當前亞太地區的經濟合作引人注目的有「東協+3」與「跨太平洋策略性經濟夥伴協定+N」兩股勢力。東協是東亞最早之次區域整合組織，輔以向來有其潛在矛盾的東北亞之中、日、韓，因此東亞經濟整合的態勢，表面上似呈現以東協為主導、並向外延伸的「東協+1」、「東協+3」及「東
協+6」模式。「跨太平洋策略性經濟夥伴協定」則是目前唯一結合泛太平洋國家簽署的跨區域自由貿易協定，其原本是紐西蘭、智利、新加坡、汶萊四個APEC 成員間的自由貿易協定，惟自美國2008 年宣示將進行入會談判，已激起其他APEC 成員陸續表達加入意願，去年美國的正式宣布
加入，更揭示了亞太自由貿易區的可能出現。職是之故，亞太地區的經濟整合在此兩股勢力相互競合的影響下，已隱然呈現泛東亞主義與亞太主義相互較勁的態勢，也為未來亞太地區的政經情勢帶來重大變動。

Among the numerous regional integration processes within the Asia-Pacific region under way, “ASEAN+3” and “TPP+N” are perhaps the two most important groups that may play pivotal roles in shaping regional outcomes. ASEAN is the first sub-regional integration organization in the East Asian region with the highest level of integration. As the delicate competition developing amongst the Northeast Asia countries, ASEAN began to create organizations within its framework with the intention of achieving further integration in the region from 1997 onward, for instances, “ASEAN+1”, “ASEAN +3”, and “ASEAN+6”. TPP is a multilateral free trade agreement among four APEC forum member economies, New Zealand, Chile, Singapore and Brunei. It is the only trans-regional trading agreement that builds new strategic and economic links between Asian and Latin American countries. Originally, TPP hasn't aroused sufficient attention after its taking effect in 2006. However, following the initial US decision to join the negotiations in September 2008, Australia, Peru, and Vietnam soon joined, and President Obama's decision to re-engage in the TPP negotiations last year was seen to be a possible step toward the stalled initiative within the 21-member APEC forum to forge a Free Trade Agreement of the Asia Pacific. With the enlargement of the integration process occurring at this stage, the interaction of these two mechanisms may have profound implications for the future of Asia-Pacific regional economic integration.