|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2025,
2024,
2023,
2022,
2021,
2020,
2019,
2018,
2017,
2016,
2015 |
|
2014, 2013,
2012,
2011,
2010,
2009,
2008,
2007,
2006,
2005,
2004 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
China and
Angola: From the Pioneering “Angolan Model” to a “New”
Relationship, November 2024.
China’s relationship with Angola is an important case in the
larger strategic competition between Beijing and the
economically developed, liberal democratic states for political
influence in the Global South. China has provided large loans to
Angola since the 2000s and, in return, acquired Angola’s
petroleum to meet China’s high domestic energy demands. Angola
has repaid the majority of its debt to China in the form of
extracted oil. This contractual arrangement is known as the
“Angolan model.” However, China’s large loans only enriched a
small segment of Angola’s elite circle and spread serious
corruption. The drop in global oil prices since 2014 has left
Angola in serious economic distress... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Understanding the United States’ Place in the Pacific: Why the
Pacific Partnership Strategy has been Successful for both the
Pacific and US, November 2024.
Research on the Pacific island’s pursuit of self-governance
highlights how the region sits in a post-decolonial era, meaning
we understand the issues and problems caused by colonialism with
Pacific island polities achieving varied measures of
independence. Now, the question is, how do we move forward?
Decolonization is not enough—the United States and other Western
powers have done it, and while there are traces of it, we need
to do something now about the under-resourcing and precarious
international standing of some Pacific nations. There is a
common experience from the end of imperial rule to the current
struggles of formerly colonized states... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Shaping Perceptions: Three Layers of Social Media’s Role in the
2024 Indonesia Elections, November 2024.
The political activity on social media has revealed a paradigm
shift in political communication in the digital era. Increased
access to the internet and social media in Indonesia,
particularly after Covid-19, along with demographic changes in
the electorate spurred on by an influx of younger voters created
an environment in which the election was filtered through three
layers of digital reality. These three layers of digital reality
mixed actuality, based on information that could be
substantiated, and hyper reality, in which fabricated
information about the election was perceived as more real than
the objective facts... |
|
EWC |
|
|
How the Elections will set Expectations in the Philippines–US
Alliance, November 2024.
It had been a common staple among observers to predict which
candidate would be more beneficial or detrimental vis-à-vis
their country’s national interest. In the Philippines, any
Filipino would look at US elections exactly this way. But what
can the Philippines realistically expect from the US
presidential elections in the context of their alliance? I argue
that what the Philippines should expect and work hard for is
consistent bipartisan support from both Republicans and
Democrats for all its intended defense and foreign policy
priorities where the alliance is crucial... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The Economic Implications for Asia of the Trump Program,
November 2024.
As the election approaches, President Trump is the only
candidate who has outlined a detailed agenda when it comes to
international economics. Vice President Kamala Harris has
offered general ideas about expanding childcare and other
benefits for the middle and working classes, presumably to be
paid for by higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Still,
she has not gone into much detail on tariffs, except to say that
she would be selective in imposing them. She effectively
represents a continuation of the status quo on economics... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Asia Navigates Uncertainty and Continuity of US Regional Policy
in the 2024 Elections, October 2024.
Following a series of interviews and meetings in the
Indo-Pacific, a team of researchers have brought forth a
comprehensive report regarding the 2024 elections in the United
States and their impact on the Indo-Pacific. This analysis
incorporates the perspectives of those in the region, from
shared concerns to opportunities for engagement. |
|
EWC |
|
|
Persuasive Technologies in China: Implications for the Future of
National Security, November 2024. The rapid adoption of
persuasive technologies—any digital system that shapes users’ attitudes
and behaviours by exploiting physiological and cognitive reactions or
vulnerabilities—will challenge national security in ways that are
difficult to predict. Emerging persuasive technologies such as
generative artificial intelligence (AI), ambient technologies and
neurotechnology interact with the human mind and body in far more
intimate and subconscious ways, and at far greater speed and efficiency,
than previous technologies. This presents malign actors with the ability
to sway opinions and actions without the conscious autonomy of users... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Darwin Dialogue 2024: Triumph From Teamwork, November 2024. In
an increasingly fracturing international system, set to undergo only
further strain in the near future, critical minerals are a point of
significant international contention. Critical minerals underlie
competition across critical civil and defence sectors and promise
economic opportunity throughout their supply chain. They are vital to
the clean-energy transition with minerals needed for electric vehicle
batteries, solar panels, and even wind turbines. Resolving the
significant vulnerabilities across critical mineral supply chains is a
significant economic and national security challenge. This report—based
on an exclusive, invitation-only discussion at the Darwin Dialogue 2024,
a 1.5 Track discussion between the Australian, United States, Japanese
and Republic of Korean Governments-makes 11 recommendations for
government and industry to develop both the domestic and international
critical minerals sector... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
The Economic Leash: China’s Financial Tethers and Global
Power Plays, November 2024.
China’s emphasis on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and
its integration into global markets have allowed it to wield
significant influence internationally. Nonetheless, this
focus on rapid expansion has created disparities within the
Chinese economy, such as regional inequalities, a reliance
on debt-fueled growth, and a fragile financial system. These
economic challenges impose limitations on China’s broader
strategic objectives, particularly its military ambitions.
The global financial system, especially China’s stock
market, acts as a stabilizing force, as economic volatility
directly affects China’s capacity to engage in risky
geopolitical behavior... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
China’s Himalayan Hustle: Revisionism Resistance Must be the
Order of the Region, November 2024.
This edited volume brings together papers to highlight the
challenges and opportunities in mapping China’s Himalayan
hustle. It aims to advance key debates about the importance
of this region to maintain a rules-based order in the
Indo-Pacific and to defend the liberal international order.
The special volume would also be a valuable contribution to
the literature on China’s attempts to dominate the Himalayan
region and its resources, and will generate new insights
into how to integrate this strategically vital region into
the Indo-Pacific construct. Besides the Introduction, this
volume has six sections. Section I focuses on the issues
arising out of Himalayas as a strategic arena. It looks at
China’s revisionism in the Himalayas, in particular its
neighborhood strategy. It also explores Japan’s strategic
outlook on China’s Himalayan tactic... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Russian and DPRK Military Cooperation in Ukraine – A
Win-Win? November 2024.
In early August 2024, Ukraine launched a significant
offensive in the Kursk region in Western Russia which may
have prompted the activation of the DPRK-Russia Strategic
Partnership Agreement and triggered the DPRK’s deployment of
troops to Russia. The involvement of foreign military
personnel represents a significant escalation and shift in
the conflict, further complicating the geopolitical balance
internationally as more actors become directly involved.
This issue brief discusses how the deepening military
collaboration between Russia and North Korea poses several
risks and benefits to both countries and new challenges to
the Western alliance against Russia’s war in Ukraine. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Report of the First Stockholm Forum on Himalaya, November
2024.
The first Stockholm Forum on Himalaya was organized by the
Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) on
October 17, 2024, in Stockholm, Sweden. The flagship event
of the ISDP’s Stockholm Center for South Asian and
Indo-Pacific Affairs (SCSA-IPA) was titled “Mapping China’s
Himalayan Hustle.” The forum probed the intricacies of
China’s role as a revisionist power in the Himalayan region,
exploring how its infrastructure development, military
strategies, and diplomatic initiatives were reshaping the
geopolitical landscape. In the context of growing tensions
and strategic competition in Asia, particularly in the
Himalayas, the conference aimed to foster dialogue among
scholars, and experts from India, Europe, East Asia, and the
United States on the broader ramifications of China’s
ambitions... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #26: Malaysia’s Motorcycle Sector: Past
and Present Possibilities in an Era of Energy Transition. Malaysia
has traditionally adopted an intensive automotive
industrialization model and created its own vehicles under
national brands. The national car project started with
Proton in 1983, and the national motorcycle project with
Modenas in 1995. While policies and scholarship have focused
on national car projects, the two-wheeler sector has stood
in their shadow. Modenas witnessed early growth and remains
a popular brand after Yamaha and Honda; it has however
failed to hit export targets, owing to limited technology
transfer and the inability to scale. In recent years, there
has been renewed interest in the two-wheeler sector,
focusing on phasing out combustion motorcycles in favour of
electric two-wheelers (E2Ws)... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #24: The Rising Role of Chinese Firms in
Southeast Asia’s Automotive Supply Chain. Chinese
firms have become global leaders in the electrification,
networking and intelligentization of vehicles. They are
globally dominant in minerals extraction and processing and
battery production for electric vehicles (EVs) and are
becoming internationally competitive in the enabling
microelectronics, components and systems. This report covers
the role of Chinese firms in Southeast Asia across five
segments of the EV supply chain, namely minerals extraction
and processing; battery manufacturing, energy storage and
charging; original equipment manufacturer (OEM) production
of complete vehicles; microelectronics design and
manufacturing; and research and development activities... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Financial Stability Review 2024. Global economic
activity has remained resilient, while disinflation progressed
in 2024. However, the global economy
confronts heightened uncertainty, trade tensions and
geopolitical conflicts that raise the
probability of adverse shocks. Trade-dependent small
economies could face a confluence of risks,
including potential terms-of trade shocks, slower
global growth, higher-for-longer rates, and
renewed dollar strength. The build-up
of financial imbalances, including fiscal and credit risks,
stretched asset valuations and
leveraged positions, may amplify these risks. Sudden spikes in
global financial market volatility, as
evidenced in August, could lead to the disorderly unwinding of
leveraged positions, sharp asset
repricing or a sudden retrenchment in cross-border financial
flows... |
|
MAS |
|
|
Monetary
Authority of Singapore: Macroeconomic Review, Volume XXIII,
Issue 2, October 2024 (Full
Report). In the July 2024 Monetary Policy Statement,
MAS maintained the rate of appreciation of the Singapore dollar
nominal effective exchange rate (S$NEER) policy band, with no
change to the width of the band or the level at which it was
centred. Since then, the S$NEER has been appreciating gradually
in line with the policy band. The global economy has remained
broadly resilient. Growth has been steady in the US, sustained
by domestic demand, but has been weaker in the Euro area. In
China, exports were buoyant in the first half of 2024, but
domestic spending continued to be subdued amid the housing
market downturn. Regional economies meanwhile have benefited
from the sustained upturn in the global electronics cycle, with
investments supported by tech-related activities... |
|
MAS |
|
|
Singapore Asset Management Survey 2023. Global assets under
management (AUM) increased by 12% and Asia AUM
similarly trended up by 8% in 2023, on the back of gains in
global bonds and
equities after a challenging 2022. Singapore’s AUM grew by 10%
to S$5.4
trillion (or US$4.1 trillion), faster than the AUM growth in
Asia.
Singapore serves a key gateway for global asset managers and
investors to tap
the region’s growth opportunities, with 77% of AUM sourced from
outside
Singapore, and 89% of total AUM invested outside the country.
Discretionary AUM accounts for more than half of total AUM in
2023, as asset managers continue to base their key
investment professionals and decision makers in the country... |
|
MAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Workshop on Infrastructure Regulation and Competition from
Structural Reform Experiences in APEC, November 2024
-
Unlocking the Upstreamness Benefits in Global Value Chains,
November 2024
-
APEC Technology Empowers Low Carbon Action (TELCA): Best
Practice Report, November 2024
-
APEC Supply Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan
2022–2026 (SCFAP III): Mid-term Review, November 2024
-
Final Report: Public-Private Dialogue on Best Practices for
the Transition of Economic Actors from Informal to Formal
Economy, November 2024
-
Revealing Women’s Potential in the Creative Economy,
November 2024
-
2024 CTI Annual Report to Ministers
-
APEC Senior Officials' Report on Economic and Technical
Cooperation 2024
-
Highlights of Economic and Technical Cooperation in APEC
2024
-
2024
APEC Economic Policy Report
-
APEC Regional Trends Analysis, November 2024
-
APEC in Charts 2024
-
Mainstreaming Gender in the Transport Workforce for
Sustainability, November 2024
-
Accelerating Industry 4.0 Technology Adoption in
Manufacturing Sectors through STI Partnerships among Smart
Manufacturing Research and Innovation Centers, November 2024
-
Summary Report - APEC Workshop on Enhancing SMEs’
Participation in GVCs in the Manufacturing Sector through
Digital Technology, November 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Sectors with Carbon Capture,
Utilization, and Storage, November 2024
-
Toward a Low-Carbon and Just Energy Transition in Developing
Asia, November 2024
-
Assessing and Addressing Risks in Pacific Construction
Supply Chains, November 2024
-
Strengthening Foundations for a Food-and Nutrition-Secure
Future in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, November
2024
-
Preparing for Disease X: Lessons Learned from the Gendered
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Pacific, November
2024
-
Innovations in Job Matching for Youth in Asia and the
Pacific: A Review, November 2024
-
Climate Change and Education Playbook: Investing in
Education and Skills for Climate Resilience in Asia and the
Pacific, November 2024
-
Civil Society Brief: Lao People’s Democratic Republic,
November 2024
-
Transformative Effects of Rural Connectivity: Innovations
and Institutional Strengthening in Five Indian States,
November 2024
-
The Kyrgyz Republic and ADB: 30 Years of Partnership
(1994–2024), November 2024
-
Bridging the Divide: Exploring Gender Bonds for Equality in
Asia and the Pacific, November 2024
-
Cambodia’s Economic Diversification: A Country Diagnostic
Study, November 2024
-
Pakistan’s Low-Carbon Energy Outlook and Technology Road
Map, October 2024
-
Asia Bond Monitor, November 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
November 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Case for an Indo-Pacific Economic Resilience Bank, October
2024. Eighty years ago at Bretton Woods, leading countries
gathered to design an international financial architecture
needed to sustain a broadly open world economy and global
financial stability. The institutions that emerged remain
important, but they are struggling to rise to the modern-day
challenges posed by climate change and economic insecurity. The
world faces a multi-trillion-dollar financing gap to
reinvigorate stalling global development and create diversified
green supply chains to enable a secure clean energy transition
for all countries... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Nusantara: Climate Dilemmas of a “Green” Capital City in
Indonesia, October 2024.
Even before Indonesia’s independence, its leaders had drafted
plans to relocate the capital city. Proponents gave various
reasons at different times, but with Jakarta’s stifling traffic
and perennial flooding, the government is now translating
visions of relocation into action. Construction of the new
capital, Nusantara, is already underway in East Kalimantan
province. Nusantara is an ambitious and symbolic nation-building
project that positions Indonesia as an increasingly confident
player on the international stage... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Indo-Pacific Lens on the Arctic: How US Partners in Asia View
Arctic Security and Governance, August 2024.
Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and India joined the Arctic
Council as observers in 2013, concurrently with China, but their
perspectives have not received sufficient attention. This paper
examines how US partners Japan, South Korea, India, and
Singapore view their role in Arctic governance and security and
what this means for the United States. From the perspective of
Indo-Pacific states seeking to access Arctic shipping routes and
resources and participate in Arctic science and governance, the
Russia-administered Northern Sea Route (NSR) was a crucial
gateway until 2022... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Latest Asia Pacific Bulletin series:
-
India - Indian Ocean Security and the US Indo-Pacific
Strategy, October 2024
-
Sri Lanka - Indian Ocean Security and the US Indo-Pacific
Strategy, October 2024
-
Indonesia - Indian Ocean Security and the US Indo-Pacific
Strategy, October 2024
-
Thailand - Indian Ocean Security and the US Indo-Pacific
Strategy, October 2024
-
Madagascar - Indian Ocean Security and the US Indo-Pacific
Strategy, October 2024
-
Maldives - Indian Ocean Security and the US Indo-Pacific
Strategy, October 2024
-
Seychelles - Indian Ocean Security and the US Indo-Pacific
Strategy, October 2024
-
Connecting West and East - Indian Ocean Security and the US
Indo-Pacific Strategy, October 2024
-
New Zealand and NATO - A Developing Relationship, October
2024
-
The Republic of Korea and 2024 NATO Presidential Summit in
Washington DC, October 2024
-
A New Deterrence Agenda for NATO and Japan, October 2024
-
Continental Drift - Australia and the 2024 NATO Summit,
October 2024
-
NATO’s Indo-Pacific Aspirations, October 2024
-
Malaysian perspectives of the US-Australia alliance in
Southeast Asia, September 2024
-
Supporting the Philippines in Kickstarting the Comprehensive
Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) - The Role of the
US-Australian Alliance, September 2024
|
|
EWC |
|
|
Why the World Can’t Afford to Keep Taiwan Out of Interpol,
October 2024.
Taiwan’s exclusion from the International Criminal Police
Organization (Interpol) presents a critical gap in the
global effort to combat transnational crime. As criminal
networks become more sophisticated, particularly in areas
such as cybercrime, human trafficking, and terrorism,
seamless international cooperation is essential. Despite
Taiwan’s strategic importance in the Asia-Pacific region and
its advanced law enforcement capabilities, it remains
excluded from Interpol’s systems, creating a vulnerability
in the global security framework... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Elevating Democracy via Transatlantic Collaboration, October
2024.
In collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm, the
Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP)
organized a series of conference events from March 11 to 14,
2024, held in various locations including Stockholm,
Gothenburg, and a final closed-door roundtable in Luleå with
local stakeholders. The goal was to raise awareness and
encourage dialogue on the challenges posed by authoritarian
regimes exploiting international research collaborations and
corporate ownership for illiberal purposes... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
BRICS: Evolving into a Vehicle for Inclusive
Multilateralism? October 2024.
BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) is a
group of major emerging economies that seeks to reform
global governance and foster alternatives to established
financial institutions. First convened in 2009, BRICS has
gradually expanded its cooperation areas beyond economics to
include various new sectors, such as security, energy,
infrastructure, science, technology, digital economy,
healthcare, and green development. BRICS operates as a
flexible intergovernmental organization without a permanent
secretariat or founding charter, and functions through
consensus-based decision-making, guided by implicit,
semi-codified internal rules... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth in Cambodia:
Country Diagnostic and Product Space Analyses, October 2024. Cambodia
aims to become an upper middle-income country by 2030 and a
high-income country by 2050. This study provides a country
diagnostic analysis of the Cambodian economy. An empirical
analysis based on product space is carried out to identify
product diversification and future growth opportunities to
guide Cambodia’s structural transformation path. By
addressing the key constraints to intra-sectoral
diversification, Cambodia would be better placed to navigate
the inherent trade-offs between capabilities, complexity and
opportunity gain. |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Digital Capacity Building for Own-Account Workers in Singapore,
October 2024. Own-account workers are self-employed persons
who engage in a trade or business without employing any paid
workers. Own-account workers are not only delivery riders and
private-hire car drivers but are also real estate and property
agents, information and communication technology professionals,
science and engineering professionals, and freelancers in the
arts, media, creative, entertainment and sports industries.
Without a singular long-term employer that can help to
facilitate or support their upskilling, own-account workers are
left to navigate the complexities of upgrading their skillsets
to remain competitive in the workforce on their own. Despite
own-account workers making up a third of the global workforce,
research on the role technology plays in their work and their
digital upskilling needs remains scarce... |
|
IPS |
|
|
International Vertical Equity in Global — An Asian Perspective,
September 2024. Rising multipolarity is seen to be leading
to a fracturing of the global economy, which has hitherto been
characterised by efficiency, multilateralism and a level playing
field. Amongst many responses, some have focused on the
expertise and incentives that small states might have to keep
the global system together. For example, it has been argued
“small states can create effective (if restricted) multilateral
groupings that are either plurilateral or minilateral, but that
can seamlessly transition to open, inclusive multilateralism
when interests again align”... |
|
IPS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
APEC STI Strategic Foresight: Net Zero Emissions/ Carbon
Neutrality Report, October 2024
-
Workshop to Sharing Experiences and Best Practices on How
APEC Economies’ Qualifications Frameworks are Coping with
the Disruptive Impact of Emerging AI Technologies - Summary
Report, October 2024
-
Workshop to Sharing Experiences and Best Practices on How
APEC Economies’ Qualifications Frameworks are Coping with
the Disruptive Impact of Emerging AI Technologies -
Compendium, October 2024
-
Promoting Carbon Neutrality in North Sulawesi – Vision,
Targets, Benchmarking and Monitoring, October 2024
-
2024 Update to Monitoring Pandemic Recovery Under the APEC
Services Competitiveness Roadmap (ASCR), October 2024
-
Supporting AI at Scale in the APEC Region Through
International Standards - Recommendations Report, October
2024
-
2022 APEC Research Center for Typhoon and Society (ACTS)
Annual Meeting (2022ACTS) & 2022 ACTS Expert Meeting /
Policy Dialogue Report, October 2024
-
Survey Report - Inclusive and Responsible Business and
Investment (IRBI) in APEC, October 2024
-
APEC Guidelines on Inclusive and Responsible Business &
Investment (IRBI), October 2024
-
Implementing Inclusive and Responsible Business and
Investment (IRBI) in APEC - A Toolkit for Business and
Investment Institutions in APEC, October 2024
-
Trends and Developments in IP Protection of Software-Related
Inventions in the APEC Region, October 2024
-
Promoting Circular Economy in the Construction Industry
within APEC Region Using Industrial Symbiosis Approach,
October 2024
-
Developing Integrated Timber Data to Enhance Legal Timber
Trade of the APEC through Xylaria Networking - Final Report,
October 2024
-
Peer Review and Capacity Building on APEC Infrastructure
Development and Investment: Chile, October 2024
-
Handbook on Rebuilding Rural Tourism in APEC Economies by
Utilising Green Recovery Strategies, October 2024
-
APEC Blue Citizen Guidebook, September 2024
-
Vaccine Spotlight Report: A Compilation of Initiatives to
Explore Vaccine Uptake in the Asia-Pacific Region, September
2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
-
Impact of Climate Risk on Fiscal Space: Do Political
Stability and Financial Development Matter? October 2024
-
Measuring Port Activities and Lockdown Impact Using
Automatic Identification System Data, October 2024
-
Pensions in Aging Asia and the Pacific: Policy Insights and
Priorities, October 2024
-
Well-Being of Older People in East Asia: The People’s
Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, October
2024
-
Environmental, Social, and Governance Materiality in XBRL
Disclosures and its Performance Predictability: Evidence
from Japan, October 2024
-
Storms, Early Education, and Human Capital, October 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Asia-Pacific Climate Report 2024: Catalyzing Finance and
Policy Solutions, October 2024
-
Handbook on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, October 2024
-
Designing Competition Policy for Economic Development in
Asia and the Pacific, Published 2024
-
Harnessing Development Financing for Solutions to
Displacement in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change
in Asia and the Pacific, Published 2024
-
Digital Transformation of Multilevel Tax Policies and
Administration for Resilience and Sustainable Growth,
October 2024
-
Georgia Exports and Value Chain Study, October 2024
-
A Review of Digital Creative Industries in Asia:
Opportunities and Policies to Foster Growth and Create
High-Quality Jobs, October 2024
-
Aiming for Sustainable Economic Development in the Pacific:
The Asian Think Tank Forum 2023 Proceedings, Published 2024
-
ADB and Sri Lanka: Pursuing the Sustainable Development
Goals, October 2024
-
Kazakhstan’s Resource Economy: Diversification Through
Global Value Chains, October 2024
-
Gender Equality and Water Security: A Conceptual Framework
and Practical Strategies to Accelerate Progress, October
2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asian Development Outlook, September 2024 (Full Report,
Highlights).
Technology exporters are particularly benefiting from higher
global semiconductor sales driven by the artificial intelligence
boom. Inflation in the region is expected to ease further,
supported by the lagged effects of previous monetary policy
tightening and declining global food and energy prices. However,
risks loom, including potential increases in protectionism
depending on the outcome of the United States presidential
election, escalating geopolitical tensions, further weakness in
the property market in the People’s Republic of China, and
adverse weather and climatic conditions... |
|
ADB |
|
|
High
Frequency Macroeconomic Forecasts Current Quarter Model:
2024Q4, October 2024. Hong Kong’s economic growth
moderated from 4.3% growth in the second half of 2023 to
3.0% growth in the first half of 2024. Changes in
consumer behavior and the surge in consumption by Hong
Kong residents abroad have led to reduced private
consumption expenditure and increased imports of
services. Hong Kong's Economy is expected to slow from
3.3% in the 24Q2 to 2.0% in the 24Q3. The job market
remains tight, with the unemployment rate is projected
to 3.0% in 24Q4. Visitor arrivals in Hong Kong continue
to rise, with number of visitors up by 9.2% year-on-year
in August 2024, driving up Hong Kong tourism-related
service exports... |
|
HKU |
|
|
2024 Asia Power Index Key Findings Report.
The annual Asia Power Index — launched by the Lowy Institute in
2018 — measures resources and influence to rank the relative
power of states in Asia. The project maps out the existing
distribution of power as it stands today, and tracks shifts in
the balance of power over time. The Index ranks 27 countries and
territories in terms of their capacity to shape their external
environment — its scope reaching as far west as Pakistan, as far
north as Russia, and as far into the Pacific as Australia, New
Zealand, and the United States. The 2024 edition is the most
comprehensive assessment of the changing distribution of power
in Asia to date. It includes Timor-Leste for the first time,
reflecting its growing importance as a result of likely
accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
in future years... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
A Climate Loss and Damage Fund That Works, September 2024.
Loss and Damage resulting from climate change presents a unique
global challenge that affects vulnerable countries the most, and
requires a rethinking of the traditional approach to accessing
climate finance. In response, a Fund for responding to Loss and
Damage has been established under the United Nations. To
succeed, the Fund should learn from the key shortcomings of
other climate funds. The new Fund for responding to Loss and
Damage should adopt a clear allocation mechanism based on
recipient countries’ vulnerability, emission contributions, and
climate change policies. Loss and Damage solutions are unlikely
to result in clear financial returns... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
The Australia-US Alliance from a Thai Perspective - An
Unbreakable or Unpinnable Partnership? August 2024.
The Australia-United States alliance—as enunciated in the ANZUS
Treaty in 1951—is now opined as “unbreakable,” which is part and
parcel of the latest trilateral arrangement between Australia,
the United Kingdom, and the United States, known as AUKUS. First
and foremost, it is a normative alliance, upholding a shared
vision of a liberal rules-based world order in the Indo-Pacific.
Secondly, it signifies that Washington and Canberra are prepared
to act in unison to maintain regional peace and order.
Conventional wisdom in Southeast Asia holds that AUKUS,
primarily aimed at providing Australia with nuclear-powered
submarines... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Vietnamese Perspective on the Significance of the US-Australia
Alliance in Southeast Asian Security, August 2024.
The United States and Australia have maintained a robust
alliance for decades, underpinned by shared strategic interests
and values. This enduring partnership has played a crucial role
in shaping the security landscape of the Indo-Pacific region. As
Southeast Asia faces an increasingly complex security
environment, marked by great power rivalry and transnational
challenges, the region has a significant stake in the trajectory
of the US-Australia alliance. This commentary examines the
implications of the alliance for Southeast Asian security from
the perspective of Vietnam, a country that has long pursued a
policy of non-alignment while actively engaging with both the
United States and Australia... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Strategic Partners or Fickle Friends? Indonesia’s Perceptions of
the US-Australia Defense and Security Relationship, August 2024.
The US-Australia relationship is a special one. Bilateral
military and defense ties between the two countries are over a
century old, with the Australian military having been involved
in almost every major conflict that the United States has been
involved in since World War I. These ties have only grown
stronger with the emergence of security-based minilateral
initiatives such as the Quad and AUKUS. US-Australia
minilaterals are products of the contested nature of the
Indo-Pacific security landscape, in which the United States and
Australia find themselves grappling with what they consider a
monumental adversary in the People’s Republic of China... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Understated and Sometimes Contentious - A Perspective on
the US-Australia Alliance in Southeast Asia, August 2024.
The Australian-United States alliance is probably one of the
most under-appreciated and misunderstood security partnerships
in Southeast Asia. Often derided as a barely tolerable symbol of
“Western” influence in Asia and sometimes ridiculed for its
ambitions to act as “sheriff” and “deputy sheriff,” the alliance
nonetheless provides useful support for the region’s stability
today. Southeast Asian states benefit from a predictable set of
international practices, major powers exercising relative
restraint, and a general aversion to escalating uses of force in
the region. Thereby, they derive some utility from a functioning
US-Australia alliance. The alliance is one of the pillars that
helps undergird the status quo in Southeast Asia... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Connecting the Indo-Pacific: The Future of Subsea Cables and
Opportunities for Australia, September 2024. Submarine
cable networks are critical infrastructure; they carry nearly all public
internet and private network data traffic, facilitating global economic
and financial activity as well as government and military communications
and operations. The submarine cable landscape has entered a new era and
is now shaped by the rising participation of hyperscalers—hyperscale
cloud and content providers— as well as the strategic actions of major
powers and minilateral groups. The report examines the significance of
this for Australia and explores how Australia can capitalise on these
evolving dynamics to solidify its position as a regional digital hub in
the Indo-Pacific by improving regional subcable resilience and digital
connectivity, including its own... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Lessons in Leadership: Interviews With 11 of Australia’s Former Defence
Ministers, September 2024. In a time of growing
strategic uncertainty, 11 of Australia’s former defence ministers have
shared valuable lessons they learned over decades running one of the
toughest portfolios in government. In this compendium, the former
ministers from both sides of politics give their views on topics ranging
from the complexity of dealing with a massive department, to the grief
they shared with families at the funerals of slain soldiers. The pieces
are drawn from interviews with former ASPI executive director Peter
Jennings and links to the original video interviews are available in the
posts on The Strategist site... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Taiwan’s Diplomatic Allies and the Struggle for Global
Inclusion, September 2024.
Considering the importance of multilateral institutions in
global governance in the liberal world order, global
stakeholders highly regard their memberships in
international organizations to address various challenges
and threats. Different actors cooperate through
international organizations on transnational crime,
environment, industry, global health, and many others.
However, Taiwan continues to be sidelined in major
organizations due to political considerations in favor of
China. Stemming from its diplomatic history, Taiwan has a
unique setup when interacting with and participating in
international institutions... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Navigating the Indo-Pacific: How Australia and the EU Can
Partner for Peace, Stability, and Prosperity, September 2024.
To navigate the choppy waters of the Indo-Pacific, the EU
and Australia must be on the same wavelength regarding
shared interests in rules, values, and an open and liberal
economic order. Headwinds are plenty as the underpinnings of
peace and stability are currently frail in an era of
Indo-Pacific (re-)ordering. Proactive minilaterals and the
agency of middle powers such as Australia provide tailwinds.
Besides dealing with a more assertive China, five key areas
of convergence between the EU and Australia are... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Eco-Economic Balancing Act: The EU’s Approach to the China
EV Trade Dispute, September 2024.
The European Commission unveiled in June the long-expected
preliminary results from the ongoing anti-subsidy
investigation into Chinese Electric Vehicle (EV)
manufacturers. Applicable from July 5, 2024, a new
provisional tariff regime will apply to EV imports until
November, when the EU Council at the latest must-have voted
to either make the tariffs permanent or lift them, pending
the results from the 13-month probe. However, reactions to
the Commission’s initial findings have varied widely within
the EU, and it also remains disputed how the tariffs will
impact EU competitiveness and trade relations with China... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #23: Learn from Your Comrades:
Understanding Authoritarian Diffusion between Vietnam and
China. Since the normalization of relations in
1991, Vietnam and China, two of the five remaining communist
regimes, have established a robust framework for mutual
learning and cooperation. This collaboration has primarily
centred around party governance and cadre training. Vietnam
has actively studied and adopted elements of China’s
successful model, which combines economic reform with strict
political control. This approach has allowed Vietnam to
maintain communist rule in the face of increasing global
pressure for democratic reforms... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #22: Prospects and Challenges in
Promoting Humanitarian Islam: Nahdlatul Ulama’s
International Social Partnerships. Humanitarian
Islam refers to the efforts of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) to
promote peaceful coexistence among people of different
faiths in the world, with a focus on rahmah (universal love
and compassion). The main vehicles for promoting
Humanitarian Islam have been North Carolina-registered
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), namely Bayt ar-Rahmah
(Home of the Divine Grace) and the Center for Shared
Civilizational Values. Key advocates of this campaign
include current Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Yahya Cholil
Staquf and North Carolina native Holland Taylor... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #21: Mitigating Carbon Emissions and
Haze in Southeast Asia’s Peatlands: Opportunities and
Challenges in Integrating Policy and Governance. Peatland
ecosystems in Southeast Asia are globally important as
carbon sinks, rich in terrestrial and aquatic fauna and
flora, and important sources of livelihood for local
communities. However, agribusiness-driven land-use change
and drainage cause peatland degradation and peat fires,
which generate “haze” air pollution and lead to significant
economic losses and health impacts. Disturbed peatlands also
become substantial sources of greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Safeguarding Elections from Threats Posed by Artificial
Intelligence, August 2024. Artificial intelligence (AI)
presents a novel challenge to a record-breaking year of
elections, with over 20 national elections held since the start
of 2024. Much of the public discourse centres on AI’s ability to
produce and disseminate mis- and disinformation, which has
already impacted some elections. For instance, the deepfake of
late Indonesian President Suharto endorsing Golkar candidates
circulated during the lead-up in the country’s 2024 general
election. The use of AI during elections is beneficial for
increasing the efficiency of political campaigning processes,
improving information parity and detecting AI-generated and
AI-manipulated information. However, the technology has its
pitfalls too. Its generative functionality has caused it to
become a powerful manipulation tool... |
|
IPS |
|
|
Not Quite Impulsive Spenders: Key Findings from the IPS-CNA
Survey on Financing Behaviours among Younger Singaporeans, April
2024. The IPS-CNA Survey on Financing Behaviours Among
Younger Singaporeans 2022 sought to understand financial
attitudes and behaviour among younger Singaporeans. It
investigated attitudes and behaviours related to debt, savings,
coping with the cost living, as well as planning for the future.
The key findings of the study are summarised below. Almost half
of all respondents indicated that food is their top or second
top expenditure. Respondents aged 25 to 39 most often spend
money on food (around eight in 10), clothes and footwear (over
six in 10), and utility bills (around six in 10). Higher
proportions of older respondents also indicated that they pay
allowance to their children, parents or other dependents... |
|
IPS |
|
|
Decentralised Governance through Blockchain, March 2024.
This paper explores the application of blockchain technology to
decentralised governance. More specifically, it examines the
potential of blockchain in creating self-governing ecosystems
that help manage shared resources effectively. The paper uses
the late Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom’s model of decentralised
governance to prove that effective resource management can be
undertaken through a system that facilitates and rewards
cooperation, as well as punishes parties that violate key
principles and laws. This can be achieved without the overriding
authority of the state imposing its will on the participants of
that said ecosystem... |
|
IPS |
|
|
Public Housing in Singapore: Four Principles for Public
Deliberation, February 2024. The paper analyses the baseline
principles that underpin public housing policies in Singapore.
Presented as four principles that can align or contradict each
other, this happens when policy choices are made to achieve a
key national objective or a balance of several, or to privilege
a key segment of the population as part of those objectives. The
four principles that are proposed are: Shelter, Citizenship,
Store of Value, and Tradeable Assets and they are explained in
detail. The paper provides a language by which to discuss the
strategic role it plays in socio-economic development in
Singapore and the trade-offs that are involved in prioritising
one principle over the others in reforming public housing policy
in the future. |
|
IPS |
|
|
Monetary
Authority of Singapore: Macroeconomic Review, Volume XXIII,
Issue 1, April 2024 (Full
Report). In the January 2024 Monetary Policy
Statement (MPS), MAS maintained the rate of appreciation of the
Singapore dollar nominal effective exchange rate (S$NEER) policy
band, with no change to the width of the band or level at which
it was centred. Since then, the S$NEER has continued to
strengthen in the upper half of the appreciating policy band.
