The author argues that trade liberalization is necessary for industrialization provided it is part and parcel of dynamic and flexible trade and industrial policies, and undertaken at the right time, gradually and selectively. In contrast, if undertaken pre-maturely, rapidly and uniformly across-the-board, it will lock the country into specializing in production and exports of primary commodities, natural resource-based products, and/or labour-intensive stage of assembly operation, eventually resulting in de-industrialisation and unemployment.

August 24, 2010.