Aiming at getting clear about the reference implication of the theory and practice of international regional economic cooperation to intra applications in China, this paper gives an analytical introduction to the changing basic conception framework of international economic cooperation. The traditional conception of regional integration based on European experience is elaborated at first, and the major challenges faced it by the reality of international relationship in terms of cooperation and grouping in the past decades have been discussed. Then the recent academic development concerning the extending of the conception over the worldwide experiences of regional economic cooperation has been summarized.