Global economic growth remained resilient at the turn of the
year. In the near term, growth in Singapore’s major trading
partners is expected to be tempered by the impact of past
monetary policy tightening and withdrawal of previous
expansionary fiscal policies... |
|
MAS |
|
|
MAS Survey of Professional Forecasters, September 2024.
The Sep 2024 Survey was sent out on 13 August 2024 to a total of
25 economists and analysts who closely monitor the Singapore
economy. This report reflects the views received from 21
respondents (a response rate of 84%) and does not represent MAS’
views or forecasts. The Singapore economy expanded by 2.9%
year-on-year in Q2 2024, above the respondents’ median forecast
of 2.7% in the previous survey. In the current survey, the
respondents expect the economy to grow by 2.6% year-on-year in
Q3 2024. The respondents expect GDP to expand by 2.6% this year,
up from 2.4% in the previous survey, with higher forecasts for
the finance & insurance, construction as well as wholesale &
retail trade sectors... |
|
MAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Trade in Value Added (TiVA) in the APEC Region: Evolution of
Indicators on GVCs, September 2024
-
Analytical Report - CTI Initiative on Exploring
interoperability in APEC approaches on Green Finance and
Sustainability Investing, September 2024
-
Building a FinTech Ecosystem for the Recovery of the MSME
Sector, September 2024
-
Connecting Traveler Choice with Climate Outcomes: Innovative
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Policies and Practices in
the APEC Region through Traveler Behavioral Change,
September 2024
-
Peer Review on Low-Carbon Energy Policies in Peru, September
2024
-
APEC Workshop on Promoting Technology to Contribute to
Sustainable Energy Transition, September 2024
-
APEC Workshop on Promoting Sustainable Energy for Small
Farmers towards Climate-friendly Agri Value Chains,
September 2024
-
Enhancing MSME Data Interoperability in the APEC Region,
September 2024
-
APEC Workshop on Promoting Women Economic Empowerment
through Enhancing Opportunities for Women in Remote Areas
across Agri-food Chains, September 2024
-
Workshop Summary Report: Increasing Access to the Benefits
of Trade for Indigenous Businesses and Entrepreneurs 2023,
September 2024
-
APEC Energy Resiliency Enhancement Project: Project Summary
Report, September 2024
-
APEC Energy Resiliency Sectoral Guidelines for Energy
Infrastructure Companies, September 2024
-
Reframing an Unfolding Canvas: Policy Approaches to
Facilitate APEC’s Creative Economy amid Evolving Digital
Technologies, September 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
-
Remittances and Economic Growth: The Role of Financial
Development in Nepal, September 2024
-
Local Communities’ Perspectives on Ecological Restoration of
Native Plant Species: Evidence from Delhi’s Southern Ridge,
September 2024
-
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks: Total Cost of Ownership Analysis
for the People’s Republic of China, September 2024
-
Empowered Women Prioritize the Environmental and Health
Impacts of Fuel Choice, September 2024
-
Labor Market Impact of Export in a Commodity-Dependent
Nation: The Case of Indonesia, September 2024
-
Food Insecurity, Inflation and Government Aid: Evidence from
a Household Survey in Developing Asia, September 2024
-
Digitalization for Decarbonization: Evidence from
Bangladesh, the Republic of Korea, and Sri Lanka, September
2024
-
House Insulation: Perceived Needs and Willingness in Central
Asia, September 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Quality Jobs and the Future of Work in Asia and the Pacific:
Impacts of a Triple Transition—Demographic, Digital, and
Green, September 2024
-
Echoes of Success: Case Studies in the Replication of Asian
Development Bank Projects in the People's Republic of China,
September 2024
-
Asia Bond Monitor, September 2024
-
Emerging Hydrogen Energy Technology and Global Momentum,
September 2024
-
Proposed Life Cycle Approach for Promoting Climate
Resilience and Carbon Neutrality: Case of the Road Subsector
in Tajikistan, September 2024
-
Indonesia Longitudinal Aging Survey 2023, September 2024
-
Driving Energy-Efficient and Low-Carbon Investments for
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises through the Finance
Sector, September 2024
-
Public–Private Partnership Monitor: India, September 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Asian Development Review, Vol.
41, No. 2, September 2024 (Full
Report). Two of the articles look at the trade–poverty nexus
and the linkages between demographic changes and labor
productivity. The other three articles delve into the structural
change impacts of trade disputes, special economic zones, and
the transfer of labor away from agriculture.
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Key Indicators for
Asia and the Pacific 2024
(Full Report):
Key Indicators for
Asia and the Pacific covers 49
economies:
Afghanistan,
Armenia,
Australia,
Azerbaijan,
Bangladesh,
Bhutan,
Brunei Darussalam,
Cambodia,
China,
Cook Islands,
Fiji Islands,
Georgia,
Hong
Kong,
India,
Indonesia,
Japan,
Kazakhstan,
Kiribati,
Republic
of Korea,
Kyrgyz Republic,
Lao,
Malaysia,
Maldives,
Marshall Islands,
Micronesia,
Mongolia,
Myanmar,
Nauru,
Nepal,
Niue,
New Zealand,
Pakistan,
Palau,
Papua New Guinea,
Philippines,
Samoa,
Singapore,
Solomon Islands,
Sri Lanka,
Taipei,
Tajikistan,
Thailand,
Timor-Leste,
Tonga,
Turkmenistan,
Tuvalu,
Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu,
and
Viet Nam. |
|
ADB |
|
|
Trump 2.0, August 2024.
On 5 November, Americans will go to the polls to elect their
next president. The choice is between Donald Trump, running for
a second, non-consecutive term at the helm of a Republican Party
moulded firmly in his image, and incumbent Vice President Kamala
Harris, whose surprise elevation to the top of the Democratic
ticket has re-energised her party. President Joe Biden’s
decision to drop out of the contest has rebalanced the race for
the moment. But the political landscape remains volatile. Of two
things we can be fairly certain. Trump is better positioned for
a knife-edge victory now than he was ahead of his shock win as a
political outsider in 2016. Second, compared to a Harris
victory, a return of Trump to the White House portends far
greater disruption to the global role of the United States... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
The Great Game in the Pacific Islands, August 2024.
Pacific Islanders have found their region, previously
undervalued by larger powers, now a focal point for strategic
competition. Geopolitical competition in the Pacific Islands
region is intensifying. From deals on policing in Solomon
Islands to building parliamentary complexes in Vanuatu, China’s
outreach and activities in the region appear indefatigable. In
the words of Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Canberra
and its partners are locked in a “state of permanent contest”
with Beijing over influence in the region. Pacific Island
leaders used to complain that Australia and its Western partners
paid too little attention to the region... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Women Are Underfunded in the Pacific Islands, August 2024.
Pacific Islands women are not receiving enough development
funding. Until 2021, only about 3% of all aid had gender
equality as its “principal” target, below the global average of
4%, and only a quarter of all aid had gender equality as a
“significant” focus, 13% below the global average. Australia’s
financing for Pacific women’s development overshadows that of
all other development partners. Australia’s total contribution
is slightly below the global average of financing for women’s
development, although it is expected to rise with the
implementation of new targets. Aid to the sector from China is
negligible... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Latest East-West Center Asia Pacific
Bulletin series:
-
US-Japan Alliance Resiliency Amid Risks, August 2024
-
United States, UNESCO, and International Relations through
Cultural Heritage, August 2024
-
Rise of Economic Nationalism in Emerging Economies and the
Influence of Elections, August 2024
-
How Will the Probowo Administration Shape Indonesia’s
Foreign Policy as a Middle Power? August 2024
-
South Korean Perspectives on China-Russia Collaboration in
the Arctic, August 2024
-
Arctic Geopolitics and Governance: An Indian Perspective,
August 2024
-
Sino-Russia Arctic Relations - The View from Singapore,
August 2024
-
US Perspectives on Sino-Russian Cooperation in the Arctic
and Roles for Partners, August 2024
-
Japan's Arctic Policy - Current Status and Challenges,
August 2024
-
The US-India Clean Energy Partnership and Quad Provide
Overlapping Pathways to Produce Clean Energy, August 2024
-
Enhancing Military Diplomacy in the Asia Pacific - A US
Foreign Area Officer’s Perspective, August 2024
|
|
EWC |
|
|
ASPI’s Two-Decade Critical Technology Tracker, August 2024. The
Critical Technology Tracker is a large data-driven project that now
covers 64 critical technologies spanning defence, space, energy, the
environment, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, cyber,
computing, advanced materials and key quantum technology areas. It
provides a leading indicator of a country’s research performance,
strategic intent and potential future science and technology capability.
It first launched 1 March 2023 and underwent a major expansion on 28
August 2024 which took the dataset from five years (previously,
2018–2022) to 21 years (2003–2023)... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
When China Knocks at the Door of New Caledonia, August 2024. China’s
covert foreign interference activities in the Pacific are a very
important, and yet under-researched, topic. This report uses New
Caledonia as the case study to examine China’s hidden front, throughout
the wider Pacific. Successive months of violence and unrest in New
Caledonia in 2024, have heightened regional and international awareness
of the uncertain future of the territory, and the role of China in that
future. The unrest erupted after France pushed through legislation
extending voting rights in the territory. The CCP has engaged in a range
of foreign interference activities in New Caledonia over many decades,
targeting political and economic elites, and attempting to utilise the
ethnic Chinese diaspora and PRC companies as tools of CCP interests... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Ice Panda: Navigating China’s Hybrid Antarctic Agenda, August 2024. Antarctica
is often overlooked in strategic discussions, but its role in
geopolitical competition deserves attention. This report assesses the
continents importance to Australian security, China’s hybrid Antarctic
activity, and the need for Australia to develop a balancing strategy
capable of bolstering the Antarctic Treaty and ‘pushing back’ against
growing Chinese power in Antarctica. Antarctica offers significant
strategic advantages for the People's Republic of China (PRC). Although
Beijing's actions in Antarctica may not overtly violate the Antarctic
Treaty (AT), they effectively undermine its principles and, by
extension, Australia's strategic interests... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Australia’s New Digital ID System: Finding the Right Way to Implement
It, August 2024. This report reviews the Australian
Government's proposed plans for establishing a digital ID, and the ways
the new system is expected to work. It explores the planned digital ID
system, the key features of the approach, and the privacy and security
protections that have been built into the proposals. Australia has had a
long and troubled history with national ID systems, dating back to the
mid-1980 when the government failed to introduce the Australia Card.
Since then, Australia has ended up with a clunky and inefficient process
to identify peoples’ identities online. It has led to an oversharing and
storage of sensitive personal data... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
The ‘Official’ Histories of Australian and British Intelligence: Lessons
Learned and Next Steps, August 2024. Unclassified,
official histories of ‘secret’ intelligence organisations, for public
readership, seem a contradiction in terms. These ‘official’ works are
commissioned by the agencies in question and directly informed by those
agencies’ own records, thus distinguishing them from other, outsider
historical accounts. But while such official intelligence histories are
relatively new, sometimes controversial, and often challenging for
historians and agencies alike, the experiences of the Australian and
British intelligence communities suggest they’re a promising development
for scholarship, maintaining public trust and informed public discourse,
and more effective functioning of national security agencies.
Furthermore, these histories remain an ongoing project for Australia’s
National Intelligence Community (NIC). |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Gender Mainstreaming in United Nations Peace Operations: An Unfulfilled
Promise? August 2024. The principle of gender equality
is a cornerstone of the United Nations (UN). Centred on equal access to
rights, opportunities, resources and decision-making powers irrespective
of gender, it’s embedded within the UN Charter and championed in the UN
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Mechanisms such as the inaugural
resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agreed to in 2000 by
the UN Security Council (UNSC), and the adoption of an additional nine
WPS resolutions, further represent the critical intent to achieve this
goal. The purpose of such WPS mechanisms is to cultivate gender balance,
foster diverse leadership and champion gender equality in a global
effort to establish sustainable peace after conflict... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
The Geopolitics of Water: How the Brahmaputra River Could Shape
India–China Security Competition, August 2024. This
report assesses the geopolitical impact of a possible dam at the Great
Bend of the Brahmaputra. In particular, it exams the dam as a potential
source of coercive leverage China may gain over India. A dam there would
create four likely strategic effects: it would very likely consolidate
Beijing’s political control over its distant borderlands; it would
create the potential for massive flooding as a tool of violence; it may
affect human settlement and economic patterns on the Indian side of the
border, downstream; and it would give Beijing water and data that it
could withhold from India as bargaining leverage in unrelated
negotiations. To mitigate those challenges and risks, the report
provides three policy recommendations for the Indian Government and its
partners in Australia and the US... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Indo-Pacific as a Strategic Imperative for the EU: Whither
Australia? August 2024.
No global actor can afford to fall short in contributing to
a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific—this
particularly applies to a somewhat distracted European Union
(EU). The EU should become more central to fostering order
in the Indo-Pacific, arguably more than it realizes: It is
not taken too seriously as a regional actor beyond
economics. It is critical for the EU to pay special
attention to four principal strategic bearings: 1)
International order probing and reform is mostly led by
Indo-Pacific residents, 2) Indo-Pacific geo-economics will
rule the roost only more, 3) The Indo-Pacific will largely
determine (any) climate change reversion, and 4) The tech
war will mostly play out in the Indo-Pacific... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Russia-DPRK Partnership: Implications for the West, August
2024.
This issue brief examines the evolving relationship between
the DPRK and Russia, particularly since Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine in 2022. The partnership has deepened, with North
Korea supporting Russia diplomatically and receiving
military and economic aid in return. This alliance,
formalized during Putin’s 2024 visit to Pyongyang, has
significant implications for regional stability and global
geopolitics, including for Europe. The DPRK-Russia
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership encompasses military,
economic, and technological cooperation, challenging U.S.-ROK
alliance strategies and potentially intensifying regional
arms races and provocations. The DPRK’s selective engagement
strategy underscores its prioritization of relationships
that bolster its security and economic interests amidst
global tensions. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Taiwan and International Organizations – Between Security,
Cooperation and Identity, August 2024.
International organizations are a historical point of
contestation between the People’s Republic of China (PRC)
and the Republic of China (ROC), today commonly known as
Taiwan. As of 2024, only 11 United Nations (UN)
member-states and the Holy See diplomatically recognize
Taiwan. However, 70 years ago the situation was very
different. As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) established
its rule in China in 1949, it started from a position of
little international recognition. At that time, the ROC not
only represented China in the UN system but also held a seat
at the UN Security Council. Since then, the situation has
effectively been reversed... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
The Political Gambit in Sports: Taiwan’s Struggles and
Opportunities, August 2024.
In the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Taiwanese government is
being given the opportunity to use ‘Taiwan’ as its name in
the Cultural Olympiad. Taking part in international sports
is viewed as a critical means to bolster Taiwan’s diplomatic
outreach, contributing to advancing cross-strait relations
and relations with other countries while promoting Taiwan
internationally. Taiwan’s sports diplomacy relies on hosting
international sporting events and academic events and
conducting cross-strait exchange programs. Due to China’s
pressure on Taiwan’s participation in the international
space, the effectiveness of these strategies is limited... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #20: The Evolution of Economic Reforms
across Myanmar’s Administrations. Myanmar’s
economic trajectory has shifted across various governmental
regimes, transitioning from socialist to democratic systems
and from planned to market economy structures. The economic
policies implemented by successive governments often lacked
coherence and were characterized by ad hoc measures aimed at
short-term solutions rather than addressing underlying
issues. Policymakers since 1989 have endeavoured to guide
Myanmar towards a market-oriented economy, characterized by
what could be termed the “Burmese/Myanmar Way to Market
Economy”, which includes significant restrictions and
controls... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
APEC Regional Trends Analysis, August 2024
-
APEC Energy Overview 2024
-
Driving the Future: Leveraging Regional Cooperation for
Inclusive, Sustainable, and Resilient Electric Vehicle
Battery Supply Chains, August 2024
-
Final Report: Sub-regional Pilot of the APEC Occupational
Standards for the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry
in the Pacific Alliance, August 2024
-
Workshop on Health and Innovation - Building A Resilient
Public Health System Capacity for A Stronger Economic
Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic, August 2024
-
Guideline to Good Practices - Cycle of Workshops to
Strengthen Prevention, Coordination, and Response Capacities
through the Incident Command System (ICS), August 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Preparing Outer Islands for Sustainable Energy Development:
Maldives’ Experience in Deploying Advanced Hybrid Renewable
Energy Systems, August 2024
-
Key Aspects of UNIDROIT Principles on Digital Assets and
Private Law, August 2024
-
2021 International Comparison Program for Asia and the
Pacific Purchasing Power Parities and Real Expenditures: A
Summary Report, August 2024
-
An Introduction to Digital Assets, August 2024
-
Enhancing Data Management through the Statistical Data and
Metadata Exchanges Standard: A Special Supplement of Key
Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2024
-
A Guide to Insurable Infrastructure in the Pacific, August
2024
-
Paving the Inclusive Path toward Water for All: Policies and
Cases Supporting a Human Rights-Based Approach in Asia and
the Pacific, August 2024
-
The Ten Questions of Sound Public Debt Management, Published
2024
-
Climate-Resilient Ocean Governance in the People’s Republic
of China, August 2024
-
Regional Cooperation and Integration to Promote
Sustainability and the Digital Transformation of Tourism,
August 2024
-
Exchange of Information Handbook, August 2024
-
Case Studies of ADB's Procurement Procedures, August 2024
-
Pacific Economic Monitor: Building Resilience the Pacific
Way, August 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
August 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The US Should Enhance Economic Engagement with Taiwan, July 2024.
