Inside South East Asia's growth triangles

Growth triangles represent an Asian solution to the problems of factor exchange and resource availability in developing economies. This article takes us inside three south east Asian triangles, linking different sub-regions in Indonesia-Malaysai-Singapore (the IMS-GT), Indonesia-Malaysai-Thailand (the IMT-GT), and Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines (East Asian Growth Area) (BIMP-EAGA). Having explored the general concept of the triangle, each example is examined from the viewpoints of economic complementarity, political commitment and capacity for inter-regional trade and investment. Opportunities and challenges can then be assessed, leading to the conclusion that the triangles have a role in assisting the development of peripheral regions, increasing international integration and reducing pressure on the congested hubs of member nations.