9 research outputs found
Economic Development and Asian Regional Cooperation
The Seminar on Asian Trade was convened by the institute of
Development Economics, Karachi, to discuss certain economic problems
which, to a great or less degree, are common to Asian countries and to
consider possible methods of economic cooperation among them. There were
25 members from 15 nations, all of which, apart from that of the
"Observer", were Asian. Twenty-two papers were presented. The purpose of
this preliminary report is to give an account of some of the salient
ideas that were put forward. The "Observer" may perhaps be allowed to
take this opportunity of recording his impression of the very high
quality of the discussions, in respect of their intellectual acumen and
brilliance and of the sound grasp of fundamental economic theory
manifested by the participants. He does not recall attending any Seminar
that out-classed this one in these respects. Thus, the non-Asian
countries, which should be seeking a deeper understanding of Asian
problems and be giving thought as to how to shape their own policies in
the spirit of cooperation, on the basis of the mutual interdependence of
prosperity in the world as a whole, may have confidence that, at the top
level, there is economic thinking of the highest quality in a number of
Asian countries. It does not follow that there is at present a
sufficient amount of economic competence at any level. Attention will be
drawn later to the urgent need for these countries to build up at the
quickest possible rate the number of technologists and other
professionally well-qualified classes; not less important is the need to
increase the number of those competent in economics, especially as the
situation urgently requires a greater amount of economic planning, which
is in fact in progress, than may be needed in the more advanced
countries