US engagement with Taiwan should place greater emphasis on the
island’s economic resilience and vitality. Further strengthening
Taiwan’s economy will make it more capable of bearing the
financial burden of defending the island against a Chinese
invasion. Additionally, a more robust Taiwan economy could
provide more domestic space to manage relations vis-à-vis the
United States and China. The United States cannot afford to lose
Taiwan, a key democratic partner, an important link in the
global supply chain network, and a critical player in America’s
competition with China in the global semiconductor industry... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Election 2024 in Pakistan - A Catalyst for Strengthening Global
Health Security Partnerships, July 2024.
The recent 2024 elections in Pakistan present a unique
opportunity to strengthen global health security through
enhanced collaboration, ultimately contributing to improved
health outcomes and resilience to domestic and international
health threats. Against the backdrop of persistent health
security challenges, particularly the threat of infectious
diseases like malaria and polio, understanding how political
dynamics influence health governance is crucial for advancing
health security in Pakistan. This brief explores the impact of
Pakistan’s 2024 electoral outcomes on health policy formulation,
resource allocation, and continued partnership and engagement
with the United States on global health security and sustainable
development... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Strategic Realignments: Assessing the Impact of Taiwan's 2024
Elections on US-China Relations and Indo-Pacific Stability, July
2024.
On January 13, 2024, Taiwan conducted presidential and
comprehensive legislative elections. Lai Ching-te of the
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected president, thus
preserving the party's dominance over the executive branch.
Concurrently, the Kuomintang (KMT) managed to secure the largest
share of seats in the legislature, achieving a majority through
a coalition with the increasingly influential Taiwan People's
Party (TPP). This shift in political dynamics represents a
significant departure from the era of Tsai Ing-wen, during which
the DPP maintained robust control over both the executive and
legislative branches, thereby minimizing the influence of
opposition parties... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Japan, the Philippines, and the United States: A New Era of
Partnership through Trilateral Defense and Security Cooperation,
July 2024.
On April 11, 2024, a historic trilateral summit took place at
the White House between the United States, Japan, and the
Philippines. The leaders of the three countries agreed to deepen
security and economic ties, with a joint statement outlining
their shared commitment to maintaining a free and open
rule-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region. The
strengthening of trilateral cooperation is a significant
strategic move to institutionalize the deterrence and response
capabilities of US allies and partners, especially to protect
the territorial sovereignty in the South China Sea (SCS) and
East China Sea (ECS)... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The Role of the United States in Just Energy Transition
Partnerships in Indonesia and Vietnam, July 2024.
The potential reelection of Donald Trump as the US president
looms as a critical juncture with profound implications for
global energy transition efforts and climate commitments.
Throughout Trump’s presidency (2016 to 2020), his administration
championed domestic energy production while systematically
dismantling key domestic climate policies, ultimately
withdrawing from the landmark Paris Agreement. In stark
contrast, Trump’s successor, President Joe Biden, has swiftly
positioned combating climate change as a central pillar of his
administration's agenda. |
|
EWC |
|
|
Testing Taiwan’s Democracy, July 2024.
Despite fears of foreign interference, ballot hacking, and
social media subversion, Taiwan’s 2024 election went off without
a hitch, securing a win for the incumbent Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP) and concessions from its main opponents, the
Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).
Nevertheless, Taiwan’s new government faces rough seas ahead. As
they chart their course, Taiwan’s leaders will have to navigate
three perilous domains: a divided domestic polity, an
increasingly aggressive China, and an unpredictable American
election. This bulletin highlights Taiwan’s liabilities in these
domains and some of its hidden strengths... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Decoding Social Media’s Role in Taliban 2.0 and its Implications
for Afghan Youth, July 2024.
The Taliban retook control of Afghanistan on Aug. 15, 2021 after
two decades of fighting on the ground and manipulating
narratives online, particularly on social media. Their tactical
use of social media was more evident in 2021 when they were
advancing their territorial gains and posting on social media to
promote the idea of their impending return to power. This study
aims to understand the (ab)use of social media by the resurgent
Taliban 2.0 and to suggest ways young Afghans can utilize social
media to navigate their lives under the new regime. The authors
undertook a critical review of the literature to analyze the
Taliban’s social media tactics in manipulating public narratives
to portray themselves as the legitimate rulers of Afghans... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Digitising the Social Safety Net: Lessons From Indonesia, July
2024.
This analysis paper examines Indonesia’s journey in digitising
its social safety net, emphasising the scale and long-term
nature of the initiative. It offers insights for other countries
undertaking similar initiatives and poised to leverage future
digital advancements. Central to Indonesia’s success is
unwavering government commitment, demonstrated through
high-level political will and collaborative efforts across
government agencies, regulators, local governments, the private
sector, and international development partners. Indonesia’s
approach highlights the value of tailored solutions and
continuous experimentation rather than simply replicating the
models of others. Sustaining progress requires ongoing
commitment and adaptive strategies to navigate evolving
government agendas and advancements in technology. |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Deterrence and Alliance Power: Why the AUKUS Submarines Matter
and How They Can Be Delivered, July 2024.
The AUKUS program to deliver eight nuclear-powered
conventionally armed submarines to Australia is a large,
technologically challenging, and industrially demanding venture.
Many doubts have been raised about its practicality. This report
addresses each of those critiques squarely. It concludes that
some concerns are warranted but others have been ill-informed or
driven by outdated assumptions. The United States, the United
Kingdom, and Australia have all committed substantial resources
to ensure that the submarine program succeeds. Progress in most
areas is impressive. Project planning is in an advanced state,
programs of industrial expansion and modernisation are well
underway, personnel recruitment and training are advancing, and
the AUKUS submarine design should be finalised within 18
months... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Full Tilt: The UK’s Defence Role in the Pacific: Views From the
Strategist, July 2024. Britain has a new prime minister,
Keir Starmer, leading its first Labour government in 14 years. Key
questions for us now are how Britain under Labour will approach the
security partnership with Australia and whether London will remain
committed to investing defence resources in the Indo-Pacific. This
report provides vital context for addressing these questions. In this
series of articles, originally published in ASPI’s The Strategist this
year, ASPI authors review the historical underpinnings and future course
of Britain’s strategic recoupling with Australia and this region,
especially the Pacific Islands, from perspectives ranging from
deterrence to climate resilience... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
A National Strategic Warning Intelligence Capability for Australia, July
2024. Australia’s strategic warning time has
collapsed—in response to profound geopolitical shifts. As the ADF is
adapting to the hard implications of this change, so must the national
intelligence community (NIC). Australian Government decision-makers need
time and insight to identify and prioritise threats (and opportunities)
and devise effective responses. Strategic warning intelligence enables
and empowers them to do so. But it must be done in a way that keeps up
with the rapid pace of geopolitical and technological change, and a
widening array of non-traditional strategic threats, and in a fashion
best suited to Australia’s circumstances... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Taiwan-PRC Crisis: What Cross-Strait Conflict Could Cost
Europe, July 2024.
The escalating tensions between Taiwan and China pose
significant economic and strategic challenges to the
European Union, such as the inaccessibility of Taiwanese
inputs, market, and capital. This issue brief aims to
examine Europe’s economic stake in the peace and stability
of the Taiwan Strait. By outlining EU-Taiwan’s economic ties
and emphasizing European interest in the self-governing
island, this issue brief highlights the potential costs of a
cross-strait crisis in Europe and what actions Europe needs
to take. It additionally examines two scenarios of an armed
conflict: a blockade and an all-out war. In its conclusion,
the issue brief provides a perspective of Europe’s stake in
cross-strait peace and stability. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Deciphering North Korea’s Military Activities, July 2024.
In 2024, the growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula have
highlighted the unpredictability of North Korea’s military
intentions. This issue brief evaluates the strategic
behaviors of North Korea, particularly under the leadership
of Kim Jong Un. By analyzing public military activities,
often portrayed as a “show of force,” it attempts to
interpret the underlying political and strategic intentions
that North Korea aims to convey both domestically and
internationally. The analysis suggests that these displays
serve multiple functions, including deterrence, coercion,
and internal governance. This issue brief contributes to a
more nuanced understanding of North Korea’s military
posturing and proposes considerations for a rational
strategy in the ROK-U.S. alliance’s approach towards the
regime. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #19: From Paper to Practice:
Generational Divides in Understanding Thailand’s History
Grow Amid Political Polarization. Amid political
polarization, knowledge and understanding of Thailand’s
history have also diverged radically. This divide is
especially evident between younger and older generations.
Driving this phenomenon is the growing rejection by students
of the traditional history taught in public schools, which
in the past had been a means for the Thai state to instil in
the young a sense of nationalism, national pride and shared
values. Poor pedagogy that emphasizes memorization, and that
discourages discussions and critical thinking, has alienated
many from the subject. Education professionals and student
activists have also been critical of this development... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Politics, Pandemics and Economics: Malaysia’s Post-Covid
Election, July 2024. Malaysia’s fifteenth general
election was in November 2022. Held in the aftermath of the
Covid-19 pandemic, economic recovery was sufficiently robust
to benefit the two political parties PAS and BERSATU which
campaigned as incumbents in the election. There was a shift
in the support away from UMNO to these two parties amongst
the Bumiputra voters in Peninsular Malaysia. Voters’ support
for PAS was particularly strong in constituencies with
higher poverty rates and lower inequality. The opposite is
true for PKR and DAP. The low explanatory power of the
economic voting model for UMNO also hints that other factors
that could have reduced voters’ support for the party in
GE2022. |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
High
Frequency Macroeconomic Forecasts Current Quarter Model:
2024Q3, July 2024. Hong Kong's economic growth grew
by 2.7% in 24Q1, lower than the annual 3.3% in 2023.
Hong Kong’s real GDP is expected to further moderate to
a 2.0% growth in 24Q2, reflecting a slowdown in Hong
Kong domestic demand. Given the tightness in the labour
market, the unemployment rate is projected to remain at
3.0% in 24Q3. Private consumption expenditure is
expected to experience a slight negative growth in 24Q3
since the recovery from the pandemic. Clouded by a grim
outlook for the retail industry, the volume of retail
sales dropped by 16.5% and 12.9% in April and May 2024
respectively... |
|
HKU |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Assessing Study on the Impact of Information Technology
Agreement (ITA) and Future of ICT Trade, July 2024
-
Reframing an Unfolding Canvas: Policy Approaches to
Facilitate APEC’s Creative Economy amid Evolving Digital
Technologies, July 2024
-
APEC SEN Mental Health Training Curriculum to Empower
Well-being of Life Onboard for Seafarers across the APEC
Region, July 2024
-
APEC Climate Economics Cross-Border Educational Course
(CECC), July 2024
-
Challenges, Opportunities and Trends of Digitalization in
Education in the Asia-Pacific Region, July 2024
-
Report - Nature-Based Tourism and Adventure Tourism in the
APEC Economies, Published 2024
-
International Investment Agreements and Climate Change: What
is the Role that International Investment Agreements Play in
the Transition to a Green Economy? July 2024
-
GHS Preparation Checklist and Guidance on How to Upgrade to
Higher GHS Version, July 2024
-
Compendium of Best Practices on Mental Health Resilience of
Healthcare Workers in the New Normal, July 2024
-
Improving the Accessibility and Inclusivity of Public
Transport through New and Emerging Transport Technologies -
Best Practice Guidance for Policy Makers, July 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
-
Global Value Chains, Employment, and Wage Inequality: A
Study of Indian Manufacturing, July 2024
-
The Paradox of Progress: Technological Advancements in
Banking and the Dual Impact on SME Bank Borrowing, July 2024
-
Are Financing Conditions a Threat to SMEs’ Performance,
Growth, and Transformation? July 2024
-
Droughts: Learning Continuity and Recovery, July 2024
-
Forced Displacement: A Rapidly Rising Vulnerability and Its
Challenges for an Inclusive and Sustainable Asia and the
Pacific, July 2024
-
The Impacts of Climate Change and Air Pollution on
Children’s Education Outcomes: Evidence from Viet Nam, July
2024
-
Factors Contributing to Differences in Unmet Healthcare
Needs Among Vietnamese Older Persons Between Pre- and
Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Periods: Evidence from National
Surveys, July 2024
-
Gender Perspective of Globalization and Human Development:
Evidence from Individual-Level Data, July 2024
-
Disruption to Schooling: Evidence from Volcano Eruptions on
Java Island, Indonesia, July 2024
-
Informal Labor Regulations, Firm Boundaries, and Global
Sourcing, July 2024
-
Can ICT Make Small Beautiful? Examining the Role of ICT in
Affecting the Credit Behavior of SMEs in India, July 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Asian Development Outlook, July 2024. Growth in
developing Asia accelerated in the first quarter of 2024 on
resilient domestic demand and strong export growth, particularly
in electronics. The region’s growth forecast for 2024 is
increased slightly to 5.0%, while the 2025 projection is
maintained at 4.9%. East Asia’s 2024 growth projection is
revised up to 4.6% on strong exports of semiconductors and other
goods driven by the artificial intelligence boom, with the 2025
projection maintained at 4.2%. Despite some changes in
individual economies, growth forecasts for Southeast Asia remain
at 4.6% in 2024 and 4.7% in 2025, and for the Pacific at 3.3% in
2024 and 4.0% in 2025... |
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deterring at a Distance: The Strategic Logic of Aukus, June 2024.
As China’s massive military build-up drives rising regional
security anxieties, Australia is contributing to a more
favourable balance of power through AUKUS. This
technology-sharing agreement with the United Kingdom and the
United States will see eight nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs)
in Australian service by the 2050s. SSNs are overwhelmingly in
Australia’s interest because they strengthen the country’s
ability to deter war by threatening painful consequences for
aggression against Australia, its partners, and its interests.
The 2023 Defence Strategic Review explicitly tasks the
Australian Defence Force with a deterrence role against a
significant military power — a relatively new mission. SSNs are
optimal deterrence machines, able to accomplish the essential
tasks laid out in the Review. |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Southeast Asia Aid Map 2024 - Key Findings Report, June 2024.
After a pandemic-related surge in support, total official
development finance to the region fell to a new low of $26
billion in 2022. There has been a sharp decline in new Chinese
development financing, though ongoing projects mean Beijing
looks set to remain the dominant infrastructure financier in the
region. Traditional development partners collectively continue
to dominate total financing, accounting for nearly 90% of total
ODF disbursements to Southeast Asia in 2022. The Asian
Development Bank and Japan played the most substantive roles in
supporting crisis man- agement and recovery. Climate development
finance dropped 15% in 2022 despite increased policy emphasis
from the international community, leaving the region’s green
transition at risk... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Constrained Recovery: Global Shocks and Emerging Southeast Asia,
May 2024.
Southeast Asia’s emerging economies are some of the most
successful in the world. Economic recovery from the Covid-19
pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is underway, and the
region has returned to relatively strong growth. Nonetheless,
the impact from these shocks and ongoing developments in the
world economy has been substantial. This report focuses on how
the high-performing economies of Emerging Southeast Asia —
Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and
Vietnam — have been affected and their outlook for growth and
development reshaped by the tumultuous events of recent years.
Emerging Southeast Asia managed the economic impacts of Covid-19
and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine relatively well... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Growing Foreign and Security Policy Challenges Face India’s
Re-elected Modi Government, June 2024.
The 2024 Indian general election—the largest in human history,
with 642 million taking part—resulted in a third five-year term
for incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling
coalition headed by his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Unlike
some of his predecessors, Modi has been keen to establish
himself as a foreign and defense policy heavyweight. Reflecting
the scale of Modi’s stated ambition, India’s External Affairs
Minister has compared him favorably to India’s founding Prime
Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, despite the latter’s lasting
international reputation as a global leader... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Revisiting the Cambodia-Thailand Maritime Dispute: International
Law, Politics and Nationalism, June 2024.
This article analyzes the historical and continuing
Cambodia-Thailand maritime dispute in the Overlapping Claims
Area of the Gulf of Thailand, first looking into the history of
the dispute to identify primary sticking points that have led to
the five decade deadlock and then considering current politics,
attendant risks and possibilities of finding a solution to the
deadlock. The author argues that policy makers have a historic
opportunity to seize the moment by using large amounts of
political capital accumulated in the elections last year to
break the longstanding impasse. Policy makers must pay heed to
nationalisms in both countries to lessen the risks of
negotiation failure... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Indo-Pacific Minilateralism and Strategic Competition (I):
Australia/Japan and Chinese Approaches Compared, June 2024.
This East-West Center Occasional Paper is the first in a set of
two papers examining the ways in which Australia and Japan have
sought to leverage minilateral forms of cooperation as a means
of strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. The topic of
minilateralism is usually treated as response to the rise of
China on the part of “Western” countries, but this obscures the
fact that Beijing is also a major practitioner of minilateral
forms of cooperation. This paper concludes that Australia and
Japan have taken a traditional “security-first” approach to
minilateralism. This stands in contrast to the more expansive
approach pursued by Beijing, which focuses primarily on
geoeconomics along with China’s broader goal of becoming a
global leader, which has potential implications for
international order... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Japan/Australia Minilateralism in the Indo-Pacific (II):
Advancing Cooperation in Order-building and Geoeconomics, June
2024.
This East-West Center Occasional Paper is the second of a set of
two papers examining how Japan and Australia are seeking to
employ minilateral institutions to enhance their cooperation and
compete strategically in an increasingly contested region. The
first paper demonstrated how Japan and Australia have adopted a
minilateralist approach that chiefly prioritizes traditional
security concerns, in contrast to China’s emphasis on
geoeconomics alongside its efforts to entrench its
global/regional leadership and shape the international order.
This second paper considers the strategic objectives underlying
China’s practice of minilateralism and reevaluates the
order-building and geoeconomic dimensions within the
Australian/Japanese practice of minilateralism... |
|
EWC |
|
|
North of 26 Degrees South and the Security of Australia: Views
From the Strategist, Volume 9, June 2024. Expanding
on previous volumes, this edition introduces thematic chapters
focused on a range of subjects relevant to northern Australia.
