ASEAN's Contribution as an International Organization to Regional Economic Cooperation through Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

Abstract

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional organization formed in 1967 to promote cooperation among countries in the Southeast Asian region. In 2020, ASEAN and five partner countries, namely, the People's Republic of China (PRC), South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, formed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). RCEP is the world's most significant free trade agreement (FTA), aiming to increase Asia-Pacific trade and investment. This research discusses the role of ASEAN as an international organization in regional economic integration by implementing RCEP. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method based on Clive Archer's theory of international organization to analyze the role of international organization based on three leading indicators: Actor, Arena, and Instrument. This research shows that ASEAN actively strengthens regional economic integration, which is evident from its role as a policy designer, policy implementer, and conference forum provider.