Ever since China announced its open door policy to the world and increased its trading and investment activities, there had been apprehension among the ASEAN-5 countries over the possible erosion of their competitive advantages in many sectors vis-à-vis China's economic rise. This Policy Notes, however, indicates that such apprehension may be baseless as data show that the rapid economic growth of China, specifically its foreign trade, has not been at the expense of the growth of the ASEAN's trade activities. Moreover, there are opportunities for a more synergistic effect of China's advancement on the region's economic growth, the Notes avers.