These include;
- Defence in the North,
- Developing Northern
Australia,
- Northern Australia and the
Indo-Pacific
- Critical Minerals, Energy,
and Commodities,
- Space, Food Security and
Climate Trends
As in previous editions,
Volume 9 contains a range of expert opinions across these
varied topics... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Negotiating Technical Standards for Artificial Intelligence, June 2024. At
the heart of how AI technologies are developed, deployed and used in a
responsible manner sit a suite of technical standards: rules, guidelines
and characteristics that ensure the safety, security and
interoperability of a product. The report authors highlight that the
Indo-Pacific, including Australia and India, are largely playing
catch-up in AI standards initiatives. The United States and China are
leading the pack, followed by European nations thanks to their size,
scope and resources of their national standardisation communities as
well as their domestic AI sectors. Not being strongly represented in the
world of AI governance and technical standards is a strategic risk for
Indo-Pacific nations. For a region that’s banking on the opportunities
of a digital and technology-enabled economy and has large swathes of its
population in at-risk jobs... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
The Cost of Defence: ASPI Defence Budget Brief 2024-2025, June 2024. On
14 May 2024, the Treasurer released the 2024–25 Budget, describing it as
being designed ‘for the here‑and‑now and … for the decades to come’.
It’s a pre-election budget, so the priorities for this year’s
appropriations are very much the cost-of-living crisis facing Australian
citizens and the government’s Future Made in Australia initiative.
Unsurprisingly, the big spending in this year’s budget covers domestic
social policy issues and the first tranche of a more interventionist
industry policy. It is also the case, as it was last year through the
2023 Defence Strategic Review (DSR), that much of the defence-related
budget had already been announced through the 2024 National Defence
Strategy (NDS)... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Japan’s Energy Security in the Persian Gulf: Caught Between
New and Old Challenges, June 2024.
The goal of this paper is to investigate the evolution of
Japan’s energy strategy in the Persian Gulf and understand
how intra-Asian competition for business opportunities in
the region can impact Tokyo’s energy security. It analyzes
the current state of defense cooperation agreements (DCAs)
between leading East Asian and Gulf Cooperation Council
countries (GCC). DCAs are considered among the most relevant
tools available to states to build up strategic
partnerships. Successful DCAs with GCC states are therefore
an indicator of political and security commitment... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Anticipating North Korea’s Next Nuclear Test, June 2024.
This issue brief provides a comprehensive analysis of the
anticipated technical and strategic objectives behind North
Korea’s potential seventh nuclear test, along with an
examination of the probable timing for such an event.
Drawing upon recent developments, including North Korea’s
pursuit of tactical nuclear weapons and its political
aspirations for cementing its nuclear status, the issue
brief explores the interplay of domestic and international
factors shaping Pyongyang’s decision-making. With insights
into North Korea’s evolving nuclear capabilities, the
analysis delves into the significance of the upcoming U.S.
presidential election as a potential catalyst for nuclear
testing and its implications for regional dynamics... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
EU-Taiwan Semiconductor Supply Chain: Resilience amid the
Digital and Green Transition, June 2024.
This issue brief provides a comprehensive analysis of the
anticipated technical and strategic objectives behind North
Korea’s potential seventh nuclear test, along with an
examination of the probable timing for such an event.
Drawing upon recent developments, including North Korea’s
pursuit of tactical nuclear weapons and its political
aspirations for cementing its nuclear status, the issue
brief explores the interplay of domestic and international
factors shaping Pyongyang’s decision-making. With insights
into North Korea’s evolving nuclear capabilities, the
analysis delves into the significance of the upcoming U.S.
presidential election as a potential catalyst for nuclear
testing and its implications for regional dynamics... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
To What Extent is China a ‘Security Threat’? June 2024.
The current international order, led by the United States,
is undergoing phenomenal political, economic, and security
changes that will decide whether the order will continue as
it is, or a major pole shift will occur in an increasingly
bipolar world. China is at the forefront of this evolution.
It is the sole actor threatening the U.S.-led order so that
it can be reshaped to fit into a novel design with Chinese
characteristics. To do so, China employs a diverse set of
economic and political strategies, which are efficient
despite their ruthless nature. Currently, it does not look
like the U.S. and the international community can form a
consensus on how much of a security threat China poses... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
G20 and BRICS: Towards a Joint Pursuit of Effective
Multilateralism for the Global South, June 2024.
The Global South is, unarguably, the pivoting point of
debates and deliberations in the G20 grouping. As the baton
of the G20 presidency passes on from India to Brazil, the
greater representation of the Global South, its role in
global governance, and strengthening multilateralism will be
the moot point and pursuit. BRICS remains a pre-eminent
platform for South-South cooperation and its founding
members are some of the most prominent actors within the G20
as well. Moreover, BRICS’ recent enlargement has increased
its relevance as a platform for cooperation among emerging
markets and developing countries... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
India’s Position in Iran’s ‘Look to the East’ Policy, June
2024.
Ebrahim Raisi’s administration has prioritized its ‘Look to
the East’ policy. Although the focus is on Russia and China,
India also has a special place in this policy. Iran and
India consider the development of Chabahar port vital for
establishing the International North-South Transport
Corridor (INSTC) and connecting Afghanistan to Central Asia.
The INSTC can strengthen Iran’s relations with India and
Russia and provide these countries with geopolitical and
geo-economic benefits. At the same time, it allows India to
find a suitable route to Central Asia, Eurasia, and Europe,
bypassing Pakistan and competing with China in creating
international corridors, including the Belt and Road
Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Does Soft Power Have Any Value for Taiwan, May 2024.
As a diplomatic tool, soft power conveys the core values and
ideology of a country and serves as its front window abroad
to win sympathy for its beliefs, values, and institutions.
The aim is to garner support for political agendas and
determine the framework of debate and engagement in favor of
the nation that is able to deploy soft power. In the case of
Taiwan, there are limits to how soft power can be used due
to the lack of international recognition of its sovereignty
and the existential threat from China. Still, Taiwan’s soft
power has been deployed with increasing success over the
years. Taiwan has won more and more recognition
internationally, especially from like-minded countries... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #18: From Paper to Practice: Utilizing
the ASEAN Guide on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance
and Ethics. The rapid development of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) technologies has been nothing less of
awe-inspiring. Policymakers are put in a bind as debates
over how the deployment of these AI systems is to be managed
— with good governance and ethical considerations in mind,
and without stifling innovation. ASEAN’s response has been
the formulation of the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and
Ethics, or the ASEAN AI Guide. This Guide serves more as a
“practical guide” for organizations involved in the
development and deployment of AI for commercial and
non-military or dual-use applications, as opposed to a
policy playbook for governments... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #17: Who’s Doing What? A Closer Look at
Methane Climate Impact and Commitments in Southeast Asia’s
Energy Sector. This article draws from a database
of asset-level emissions to identify key methane-emitting
coal, oil and gas facilities in Southeast Asia while taking
stock of the methane commitments of their owners. Coal mines
account for around a third of fossil fuel methane emissions
globally, but in Southeast Asia, they make up more than half
of tracked fossil fuel methane emissions. Over half of
emissions from the coal mining subsector is traced to its
top ten emitters, mostly in East Kalimantan, Indonesia;
while some coal mines in North Vietnam have high emissions
intensities... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #16: Understanding Vietnam’s Foreign
Policy Choices Amid Sino-US Rivalry. Vietnam’s
foreign policy towards China and the United States (US)
involves a delicate process of reconciling and balancing
competing perceptions, goals and interests within the
country. This leads to foreign policy decisions that may
respectively lean towards either China or the US, depending
on specific circumstances and issues, while trying to
maintain an overall equilibrium between the two powers.
Vietnam’s foreign policy adopts the paradigm of
“cooperation” and “struggle” in its relations with major
powers, and defines “national security” as encompassing both
national sovereignty and regime security... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Study on the Maritime Transport Sector in the COVID-19 Era:
Challenges, Opportunities, and Way Forward, June 2024
-
Sharing Knowledge and Experiences on Small-Scale Marine
Fisheries Data Collection and Management for Sustainable
Development in the APEC Region, June 2024
-
APEC Sectoral Symposia on the Holistic Approach of
Decarbonization for Energy Transition, June 2024
-
Development of Integrated Timber Data for Enhancing Legal
Timber Trade in the Asia-Pacific Region - Research Paper,
June 2024
-
Compendium of Resources for the Facilitation of the Trade
and Distribution of Legally Harvested Forest Products in the
APEC Region, June 2024
-
Recent Challenges to Merger Control and Anticompetitive
Conducts Proceedings in order to Protect the Competition
Process, June 2024
-
PSU Annual Report 2023, June 2024
-
APEC Urban Energy Report 2023 - Driving Cities Through the
Low Carbon Transition, June 2024
-
Study on Economy Legal Frameworks for the Implementation of
ODR under the APEC Collaborative Framework, June 2024
-
Online Micro-Credentials Toolkit – Addressing Skill Needs
through Online Micro-Credentials in Higher Education, June
2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
-
Exploring the Link Between Social Participation, Functional
Health, and Depression Among Older Adult, June 2024
-
Climate Change and Corporate Financial Performance, June
2024
-
Eliminating Gender Disparities in Firm Performance in India:
Can Globalization Bridge the Gap? June 2024
-
Improving Agri-Food Sector Productivity in Indonesia through
Information and Communication Technologies, June 2024
-
Building Education Resilience through Parenting Style and
Out-of-School Learning: Field Experimental Evidence from
Rural Bangladesh, June 2024
-
Globalization and Equality: A Cross-Country Analysis, June
2024
-
Does Digitalization Alleviate Rural Clean Energy Poverty?
June 2024
-
Ring of Progress: Examining the Impact of the Intensity of
Mobile Phone Use on Female Labor Force Participation in
India, June 2024
-
Do
Remote Learning Tools Reduce Learning Loss during School
Closure? Experience from Central Asia and the Caucasus
during the COVID-19 Pandemic, May 2024
-
What Happens to the Learning Outcomes of Left-Behind
Children When Parents Are Away? Evidence from Four Pacific
Island Countries, May 2024
-
Unlocking Inclusive Growth: The Nexus of Digitalization,
Formalization, and Global Value Chains, May 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Fostering Export Diversification in Bangladesh: Issues and
Way Forward, June 2024
-
Harnessing the Economic Potential of India’s Cities. June
2024
-
An Innovative and Climate-Resilient Approach to Coastal
Management and Adaptation for India, June 2024
-
Mainstreaming Aid for Trade for Structural Reforms in the
Changing Landscape of the Global Economy, June 2024
-
Plotting from Above: Enhancing Agricultural Mapping in Asia
and the Pacific, June 2024
-
Basic Tool Kit for Cybersecurity in Education Management
Information Systems, June 2024
-
Fiscal Policy and Sustainable Finance: Enhancing the Role of
the Financial Sector in Achieve the Sustainable Development
Goals, June 2024
-
Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Integration through
Economic Corridor Development: Proceedings of the 2023
Regional Cooperation and Integration Conference, Published
2024
-
Mobilizing Revenue: Digital Transformation of Revenue
Administration in Singapore, Published 2024
-
Powering Nepal: 5 Decades of ADB–Nepal Partnership in the
Energy Sector, Published 2024
-
Asia Bond Monitor, June 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outrage Is Not a Policy: Coming to Terms With Myanmar’s
Fragmented State, May 2024.
This paper analyses the evolution of Myanmar’s civil war with a
view to identifying optimal international policy responses. The
sharp escalation of armed resistance since late 2023 holds out
the tantalising prospect that the once seemingly invincible
military regime could be defeated. Yet it remains an open
question whether anti-junta forces will be able to carry the
momentum from their recent victories in the forest-covered,
mountainous borderlands across the open plains of central
Myanmar to take the capital or other major cities. Even if
resistance forces ultimately emerge victorious, the goal of
building a genuine federal democracy will likely take years of
highly complex and politically fraught negotiations... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Being Chinese in Australia, 2023 Edition.
In this third nationally representative survey of the Lowy
Institute’s Being Chinese in Australia series, we asked
Chinese-Australians about Australia and the world. As in the two
previous surveys, we explored three broad themes: how
Chinese-Australians see Australia and their place in it; how
they consume news and information; and how they view the wider
world. The survey also compares the sentiments expressed by
Chinese-Australians with those of the broader Australian
population. Most Chinese-Australians have a positive view of
Australia. A majority say that Australia is a good place to live
and are proud of the Australian way of life and culture. Three
quarters say they feel a moderate or strong sense of belonging —
an increase from the 2021 survey. Fewer Chinese-Australians say
they have been called offensive names or physically threatened
or attacked because of their heritage in the last year... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Nobody Wins Unless Everybody Wins: The Coles Review Into the Sustainment
of Australia’s Collins-Class Submarines, May 2024. In
2003, Australia became the proud owner of the last of six new-build
Collins-class submarines. Less than a decade later, the fleet was in a
poor state of repair, and at times only one or two of the boats were
available to the Royal Australian Navy. This account by Andrew Davies
explains how the situation was remediated by bringing in a team of
highly experienced naval professionals to take an uncompromising look at
the arrangements in place to manage a vital national defence asset.
Despite a public perception that the submarines were inherently
defective, the problems were in fact almost entirely due to
dysfunctional and often rancorous organisational dynamics between the
key players... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Deterrence, Escalation and Strategic Stability: Rebuilding Australia’s
Muscle Memory, May 2024. To build an effective
deterrence strategy, Australia needs urgently to improve its skills and
understanding of deterrence, and raise the topic’s profile in our public
and policy discussions. Despite having previously been a global thought
leader on nuclear weapons and deterrence half a century ago, Australia
today doesn’t have a strong grasp of the basics of modern deterrence.
Knowledge of and literacy in deterrence are vital for adapting and
applying such concepts to meet today’s extraordinarily complex,
multidomain and multidimensional requirements. A lack of understanding
of deterrence can critically undermine the ability to get strategy and
policy right. The implications for Australia’s national interests are
urgent and serious... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
AUKUS Pillar 2 Critical Pathways: A Road Map to Enabling International
Collaboration, May 2024. The AUKUS trilateral
partnership presents Australia with an unprecedented opportunity to
achieve national-security goals that have eluded it for decades. It
could offer access to cutting-edge technologies. It can further
integrate Australian, US and UK military forces, allowing more unified
action to maintain deterrence against national and transnational actors
who threaten the global rules-based order. Perhaps most importantly,
AUKUS—in particular its Pillar.2 objectives—is an opportunity for
Australia to pursue the long-sought industrial capacity necessary to
defend its borders and its interests across a range of probable conflict
scenarios... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Turning Back the Clock: The Changing Nature of North Korean Food
Insecurity, May 2024.
Over the past several years, North Korea has adopted legal
changes that are increasing the centrality of the Workers Party
of Korea and the state in agricultural production, distribution,
and consumption. This development changes the basic nature of
food insecurity in North Korea from one in which access to food
is determined by the ability to purchase it in the market to one
in which access to food is determined by political status. This
development is of potential policy relevance: Although current
conditions do not appear to be severe, if and when North Korea
experiences another food crisis, foreign partners are likely to
encounter a state dominated model more closely resembling the
system that existed in the early 1990s at the onset of the
famine and with it the attendant problems that
humanitarian-relief agencies confronted at that time. |
|
EWC |
|
|
From Bandung to Hindutva: How the Palestine Question Shows
India’s Alternative Foreign Policy Futures, May 2024.
On January 26, 2024, in the midst of ongoing global protest
against Israel’s siege of Gaza, the International Court of
Justice (ICJ) ordered that Israel must “take all possible
measures” to prevent genocide against Palestinian people living
in the Gaza Strip. Justice Dalveer Bhandari, the only Indian
justice of the fifteen judges who overheard the case, concurred
with the ruling, writing, “It must, in this case, take into
account the widespread destruction in Gaza and loss of life that
the population of Gaza has thus far endured.” Soon after, on
February 21, 2024, the Water Transport Workers Federation (WTWF),
representing fourteen thousand workers, including 3,500
stationed at eleven of India’s twelve major ports, declared they
would refuse to handle weaponry destined for Israel... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Latest AsiaPacific Issues:
|
|
EWC |
|
|
South Korea’s Road to Carbon Neutrality: Solutions and
Obstacles, May 2024.
Globally, energy security policies are gaining prominence as
geopolitical tensions and climate concerns intersect. The
escalating impacts of climate change, evident through
extreme weather events like heatwaves, heavy snowfall,
typhoons, and forest fires, underscore the urgency for
action. In response, major developed countries are hastening
their transitions towards a green economy to mitigate
climate related disasters and their socioeconomic fallout.
Carbon neutrality has emerged as an irreversible
international imperative, symbolizing a shift towards “low
carbon, green growth” as a strategy for environmental
conservation... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
The Kingdom of Sweden: A Long History of Sustainable
Practices, May 2024.
Sweden has been one of the pioneering countries in the field
of sustainability, green transition, and environmental
conservation. Notably, in 1964 and 1967, Sweden passed the
Nature Conservancy Act and the Environmental Protection Act,
respectively, becoming the first country ever to pass such
legislation. Additionally, in 1972, Sweden was the host of
the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, the
first conference to raise the issue of environmental
conservation. From then on, Sweden has taken major leaps in
promoting policies, practices, and legislation aimed at
substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other
pollutants. As of 2023, Sweden is a leading hub for
environmental research and green technologies, spearheading
decarbonization efforts through clean energy sources and
becoming a model globally... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Maldives Walking Tight Rope between India and China, May
2024.
Like all the South Asian small states, the Maldives has been
subjected to great power politics. There are five principles
of Maldives’ foreign policy (mostly reciprocating with
India’s ‘Panchsheel’) and six goals that revolve around
sovereignty, identity, and Islamic nationalism. But due to
the increasingly tense geopolitical environment, foreign
policy adaptation has been a challenging task for the
Maldives. As a result, Maldives’ internal political
environment is largely polarized to ‘Anti or Pro- India or
China’ when it comes to managing the changing geopolitical
discourse. This issue brief aims to untangle the sources of
Maldives’ foreign policy toward China and India so as to
identify how the Maldives has adjusted to the changing
geopolitical environment in South Asia. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Positive Paranoia: Chinese Interpretations of Indo-Pacific
Geopolitics, May 2024.
