Neither Reluctant nor Aggressive Legalism: E ast A sian Countries under the W orld T rade O rganization Dispute Settlement Mechanism

This article explores the distinctive features of E ast A sian countries' involvement in the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) dispute‐settlement mechanism ( DSM ). Existing studies are divided into two opposing groups according to what they argue. The “passive legalism” argument emphasizes the reluctant attitude of E ast A sian countries, and tends to underestimate their involvement in the WTO DSM . On the other hand, the “aggressive legalism” argument highlights the drastic shift in E ast A sian countries' behavior from passive avoidance to aggressive utilization of the WTO DSM , and tends to overestimate E ast A sian countries' status in the system. Analyzing WTO dispute data, this article criticizes the limitations of both arguments and suggests responsive legalism or adaptive legalism as a more accurate concept for describing E ast A sian countries' legal attitude and behavior under the WTO DSM .