The impact of ICT convergence on development in the Asian region

Emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific region are experiencing dramatic and accelerating changes in patterns of ownership and investment in their tele communications sectors, as well as in convergence. This paper will highligh t the significant dependence of emerging economies of the region on converg ence of ICT and how these technologies create new networks. Evidence will b e cited from China, the Asian Dragons and the near NIEs like Malaysia and I ndonesia, to show how they have created one of the largest markets in the w orld for telecoms equipment and services. The Southeast Asian countries wit h their open economies and export oriented investment technologies have pro ved that such policies have generated trade surpluses and long-term growth despite their current financial crises. They still plan to continue ascribi ng priority in their investment patterns to converging ICT. (C) 1999 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.