This Focus Asia paper seeks to interpret Chinese narratives
on Indo-Pacific geopolitics by reviewing Chinese state media
and scholarly opinions on Indo-Pacific geopolitics. For this
purpose, the paper also examines the PRC’s interpretation of
the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (the ‘Quad’ comprising
Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S.) and the interplay
with the three middle-power Quad partners. Similarly, it
explores China-Europe dynamics in Chinese state media and
official discourse, given the expansion of the European
Union’s strategic interest in Indo-Pacific geopolitics.
Chinese scholars share many views with those of official
state media. This is particularly evident in views of U.S.
motives to contain China, dismissals of any U.S. success,
and fault-finding with U.S. traditional and potential
allies. Yet, Chinese scholars reveal different
interpretations of the evolution of U.S. Indo-Pacific
policies and the space for U.S.-China cooperation within the
Indo-Pacific strategy confines... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Why Taiwan Matters to Europe, May 2024.
The Taiwan issue is known to be sensitive for Beijing, one
of its so-called core interests. Taiwan has no diplomatic
recognition among European Union member states but informal
relations and cooperation between Taiwan and Europe are
nevertheless extensive in many areas. The position that
Europe should steer clear of a conflict over Taiwan
presupposes that it does not have a clear stake in
maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
European interests are, however, far more intertwined with
Taiwan and its security than what its lack of geographical
proximity would initially suggest. Understanding Taiwan’s
significance to Europe is increasingly important in order to
understand the foundations on which current relations rest
and what Europe’s stake in the Taiwan Strait is. To examine
and expound on why Taiwan matters to Europe... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #15: Party of Hardship: The Evolution of
Malaysia’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat. The People’s
Justice Party (PKR) may in many ways be synonymous with its
larger-than-life leader, Anwar Ibrahim, who, although only
president for six of the party’s twenty-five years, has
always been its de facto leader and adviser. However, PKR is
much more than only about Anwar, and this paper traces the
evolution of the party independently of Anwar as a
person.PKR’s evolution can be broken down into four main
periods: 1998–2004 (formative), 2005–13 (golden era),
2014–18 (all-in for power), and 2019–22 (lessons on
restraints). From 1998 to 2022, PKR tended to adopt a
big-tent approach (internally and externally), ideological
synthesis to find a middle ground, and a loose organization
led by a charismatic personality at the top and
self-organization at the grassroots... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #14: Delivering Development, Enforcing
Shariah: PAS’s Dilemma in Terengganu. Whenever the
Islamist party PAS comes to power in Terengganu, its
political agenda has been to combine populist-type
development programmes with the wish to turn Terengganu into
a shariah-compliant state. Terengganu’s state budget is
however heavily dependent on the federal government, to the
tune of 80–90 per cent. This hinders the state government’s
policymaking and implementation, especially when the federal
government is controlled by its political opponents. This
article argues that the politics of development play a more
central role in determining the durability of the PAS state
government in Terengganu than it does in neighbouring
Kelantan... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #13: Malaysia’s Responses to Issues
Pertaining to Palestine. Malaysia’s support for
Palestinian independence has always been based on religion.
Historically, Malaysia has had warm relations with
Palestinian leaders including the Palestine Liberation
Organization—during Hussein Onn’s and Mahathir Mohamad’s
administrations—and Hamas since Najib Razak’s
administration. However, Malaysia’s support is not just
based on their affinity to Palestinians as fellow Muslims
but is also a matter of domestic politics. Support for
Palestine has been used as a political tool for various
quarters to prove that they are more Islamic than the
other... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #12: Why Young Malay Voters in Malaysia
Are “Turning Green”. There is an increasing trend among
young Malay voters in Malaysia to support the Perikatan
Nasional coalition, with a particular emphasis on the
Islamist party PAS. Despite recognition of the weak economy
as a significant national concern, young Malay voters
continue to place a higher emphasis on Muslim leaders who
assert their commitment to safeguarding the rights of Islam
in Malaysia. Consistent with theories on political
socialization, the influence of family members significantly
affects young Malay voters in Malaysia, particularly due to
their limited political awareness of alternative channels
like formal schooling... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Youth Involvement in the Development of Sustainable and Safe
Tourism in Rural Areas of APEC Economies, May 2024
-
Win, Lose or Draw: Estimating the Impact of Trade
Disengagement on APEC Trade, May 2024
-
Sharing Best Practices and Capacity Building on the Role of
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Standards in Promoting
Safety, Energy Resilience and Sustainability, May 2024
-
APEC Workshops for Capacity Building in Self-Declaration of
Origin for FTAs/RTAs - Workshop Series Report, May 2024
-
APEC Regional Trends Analysis, May 2024
-
Reducing Food Loss and Waste by Strengthening Resilience of
APEC Food System and Enhancing Digitalization and Innovative
Technologies, May 2024
-
A New Look at the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific
(FTAAP): Review of APEC’s Collective Progress, May 2024
-
Webinar on Standards of Product Circularity Data Exchange
among APEC Economies, May 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion: Guidelines to
Address the Specific Needs of Women and Girls with
Disabilities, May 2024
-
Leveraging Online Job Portal Data in Asia and the Pacific,
May 2024
-
How to Build Nonperforming Loan Trading Platforms in Asia
and the Pacific: Issues and Processes, May 2024
-
Low-Cost Carrier Opportunities, Air Transport
Liberalization, and Post-Pandemic Recovery in CAREC, May
2024
-
Deep-Tier Supply Chain Finance: Unlocking the Potential, May
2024
-
Assessment of the Legal Status of Sexual and Gender
Minorities in 17 Countries in Asia and the Pacific, May 2024
-
A Study on Nepal’s National Health Insurance Program, May
2024
-
The Bond Market in the Republic of Korea: An ASEAN+3 Bond
Market Guide Update, May 2024
-
Artificial Intelligence in Action: Selected ADB Initiatives
in Asia and the Pacific, May 2024
-
Aging Well in Asia: Asian Development Policy Report, May
2024
-
Assessment of Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services: Two
Cases of Ecosystem Restoration in the People’s Republic of
China, April 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pacific Perspectives on the US Indo-Pacific Strategy, April 2024.
The Pacific and its ocean people’s heritage need to be featured
more prominently in the US Indo-Pacific strategy. Pacific island
states are large, gigantic if you will! If you consider the area
where these states have sovereign rights, their exclusive
economic zones (EEZs), then 5 of the 20 largest states in the
world would be Pacific Island states. Three of those are in the
North Pacific. Considering its EEZ, the Federated States of
Micronesia (FSM) is equivalent to the size of the entire US
mainland. Obviously, this assertion challenges the “land
dominates sea” maxim in international discourse. However, a
saying from our traditional navigators, “The seas are highways
of life, they do not separate us, they connect us,” better
encapsulates the strategic value of our ocean territory... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Enhancing the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific through
Sub-Regional Initiatives: The Case of the BIMP-EAGA Initiative,
April 2024.
Effectively managing geopolitical competition in Southeast Asia
has arguably become the most pressing concern for maintaining
regional peace and stability. In recent years, US-China tensions
have escalated across multiple facets of the region’s
multilateral institutions. As a result, managing strategic
competition has become an ever more complex affair, testing the
overall effectiveness of ASEAN centrality. The United States has
taken a series of steps to strengthen its relations with its
Indo-Pacific partners and allies through multilateral and
minilateral frameworks—namely the Quadrilateral Security
Dialogue, or the QUAD, and AUKUS, a trilateral security
partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the
United States... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The Open Gap in the “Free and Open” Indo-Pacific, April 2024.
The Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) opens with President Biden’s
words at the Quad Leader’s Summit: “The future of each of our
nations, and indeed the world, depends on a free and open
Indo-Pacific flourishing in the decades ahead.” The emphasis on
a free and open Indo-Pacific maintains the “rules-based
international order” label wherein the United States aims to
strengthen democratic institutions, the rule of law, and
accountable democratic governance... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Australia’s 2024 Independent Intelligence Review: Opportunities and
Challenges: Views From the Strategist, April 2024. Australia
has a recent history of intelligence community reform via independent
intelligence reviews (IIRs) commissioned by government on a regular
basis since 2004. The latest IIR is being undertaken by Dr Heather Smith
and Mr Richard Maude. In the lead-up to the announcement of the 2024 IIR,
and afterwards, ASPI’s The Strategist has served as a valuable forum for
canvassing publicly the most significant issues and challenges to be
addressed by the reviewers... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Reclaiming Leadership: Australia and the Global Critical Minerals Race,
April 2024. Climate policy, geopolitics and market
forces are coalescing to deliver Australia a global leadership
opportunity in critical minerals. To grasp that opportunity, Australia
needs both to utilise its domestic mineral endowment and its mining
knowledge and technology and to leverage the global footprint of
Australian companies to help build a global supply chain network. How
Australia responds will not only determine economic benefits to the
nation but will also affect the world’s ability to achieve minerals
security and the sustainability required for the global energy
transition and inclusive economic growth... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Regional Security and Pacific Partnerships: Recruiting Pacific Islanders
Into the Australian Defence Force, April 2024. The
security and stability of the South Pacific and Australia are deeply
intertwined. Australian Government policies have for more than a decade
consistently prioritised the Pacific for international engagement,
including in defence, development and diplomacy. The Australian
Government’s ‘Pacific Step-up’, first announced in 2016, delivered a
heightened level of effort by Canberra in the region, as did Australia’s
strong support for the Pacific Islands Forum’s Boe Declaration. The
Albanese government’s increased policy focus on the region, and on a
coordinated whole-of-government approach to the Pacific, demonstrates
the centrality of our immediate region to the Australian Government’s
strategic planning... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
High
Frequency Macroeconomic Forecasts Current Quarter Model:
2024Q2, April 2024. Given the tightness in the
labour market, it is projected that the unemployment
rates for 24Q1 and 24Q2 will remain at 2.9%
respectively. Hong Kong's external trade is expected to
maintain its positive momentum, with exports and imports
of goods projected to increase from 4.1% and 1.9% growth
in the 24Q1 to 6.5% and 5.2% growth in 24Q2. Hong Kong's
services exports is expected to increase by 5.9% in
24Q2, thanks to the resumption of normal travel.
However, the surge in consumption by Hong Kong residents
abroad has led to a significant increase of 7.5% in
services imports during the same period, entirely
offsetting the contribution of service exports to the
overall economic growth... |
|
HKU |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #11: Myanmar’s Resistance and the Future
of Border Trade: Challenges and Opportunities. Since the
start of Operation 1027, Myanmar’s resistance groups have
gained control over large parts of key overland trade routes
and a number of important border crossings, fundamentally
changing the realities in the control of border trade.
Despite these losses, the State Administration Council (SAC)
retains control-of-trade-related institutions that are vital
for accessing an international trading system characterized
by state-to-state interactions... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #10 : Beyond Slacktivism: The Dynamic
Relationship between Online and Offline Activism among
Southeast Asian Youths. Despite a surge in youth
activism across Southeast Asian countries, comparative
analysis in this region remains scarce. Using data from the
World Values Survey of several studies, and case studies on
Indonesia, this article examines the extent to which online
political activism serves as a catalyst for mobilization,
awareness and community building among young people in
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #9 : Shifting to a Higher Gear: The Saga
of Malaysia’s National Carmaker Proton. Newly
independent Malaysia’s economic growth was driven mainly by
the export of primary products such as rubber, timber and
tin. However, in light of the steadily declining non-oil
commodity prices in the early 1980s and informed by the
ongoing structural transformation in Japan and South Korea,
the country’s then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
reoriented the national growth model to one that put heavy
industries—steel, cement, petrochemicals, machinery and
equipment and automotive—at the forefront. To garner public
support, he promulgated the idea of a “national car”,
employing it as an expression of technological modernism and
national pride... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #8 : Scrutinizing the DAP’s Success in
the 2023 Malaysian State Elections. Using granular
polling station and polling stream data for forty-seven
seats contested by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) member
Democratic Action Party (DAP), this paper explores the
effect of this relationship on voter support. This Trends in
Southeast Asia finds that, contrary to expectations, DAP
actually gained voter support from campaigning with UMNO... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Asian Development Outlook, April 2024 (Full Report,
Highlights).
Growth in developing Asia and the Pacific is expected to remain
resilient, propelled by strong domestic demand, improving
semiconductor exports, and the ongoing recovery in tourism.
Regional inflation will moderate further, as global food and
fuel prices stabilize. However, several risks warrant attention.
Escalating conflicts and geopolitical tensions may disrupt
supply chains and impact commodity prices. Uncertainty
surrounding US monetary policy, potential further weakness in
the property market in the People’s Republic of China, and
extreme weather events could present challenges for the region.
Policymakers should intensify efforts to bolster resilience by
fostering trade, cross-border investment, and commodity supply
networks... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
-
Financial Development and the Capital Flow Allocation Puzzle
in Developing Asia, April 2024
-
Balancing the Needs of Energy Security, Economic Growth, and
Climate Sustainability in ASEAN, April 2024
-
The Multidimensional Well-Being of Asian Senior Citizens: A
Systematic Review, April 2024
-
Learning Disruptions during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence
from Household Surveys in Southeast Asia, April 2024
-
Self-Learning at the Right Level, COVID-19 School Closure,
and Non-cognitive Abilities, April 2024
-
Financial Literacy and Fintech Use in Family Business, April
2024
-
Asia's Sectoral Transformation, Evolving Diets, and the
Consequences for Climate Change, April 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Transforming ASEAN: Strategies for Achieving Inclusive and
Sustainable Growth, Published 2024
-
Blue Finance Development in Shandong Province, People’s
Republic of China, April 2024
-
Regional Action on Climate Change: A Vision for Central Asia
Regional Economic Cooperation, April 2024
-
Basic Statistics 2024
-
Fiscal Incidence in Timor-Leste: Impact of Taxation and
Public Expenditure on Poverty and Inequality, April 2024
-
Expanding and Diversifying Exports in Bangladesh, April 2024
-
Smart Tourism Ecosystem Development Readiness in Southeast
Asia, April 2024
-
Pollution Characterization and Quantification in the
Agriculture Sectors, April 2024
-
Multilateralism, Regionalism, and Unilateralism
Retrospectives: Case for Hybrid Multilateralism for Trade
Liberalization in Developing Countries, April 2024
-
Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
in Light of Regional Trade Integration in Eurasia, April
2024
-
Mobilizing Capital Markets for a Climate-Responsive and
Inclusive Southeast Asia, April 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Asian Development Review, Vol.
41, No. 1, March 2024 (Full
Report):
The first paper presents harmonized methodologies used to
estimate health capacity to work, followed by seven country
papers. The four other papers in this issue cover topics related
to intergovernmental fiscal systems, population and geospatial
data, regional inequalities, and well-being, and the “Belt and
Road” initiative.
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Project Summary Report: Capacity Building on GHS
Implementation Convergence Practices, April 2024
-
Advancing the Trade and Distribution of Legally Harvested
Forest Products: Navigating to Legal Timber, April 2024
-
Guidelines and Recommendation on Vessel Innovation to Combat
Marine Debris, April 2024
-
The Innovating for Public Urban Technology Transformation
(INPUT2) Competition Report, April 2024
-
Research Outcomes: Summary of Research Projects 2023
-
Services Domestic Regulation: Envisioning Next Generation
Technical Standards Principles - At A Glance, April 2024
-
Building a Resilient and Sustainable Cruise Industry Post
COVID-19, April 2024
-
An Overview of GHG Monitoring: Objectives and Technologies,
April 2024
-
Review of Traceability Systems Applied to the Value Chain of
Fisheries and Aquaculture in APEC Economies, April 2024
-
APEC Public-Private Dialogue on Challenges, Opportunities,
and Digitally-enabled Recovery in the Post-COVID Era, April
2024
-
APEC Energy Handbook 2021, April 2024
-
APEC Energy Statistics 2021, April 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mind the Gap: Ambition Versus Delivery in China’s BRI
Megaprojects in Southeast Asia, March 2024.
China has become Southeast Asia’s largest infrastructure
financing partner. Yet there is an enormous gap between what
Beijing promises and what it has delivered, amounting to more
than $50 billion in unfulfilled project financing with more than
half of this reflecting projects that have either been
cancelled, downsized, or otherwise seem unlikely to proceed. The
reasons for this gap include China’s almost exclusive focus on
financing ambitious megaprojects especially prone to problems
and delays but also political instability in partner countries,
weak stakeholder consultation, and increasingly stranded fossil
fuel projects... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Papua New Guinea’s Fiscal Decentralisation: A Way Forward, March
2024.
Fiscal decentralisation in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been a
contentious topic for much of the country’s history. PNG has had
several attempts at decentralising fiscal responsibilities,
without much success in improving governance or service
delivery. This is concerning, given sub-national funding has
increased in the past decade. Governance has deteriorated over
time as more responsibilities and funds are channelled to lower
levels of government, including through unaccountable transfers
to members of parliament (MPs) to use at their discretion.
Government effectiveness and service delivery have suffered as a
result, leading to poor development outcomes. This paper
examines the weaknesses in the decentralisation process and how
these mechanisms can be strengthened... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
The Trade Routes Vital to Australia’s Economic Security, March 2024. A
recurrent theme in Australia’s defence strategy has been our reliance on
and need to defend Australia’s trade routes in a globalised world. The
vulnerability of Australia’s limited stockpiles of critical goods and
its concentrated sources of supply have driven military capability and
planning for decades and remain a justification for strategic
investments. The 2023 Defence Strategic Review argued that the danger of
any power threatening to invade the Australian continent was remote, but
that an adversary could implement military coercion at a distance with
threats against our trade and supply routes. With limited resources and
finite defence capability, yet vast interests at sea, it’s important
that Australian security and economic planning is trained on the most
critical pain points in our sea lines of communication. Strategy and
planning must derive from up-to-date and accurate data about what we
trade, via which routes, and to and from which specific locations... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Deterring an Attack on Taiwan: Policy Options for India and Other
Non-belligerent State, March 2024. India has a
vital role to play in deterring China from unifying Taiwan by military
force, a new Australian Strategic Policy Institute report finds,
highlighting New Delhi’s significant economic, diplomatic, legal and
strategic narrative levers. The report looks beyond traditional thinking
on military preparations to dissuade Beijing from taking the island by
force and offers six ways for India, with its great strategic and
economic weight, to “help shape Beijing’s calculus away from the use of
force”. The author writes that the use of such long-term measures is
vital to New Delhi’s own interests, as the economic and regional
security impacts of a major war would be devastating for India itself.
