Asia’s new challenges: redesigning the interface with the international economy

Asian countries are currently undergoing significant changes with respect to their role in and interaction with the international economy. Despite their heterogeneity, Asian countries share the common aim to upgrade capacities, skills and capabilities. This paper aims at unpacking the challenges and consequences of Asian countries’ four decades of internationalisation. Special attention is granted to the current redesign of the interface with focus on the upgrading towards becoming knowledge and technology intensive nations; nations that are also exporters of FDI.