The Dynamics of Overlapping Agreements

Abstract This study analyses the evolution of East Asia’s trade architecture. While existing research examines individual agreements, little explains how they interact within a broader regional system. Using historical sequencing and institutional layering, this study shows that ASEAN +1 comprehensive economic cooperation/partnerships ( CEP s) emerged as early, flexible responses to interdependence and competitive liberalisation, but their limited scope created pressures for deeper rules. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ( RCEP ) subsequently formed as a consolidating framework, harmonising and expanding disciplines without replacing earlier CEP s. The analysis demonstrates iterative feedback: RCEP upgrades regional standards while CEP s continue offering deeper tariff concessions and development-oriented cooperation. Firms strategically select among agreements, reinforcing a competitive–complementary ecosystem rather than a hierarchical structure. The findings show that East Asian regionalism is path-dependent, multi-layered, and shaped by region-specific political economies. The proposed framework advances comparative regionalism by explaining how overlapping agreements evolve and coexist in the Global South.