This book is very timely in view of the growing importance of Asia. Over the past ten years, many Asian economies ranging from the newly industrialized economies of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea, to the semi-developing economies of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thalland, have all experienced tremendous economic growth unparalleled in any part of the world. With the opening of China and other centrally planned economies like Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, Asia is on the path to astronomical economic growth.