best interests of developing economies and not just the pressures and preferences of the capitalistic competitive policies of the highly developed industrial countries, that often ignore the different priorities of developing countries.

Competition law is a significant legal transplant in East Asia, where it has come into contact with deeply rooted variants of Confucian culture. This timely volume analyses cultural factors in mainland China, Japan and Korea, focusing on their shared but diversely evolved Confucian heritage. These factors distinguish the competition law systems of these countries from those of major western jurisdictions, in terms of the goals served by the law, the way enforcement is structured, and the way subjects of the law respond to it. Concepts from cultural studies inform a new and eclectic perspective on these dynamics, with the authors also drawing on ideas from law and economics, comparative law, East Asian studies, political science, business management and ethics, and institutional economics. The volume presents a model for cultural analysis of comparative legal topics and contributes to a greater understanding of the challenges to deeper convergence of competition laws between East and West.

This timely Research Handbook provides a comprehensive overview and discussion of the substantive competition law provisions of the ASEAN Plus Three region, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. Taking a unique comparative perspective, chapters examine Asian competition laws in relation to the existing laws that served as models for them, analysing how and why they deviate.