India and other “non-belligerent states” could apply a range of measures
to persuade Beijing that the time is not right for a military attack... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
EU-Thailand FTA Negotiations: IUU Fishing and Human Rights
Remain Obstacles, March 2024.
Thailand’s fishing industry, which at its height saw as many
as 200,000 migrant workers from neighboring Laos, Myanmar,
and Cambodia caught in a brutal system of abuse, withered
global criticism until eventually, the European Union (EU)
issued a “yellow card” to Thailand aiming to crack down on
both systemic abuse and illegally caught fish ending up in
European supermarkets. With a semi-democratic government
replacing the military-backed establishment that ruled
Thailand for nearly a decade, negotiations for a mutually
desired free trade agreement (FTA) have resumed. However, as
the new Srettha Thavisin government seeks fast economic
remedies to a flagging economy, reforms to its fishing
industry may come undone, compromising FTA talks and putting
the Kingdom again under international scrutiny... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trade, Connectivity and Supply Chains in EU-India Relations,
February 2024.
In the decade and a half since 2007 when the EU and India
first started their FTA negotiations, the world economic
order has undergone a sea change. During that period, Europe
has also sought to position itself as a strategic actor
seeking to create a secure and rules-based Indo-Pacific
through its 2021 Strategy for Cooperation in the
Indo-Pacific (SCIP). The release of the Global Gateway
strategy in December 2021 holds the potential to leverage
China’s increasingly controversial Belt and Road Initiative
(BRI) — Italy’s recent withdrawal from the project
constitutes another major blow to the venture. Relying on
partner states like India to be a ‘gateway’ to Asia’s
infrastructure markets is a natural evolution of the EU’s
focus on the region. Proof of this is the MoU signed by the
EU and India, among others, as a prelude to the launch of
IMEC in September 2023... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Report of the Webinar on “SOUTH KOREA, INDIA, AND THE
EMERGING QUAD PLUS CALCULUS”, February 2024.
The webinar addressed several questions: Where does Seoul’s
engagement with the Indo-Pacific stand and where does the
Quad feature therein? What are South Korea’s reasons for
seeking greater cooperation with the Quad? What shape would
South Korea’s cooperation with the Quad take? Would it
emerge as a new ‘Quint’ platform or as a more flexible and
ad hoc ‘Quad Plus’ format? What are the prospects for
India-Korea cooperation in the Indo-Pacific? Considering
their bilateral cooperation, what are the prospects for both
countries to promote and enhance minilateral formats of
cooperation in the region, particularly about the Quad? How
can we envision a strategic convergence between India and
South Korea in Indo-Pacific minilateral frameworks? In other
words, what other minilateral forums could set this example
for quad-plus format cooperation? Please read the report of
this webinar here. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Issues and Trends in U.S. Presidential Election 2024.
The U.S. presidential election, like national elections in
most democracies, is mostly fought and won on domestic
issues that have a direct bearing on the day-to-day lives of
the American people. Foreign policy issues, while still
significant for a global power like the United States, is
largely peripheral and episodic in terms of influencing
voting patterns. Nevertheless, more than any other election
in the world, the process and result of the U.S.
presidential election is keenly watched and has global
repercussions. From the intra-party primaries to the
presidential nominations, and then to the final verdict in
November, candidates will have to grapple with a host of
issues, based on which American voters will elect the next
U.S. president. As the election season heats up, candidates
will become more hyperbolic in asserting their best plans to
save American democracy at home, and American leadership
abroad... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
South Korea-India Ties: Between Bilateralism, Minilateralism,
and Multilateralism, March 2024.
In the context of the Indo-Pacific construct, the expanding
gaps in global governance, the rise in minilateralism, the
need to reinvigorate regional and global multilateralism,
and the imperative to strengthen the rules-based liberal
international order, it is important to look at the evolving
trajectory of ties between India and South Korea, both Asian
giants. This paper first discusses the contours of the ROK’s
Indo-Pacific strategy, especially through the India angle.
It then examines South Korea’s importance in India’s foreign
policy and regional/global goals through the prism of
India’s relationship with the Quad partners. It also looks
at their congruence and cooperation in regional, global
organizations and platforms such as the United Nations (UN),
ASEAN, the Group of Twenty (G20), and the Indo-Pacific
Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). Finally, it
explores the prospects of cooperation through select
minilateral forums. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Navigating BRI and Indo-Pacific Strategy: Challenge for
South Asian Small States, March 2024.
This paper explores the intersection of China’s Belt and
Road Initiative (BRI) and the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS)
among South Asian Small States, analyzing the interplay
between the two initiatives and their implications for
regional geopolitics. Specifically, it aims to elucidate the
synergies and conflicts between the two initiatives, assess
the strategic significance of South Asian Small States,
including Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, within
this framework, and examine the implications for regional
stability and national sovereignty. It highlights the
complex interplay between BRI and IPS in the South Asian
Small States, characterized by economic opportunities,
geopolitical tensions, and strategic maneuvering... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Can UAE become an Indo-Pacific Sea Power? March 2024.
Amidst the intensified race over connectivity in the
Indo-Pacific in a competitive infrastructure marketplace,
the UAE is positioning itself to play an important role
through strategic investments in ports abroad and extensive
maritime engagements. Having established a strong presence
in the Horn of Africa through investment in port
infrastructure, the UAE is now keen to expand its regional
influence in the South Asia sub-region of the Indian Ocean,
and beyond into the larger Indo-Pacific. This issue brief
outlines the emergence of the UAE as a sea power through
such investments while highlighting how the Emirates’
limited participation in the governance of the Indo-Pacific
is limiting its influence. It makes a case for the UAE to
take a more proactive role in complementing its economic
investments with participation in regional governance
initiatives to help secure a truly free and open
Indo-Pacific. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Needed, a Framework to Protect Undersea Cables, March 2024.
In the data-driven world we live in, submarine cables are
the arteries that connect nation-states and their people in
literally every human activity, including trade, commerce,
entertainment, and social interactions. Any interference in
that flow of data can disrupt lives and livelihoods and
compromise the capacity of nation-states to trade,
communicate, and defend their interests. There are few
instruments in public international law available to
nation-states for the protection of submarine cables vital
to their national interest. However, private international
law and, in particular, commercial contracts may provide the
basis for a network of contracts that may provide the legal
framework required to defend the network of submarine
cables... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
India-Japan-Philippines: A Strategic Maritime Trilateral or
More, March 2024.
Regional states like India, Japan, and the Philippines have
been seeking cooperative solutions with other middle powers
that can both counter the Chinese influence and fulfill
other economic as well as traditional and non-traditional
security objectives. Against this scenario of evolving
geopolitics, is there merit in an India-Japan-Philippines
trilateral? Can it play a strategic role in the Indo-Pacific
maritime domain and keep China in check? Can such grouping
enhance the scope of “third country” partnerships and boost
the multilateralism espoused by ASEAN? This Focus Asia paper
aims to address such questions by exploring the
interconnectedness between the Philippines, India, and Japan
through both the bilateral and regional lens, looking at the
trajectory of the recent high-level interactions... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
The State of Southeast Asia: 2024 Survey Report.
The State of Southeast Asia 2024 Survey conducted by the
ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute
reveals that Southeast Asia’s top preoccupations are with
unemployment, climate change, and intensifying economic
tensions between major powers. The Israel-Hamas conflict is
the region’s top geopolitical concern, while China has edged
past the US to become the prevailing choice if the region
were forced to align itself in the ongoing US-China rivalry. |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #7: ASEAN Post-2025: Reimagining the
ASEAN Economic Community. ASEAN Economic Community
(AEC) building is a long journey. For continued relevance
and impact, the AEC must remain dynamic while taking into
consideration evolving contexts and emerging opportunities
and challenges. Notable progress has been made under the two
AEC Blueprints (2015 and 2025), particularly in laying down
the frameworks for regional economic integration and
community building. Nonetheless, gaps remain in
implementation, calling for a more streamlined but
result-oriented agenda and stronger institutional
coordination. Today, the AEC is faced with a markedly
different context and unprecedented challenges resulting
from a poly-crisis, involving geo-economic fragmentation,
supply chain restructuring, and climactic changes. Without
adjustment, ASEAN’s pillar and sector-centric approach can
be expected to fall short in effectively responding to these
challenges... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #6: Prosperity or Predicament? Decoding
Certification Challenges in Malaysia’s Palm Oil Industry.
Oil palm was brought to Malaysia from West Africa as part of
British colonial agricultural development initiatives, but
the refining of crude palm oil only began in the 1970s as
part of the move by the Malaysian government to
industrialize the country’s agrarian economy. Malaysia is
the world’s second-largest producer of palm oil, after
Indonesia. Both countries account for about 85 per cent of
total exports. Incidentally, smallholders produce about 40
per cent of the total output of palm oil in Malaysia. The
palm oil industry is mired in controversy. Global campaigns
originating in Europe and the US have branded the crop the
biggest cause of deforestation, with proposed bans to follow
in December 2024... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #5: How Thailand’s Move Forward Party’s
Fandom Strategy Shaped the 2023 General Election. The
concept of political fandom, the state of being fans of a
politician or of a political party, played a crucial role
during Thailand’s General Election in 2023. Fandom
contributed to the popularity on social media of
politicians, such as Pita Limjaroenrat, the Move Forward
Party’s leader and prime ministerial candidate. The
strategies involved in achieving celebrity status for
politicians are varied. This paper provides a case study of
the factors behind the success of Pita and the Move Forward
Party and contrasts these with reasons why Pita’s key
political opponents were less effective. It argues that the
digital age and the transcendence of politics into pop
culture, where celebrity status and fandom can drive
electoral outcomes, signify a profound shift in democratic
participation, political engagement and the very fabric of
Thai politics... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #4: China’s Cultural Diplomacy in
Indonesia: The Case of a Transnational Singing Contest.
The emphasis on cultural connectivity in China’s growing
presence and involvement in Southeast Asia highlights the
importance China places on people-to-people exchanges as
part of its global engagement strategy. The remarkable
ascension of China over the recent decades has precipitated
a proliferation of anti-China sentiments, particularly
galvanized within the crucible of a “discourse war” with
Western powers, as expressed in the latter’s “China threat”
narrative. In response to such challenges, China has made
substantial investments in cultural diplomacy, to augment
its soft power through orchestrated global outreach
initiatives... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Services Domestic Regulation: Envisioning Next Generation
Technical Standards Principles, March 2024
-
APEC Education Officials Dialogue: Schools as Community Hubs
– Project Summary Report, March 2024
-
APEC Technology Commercialization Demand Side Program Study
Report, March 2024
-
Fostering Digital Competency, Building Re-employment
Capacity, and Enhancing Well-being for Younger Older Adults
in the Digital Economy - Background Paper, March 2024
-
Digitalising Trade: The Role of Paperless Platforms, March
2024
-
Consensus Framework Resource Guide, March 2024
-
Call To Action: Report, March 2024
-
Findings and Practices on Smart Customs in APEC Free
Zones/Free Trade Ports, March 2024
-
Report on the APEC Roundtable - The Seabird-Safe Longline
Fishing Toolkit, March 2024
-
Policies and Tools for Improving Digital Economy and
Competition in Digital Markets: Current Issues, March 2024
-
APEC Workshop on Implementation of Online Dispute Resolution
(ODR) in APEC Economies, including through the APEC ODR
Collaborative Framework, March 2024
-
APEC Creative Industries in The Post-COVID-19 Pandemic:
General Situations and Policy Responses, March 2024
-
Policy Recommendations: Stakeholder Engagement to Promote
Digitalization of Licensing and Permitting Measures in APEC
Economies, March 2024
-
Workshop Summary Report – APEC Workshop on Promoting Digital
Transformation in Agriculture, March 2024
-
A Workshop for Fisheries Enforcement Strategies to Prevent,
Combat and Deter IUU Fishing Related to COVID-19 Pandemic,
March 2024
-
World-Class Circular Economy Industrial Parks: Best
Practices, Challenges, Opportunities, Training and
Collaboration, March 2024
-
Progress Evaluation and Future Direction: An Analysis of the
Cebu Action Plan, March 2024
-
Study on the Use of Telemedicine to Promote Health Equity in
APEC Region after COVID-19, March 2024
-
Gap Analysis of Economic Incentives for Antimicrobials in
APEC Economies, March 2024
-
Options Paper: Incentives to Bring New Antibiotics to APEC
Markets, March 2024
-
APEC Regional Trends Analysis, February 2024
-
Capacity Building on Vessel Innovation Symposium to Combat
Marine Debris, March 2024
-
Final Report with Policy Recommendations for APEC
Manufacturing-Related Services: Definitions, Contributions,
Issues, & Challenges, March 2024
-
Data Standardization within APEC: Focusing on Health Data,
March 2024
-
Microplastic Exposure and Distribution in the Coastal
Aquaculture Input System, March 2024
-
APEC FTAAP Work Program: Multistakeholder Engagement for
Trade Agreement Development, March 2024
-
Green Chemistry and Sound Chemicals Management Workshop,
March 2024
-
Energy Efficiency Policy Workshop on PREE 12:
Electrification and Energy Efficiency, March 2024
-
Promoting Compostable Bioplastics in the APEC Region, March
2024
-
Research Report on Promoting Green Jobs for a Resilient
Economic Recovery from COVID-19, February 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Escalation Risks in the Indo-Pacific: A Review for Practitioners,
February 2024. The outbreak of war in the Indo-Pacific
is a real possibility. Increased competition, a growing trust deficit
between global and regional powers and potential miscalculations
heighten the risk. There needs to be a more engaged Australian
discussion on conflict-escalation risks and how they might be managed.
Policymakers and leaders need to understand escalation risks as they
manage Australia’s relationship with the US, China, North Korea and
Australia’s key regional defence partners over coming decades. In
rhetoric and in action, Australia also needs to be attentive to how the
acquisition and employment of our own new capabilities—strike missiles,
evolving cyber capabilities and nuclear-propelled submarines—affect
strategic stability dynamics in a fast-changing world... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
National Resilience: Lessons for Australian Policy From International
Experience, February 2024. The strategic circumstances
that Australia contemplates over the coming decades present multiple,
cascading and concurrent crises. Ensuring a safe and secure Australia,
able to withstand the inevitable shocks that we’ll face into the future,
will require a more comprehensive approach to strategy than we’ve
adopted over the past seven decades. We can’t rely on the sureties of
the past. The institutions, policies and architectures that have
supported the nation to manage such crises in our history are no longer
fit for purpose. The report highlights lessons drawn from international
responses to crisis, to assist policymakers build better responses to
the interdependent and hyperconnected challenges that nations face. The
report brings together the disciplines of disaster management, defence
strategy and national security to examine what an integrated national
approach to resilience looks like, and how national resilience thinking
can help Australia build more effective and more efficient responses to
crisis and change... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
2024 Global Diplomacy Index.
China and the United States lead the world, by some margin, in
the size of their diplomatic networks. Beijing tops the Index
with 274 posts in its global network, followed closely by
Washington with 271. China’s rise to the top spot was rapid. In
2011, Beijing lagged behind Washington by 23 diplomatic posts.
By 2019, China had surpassed the United States in having the
world’s largest diplomatic network. In 2021, China pulled
further ahead, leading the United States by eight posts, but by
2023, the gap narrowed again to China ahead by just three posts.
Since China assumed the lead, both countries have largely
plateaued, with China down two posts overall compared to 2019
(276), and the United States fluctuating slightly to return to
2016 levels (271)... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Overcoming Digital Threats to Democracy, February 2024.
Many of the challenges that digital technologies present stem
not only from what they can do, but how they are governed. Most
of the digital platforms used in democracies are controlled by a
handful of multinational corporations, colloquially known as
“Big Tech”. The digital technologies they develop maximise the
profit and interests of this handful of technology companies.
But when power is concentrated in the hands of a few, there is
little accountability to the public. When users do not properly
understand terms of service, tracking, or privacy notices,
consent cannot be fully or freely given. When terms of service
are not consistently applied, there is inconsistent application
of the law. And when governments enact regulation primarily
based on partisan pressures and interests, the public interest
is absent. All these elements combine to create a crisis of
legitimacy... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Geopolitics in the Pacific Islands: Playing for Advantage,
February 2024.
Traditional donors — Australia, France, Japan, New Zealand, and
the United States — now compete with China for geopolitical
influence in the Pacific Islands. Pacific Islands leaders worry
this competition could lead to militarisation or “strategic
manipulation”. Leaders are refusing to choose between major
powers and are claiming to be “friends to all, enemies to none”.
This allows Pacific Islands Countries (PICs) to leverage
strategic competition for political and national advantage, as
well as maximise aid. But there are limits to the “friends to
all” rhetoric — not all friends share compatible values or
governance systems. Some PICs, such as the US Compact states and
French territories, have associations that limit their security
engagements. Others, such as Papua New Guinea, have a clear
preference for traditional partners to assist with security... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Drought, Flood, and Rice Security in Central Thailand, March
2024.
With roughly 63 percent of the country’s agricultural area
allocated for rice farming, rice has long been a key food staple
and export crop for Thailand. As with other crops, rice is
heavily dependent on water, whether it is from precipitation or
irrigation, and is also sensitive to changing temperatures. The
impacts of droughts and floods on rice farming are a fundamental
source of concern for Thai farmers and the government. This
article focuses on the effects of droughts and floods on rice
quality and quantity, as well as on farmers’ rice income and
prospects for livelihood diversification. Based on our
interviews with rice farmers in Uthaithani, Chainat, and
Ayutthaya, droughts and floods diminish rice yields and increase
incidences of crop failures, both partial and complete. They
also lower the quality of rice and further depress net head rice
yields by altering rice grain dimensions and moisture levels, as
well as increasing the amount of cracked and immature grains... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Indian Ocean Security Means More Will Be Asked of US Allies,
February 2024.
The Indian Ocean is now the globe’s busiest and most
strategically significant trade corridor, carrying two-thirds of
the world’s oil shipments and a third of the world’s bulk cargo.
The vulnerability of the global commons has been on display
since late 2023 as Houthi rebels in Yemen have attacked shipping
in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The rebels claimed to be
targeting ships based on their links to the United States or
Israel to support Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
These attacks significantly disrupted international trade as the
Red Sea, via the Suez Canal, offers the shortest shipping route
between Asia and Europe. The response, led by the United States,
saw an international coalition formed to ensure freedom of the
seas as well as tailored strikes in Yemen and the seizure of a
container ship with Iranian-supplied weapons bound for the
Houthis... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Australia and the Resilient Pacific Islands, February 2024.
The Pacific is Australia’s region and home—we are a member of
the Pacific family and a proud founding member of the Pacific
Islands Forum (PIF). Australia’s priority is to ensure the Blue
Pacific remains peaceful, prosperous, and equipped to respond to
the challenges of our time. Australia is bringing new energy and
more resources to the Pacific to help build a stronger and more
united Pacific family and elevate Pacific voices on issues that
matter to the region. We are committed to working in lockstep
with the PIF to support Pacific priorities, guided by the
Pacific Way and by ambitions articulated in the 2050 Strategy
for the Blue Pacific Continent. We are reliable, transparent,
and open, and we respect the sovereignty and the centrality of
regional institutions. Over the past 12 months, Australia’s
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Honorable Penny Wong,
and Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the
Honorable Pat Conroy (member of parliament)... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The Political Split at the Heart of Taiwan’s Struggle
against Foreign Disinformation, February 2024.
Taiwan’s struggle against foreign disinformation and
concerns about China’s impact on its 2024 election has
received much international attention recently. This issue
brief examines the domestic and international politics
behind Taiwan’s struggle against foreign disinformation. A
significant push towards dealing with foreign disinformation
has been undertaken during the eight-year rule of the
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), both in terms of
strengthening democratic resilience and seeking support and
cooperation from international partners. This push has
launched Taiwan’s issue into the international arena, in
line with the DPP’s strategy for closer cooperation with
other “like-minded” democracies... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Must Regulate the AI Trifecta: Security, Business, and
Privacy, February 2024.
The enormous amount of research and development in
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies has led it to grow
to a level that impacts security, business, and privacy
concerns. The proliferation of artificially intelligent
weaponry raises the potential for arms races, the
possibility of non-state actors obtaining such weapons, and
security issues. From the business lens, AI has catalyzed
decision-making and operational strategies that have enabled
efficiency. However, as the functioning of AI is dependent
on data, deliberating privacy issues has become necessary.
Discussions around AI governance are still in their infancy,
which presents a chance to create frameworks for governance
that encompass every step of the process, from development
to deployment... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Japan’s Strategic Messaging for a ‘Free and Open
International Order (FOIO)’: Can It Preserve its
Indo-Pacific Achievements? February 2024.
The “free and open international order (jiyū de hirakareta
kokusai chitsujo) based on the rule of law,” or “FOIO,” is
emblematic of Japan’s overriding ideal as pursued across
multiple administrations. Introduced in early 2017 following
the better-known “free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP),” it
became Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s major diplomatic
message in 2023. Underpinned by the rule of law among
nations, the FOIO represents the latest evolution in Japan’s
attempt to preserve the existing international order amid
the growing challenges posed by China and other
authoritarian states... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Iran and Japan Relations in a Transitional World Order,
February 2024.
Both the Japanese and Iranian foreign policies are under
evolution. Given the changing global security environment,
their foreign policy approach toward each other is
continuously changing, and the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)
strategy is certainly one important factor that shapes
Japanese foreign policy towards Iran as well as the Middle
East. Iran, on its part, is strengthening its ties with
China and North Korea which is concerning for Japan. This
issue brief sheds light on the mutual perception and
misperception of Iran and Japan towards each other and how
they aim to navigate the difficult terrain to maintain a
relationship... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Russia-DPRK Relations: Implications for the UNSC’s Mandate,
February 2024.
The burgeoning military cooperation between Russia and the
DPRK poses a significant challenge to global security. The
simplified characterization of the alleged arms deal as a
product of converging interests between old friends
overlooks the fundamental importance of geo-political
dynamics and both states’ diplomatic pivot away from the
liberal West as a cause for re-evaluating their bilateral
relations. This issue brief argues that regardless of
whether the arms deal sustains momentum beyond the Ukraine
war, strengthened DPRK-Russo relations challenge the UN
Security Council as the principal theater for engagement on
the North Korean nuclear issue and threaten to accelerate
the widening rift between liberal and autocratic spheres of
influence. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #3: Enhancing ASEAN’s Role in Critical
Mineral Supply Chains. An energy transition is underway
in Southeast Asia. This process is dependent on an
uninterrupted supply of the minerals and metals that are
essential to produce low-carbon technologies. These raw
materials are termed “critical minerals” (CMs), owing to
three broad features: their necessity as inputs in
low-carbon technology, the lack of viable substitutes, and
significant supply constraints. The demand for CMs such as
lithium, nickel, cobalt, rare earth elements (REEs), copper,
and silicon3 is expected to increase exponentially in the
coming decades. To meet the global net zero target by 2050,
mineral inputs will need to increase sixfold by 2040,
compared to current levels. According to scenarios developed
by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the demand for
minerals used in electric vehicles (EVs) will increase
thirty times compared to current levels, while mineral
requirements for low-carbon energy generation will triple by
2040... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #2: China as a Rising Norm Entrepreneur:
Examining GDI, GSI and GCI. Addressing a gathering at
the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in
March 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping talked about the
concept of mankind being a community of shared future or
with a common destiny. This was Xi’s first major foreign
policy speech, during his first foreign visit, after taking
over as president. Analytical and media discourse at the
time paid little attention to this concept. Instead, much of
the discussion was focused on what appeared to be the
articulation of shared grievances and a convergence of
objectives between China and Russia. From a policy
perspective, the idea of people being a community of common
destiny or shared future was rather vague. Moreover, it did
not seem novel. In fact, in Chinese discourse, this concept
can be traced back to the pre-Xi era... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #1: TIMOR-LESTE IN ASEAN: Is It Ready to
Join?. In response to Timor-Leste’s formal application
for ASEAN membership in 2011, ASEAN leaders in November 2022
finally came to an in-principle agreement to admit the
country as its eleventh member and to grant Timor-Leste
observer status to attend all ASEAN meetings. This follows
the positive outcomes of fact-finding missions across the
three ASEAN Community pillars, which noted the strong
political will and commitment displayed by Timor-Leste for
its accession to ASEAN. Timor-Leste has developed two key
documents to help align its national laws, regulations, and
policies with ASEAN’s, particularly concerning its binding
agreements... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
APEC Policy Brief – Drivers of Services Competitiveness and
the Contribution of Structural Reform, February 2024
-
Conference Report - Managing Infectious Disease on
Cross-Border Cruise Ships in the Post-COVID-19 Era:
Application of Digital Technology, February 2024
-
APEC Women Empowerment through Cybercrime-Free Workshop for
Secure Online Trading in the 4th Industrial Revolution,
February 2024
-
Reaction to COVID-19: Strengthening Quality Infrastructure
for Energy Efficiency of Lighting Products in Buildings in
the APEC Region, February 2024
-
Workshop on Promoting Bioplastic Materials to Reduce Marine
Plastic Litter in the Asia Pacific Region, February 2024
-
Addressing Informality: Transitioning to the Formal Economy,
February 2024
-
Outcomes and Outlook 2023/2024
-
Mutual Recognition Agreements for Professional
Qualifications and Licensure in APEC: Experiences,
Impediments and Opportunities, February 2024
-
APEC Oil and Gas Security Exercise in Thailand - 5th APEC
Oil and Gas Security Exercise, February 2024
-
APEC Workshop on Energy Modelling - Workshop Summary Report,
February 2024
-
APEC Workshop on Sustainable Energy Transition:
Opportunities and Challenges - Summary Report, February 2024
-
APEC Youth Impact Forum: Promoting Local Sustainability and
Inclusive Growth to Enhance Post-pandemic Regional
Resilience and Innovation - Final Report, February 2024
-
Establishing a Safe and Sustainable Future for Travel in the
Better Normal - Compendium, February 2024
-
Capacity Building on Supply Chain Connectivity with
Cloud-based Manufacturing Solutions - Final Report, February
2024
-
APEC Capacity Building Workshop on APEC’s Goals of Doubling
the Renewable Energy Share in the Energy Mix and Reducing
Energy Intensity - Workshop Summary, February 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Budgeting for Gender Equality: A Practical Guide to Gender
Budgeting, February 2024
-
Homelessness in Ulaanbaatar: Evidence and Policy
Recommendations, February 2024
-
Nurturing Short-Term Rentals in Thailand, February 2024
-
A Governance Framework for Climate-Relevant Public
Investment Management, February 2024
-
Asian Economic Integration Report 2024: Decarbonizing Global
Value Chains, February 2024
-
Kazakhstan and ADB (1994-2024): 30 Years of Partnership,
February 2024
-
Comparative Analysis of Collateral Eligibility Criteria,
February 2024
-
People and Planet: Addressing the Interlinked Challenges of
Climate Change, Poverty and Hunger in Asia and the Pacific -
2024 Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership Report, February 2024
-
Mobilizing Taxes for Development, February 2024
-
New Energy Applications for Ports and Inland-Waterway
Shipping in the People’s Republic of China, February 2024
-
Estimating Value-Added Tax Using a Supply and Use Framework:
The ADB National Accounts Statistics Value-Added Tax Model,
February 2024
-
Asia Clean Energy Forum 2023—Navigating Toward a
Carbon-Neutral Future through Clean Energy Solutions: Event
Highlights, February 2024
-
Costing Social Protection Reform for Asia and the Pacific:
Strategies for Financing Social Protection to Achieve
Sustainable Development Goals in the Developing Member
Countries, January 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Renewed Philippine-United States Alliance, January 2024.
In 2023, after tumultuous relations during the Duterte
administration, the Philippine-United States alliance was
reinvigorated under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
and his “friend to all, enemy to none” foreign policy. The
alliance’s strong footing is exemplified by high-level meetings
and dialogues, defense cooperation, and coordination on
non-traditional issues. Several high-level meetings were held in
the first half of 2023. The Bilateral Strategic Dialogue set the
tone for the alliance, with Washington reaffirming its
commitment to Manila. This was followed by the 2+2 Ministerial
Dialogue in April and a state visit by Marcos in May, resulting
in $1.3 billion in pledges. The dialogues revolved around four
main areas: reaffirming the alliance and enhancing defense
relations, promoting a rules-based international order,
exploring economic cooperation, and supporting green energy and
environmental protection... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The Consequences of Taliban Policies on Human Rights in
Afghanistan (August 2021–August 2023).
Following the collapse of the Islamic Republic regime, the
Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. The
Taliban’s abolition of the 2004 constitution and other internal
regulations has set the stage for Tali-ban fighters to engage in
violent and arbitrary practices. The dismal human rights
situation in Afghanistan has prompted international
organizations to express serious concerns and to demand an
examination of the Taliban regime’s conduct toward the Afghan
people. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the
repercussions of the Taliban’s policies on citizen rights, which
are divided into two distinct categories: civil-political rights
and economic, social, and cultural rights... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Latest East-West Center Occasional Papers Series:
|
|
EWC |
|
|
Experts’ Scenarios on Russia’s Future, January 2024.
For a century determinists of various persuasions claimed to
be able to predict future developments. They believed that
very few key economic or social indicators determined
humankind’s future evolution. Nowadays all but the most
diehard determinists accept that a broad range of factors
contribute to the direction of change. We acknowledge that
along with economic and social change, factors as diverse as
the values and personalities of leaders, the dynamics of
groups and bureaucracies, changing sources of energy, group
and national psychology, and even changes in climate can all
shape the future. These and many other factors could affect
the outcome of Russia’s current war on Ukraine and
developments within the Russian Republic immediately
thereafter... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Sino-Russian Relations, From Where – To Where, January 2024.
Since 1949, relations between the Soviet Union/Russia and
China have been oscillating between formal military
alliances and military border clashes. In the early phases,
the cooperation was beneficial for both nations. China,
emerging from decades of war with a devastated economy and
international isolation, needed both economic and military
support and the Soviet Union as the leader of the socialist
block in the world, saw an alliance with China as both
natural and strategically convenient. However, with the
death of Stalin relations became strained. Khrushchev´s
“de-Stalinization process“ and his policy of “peaceful
coexistence” with the West and a promise to President
Eisenhower to stop a project to help China develop nuclear
weapons, infuriated Mao. Sino-Soviet economic cooperation
and trade almost came to a halt amid the ideological
competition between the two countries... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
The Quad and Submarine Cable Protection in the Indo-Pacific:
Policy Recommendations, January 2024.
This policy brief analyzes the Quadrilateral Security
Dialogue (Quad) initiative on submarine cables in the
Indo-Pacific and offers a timely roadmap as to how best to
protect them. It first locates the significance of submarine
cables for global connectivity and security, and then
contextualizes the perception of threats to cables from
malicious state or state-supported actors at a time of
rising global tensions. Because of the unique challenges
posed by cable vulnerabilities, including sabotage and
espionage, the brief focuses on the impact of disruptions
within the evolving geopolitical landscape as well as their
recent securitization and provides actionable rather than
aspirational recommendations for the Quad... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Disaster Risk Reduction: Need for Collective Approach-Based
Policy Measures, January 2024.
At the beginning of 2024, a massive earthquake struck Japan
killing several people and displacing even more. However,
the earthquake was only one instance of the various natural
disasters experienced the world over in the year gone by,
ranging from wildfires in North America to droughts in parts
of Europe. Climate change has influenced the intensity and
frequency of such disasters – causing immense economic
damage. The effect of disasters is further amplified in
regions already grappling with prolonged internal and
cross-boundary conflicts... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Bangladesh: Strategies and Requisites for Growth, January
2024.
Over the past decade, Bangladesh has achieved an impressive
annual growth rate of around 7 percent, with the GDP soaring
from USD 18.14 billion in 1980 to USD 460.2 billion in 2022.
The country is set to become the 20th largest economy by
2037. This issue brief maps the country’s economic ascent,
which has led to substantial improvements in social
indicators, including a rise in life expectancy, a
significant reduction in under-five mortality, and strides
in education and gender empowerment. It explores
Bangladesh’s proactive approach to regional partnerships,
particularly with India, and its efforts to diversify global
engagements, including collaborations with Japan and Europe.
Highlighting Dhaka’s challenges, such as the overreliance on
the textile sector, energy crises, and geopolitical
complexities affecting economic growth, it emphasizes the
need for Bangladesh’s democracy to maintain social harmony,
political stability, and gender empowerment to attract
foreign investment and sustain economic growth. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2023 #19: Managing China-Singapore Relations
Amid US-China Rivalry. China-Singapore relations have
come a long way since diplomatic ties were established in
1990. At that time, China needed friends and foreign
investments, and Singapore played a role in befriending
Beijing and bringing in investments from abroad. The West
had then ostracized Beijing due to the 1989 Tiananmen
incident. Today, a much stronger China faces a somewhat
similar hostile external environment. Most notable is the
escalating tensions between China and the United States,
which has created a unique geopolitical context that
necessitates a careful examination of the future trajectory
of China-Singapore ties. As both nations navigate this
complex geopolitical environment, they must adapt and
respond to evolving circumstances so that they can continue
to reap mutual benefits... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2023 #20: The Debate on the Ba‘Alawi Lineage
in Indonesia: Highlighting Weaknesses in the Genealogical
Records. The Ba‘Alawi ( بَاعَلَوِي or the descendants of
‘Alawi) trace their lineage from Prophet Muhammad through
Ahmad Al-Muhajir who migrated from Basra, Iraq, to Hadramaut,
Yemen, in 320H. They thus have their ancestral roots in the
valley of Hadhramaut. Since the early nineteenth century,
large numbers of people left Yemen and traversed the Indian
Ocean, resulting in a Hadhrami diaspora across South Asia,
Southeast Asia and East Africa (Ho 2010, p. xxii). They
played an important role in commercial activity and the
spread of Islam, and over the years became well-respected
for their religious knowledge. In Southeast Asia, some of
them even attained political influence through marriage to
local ruling families. Most Hadhramis in the region are
concentrated in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Workshop on Microplastics in the Coastal Aquaculture Input
Chain: From the Perspectives of Policy, Regulation and
Research to a Recommendation of a Mitigation Plan, January
2024
-
Unpacking Issues in the Gig Economy: Policy Approaches to
Empower Women in APEC, January 2024
-
Helping Businesses Build and Maintain Open, Secure and
Resilient Supply Chains, January 2024
-
E-commerce Status Analysis to Identify Best Practices,
Digital Skills Development and Strategies that Promote
E-Commerce in MSMEs in APEC Economies, January 2024
-
Annual Report on Asia-Pacific Tourism (2021), January 2024
-
Exploring Ways to Enhance the Cross-Border Development of
Skilled Professionals across the APEC Region, January 2024
-
Workshop on Public-Private Collaboration in Supporting of
Containing Measures During and Beyond Pandemic - Project
Final Report, January 2024
-
A Toolkit for Developing Digital Upskilling Training Program
in New Media from the Gender Lens, January 2024
-
Increasing the Readiness and Resiliency of Tourism
Destination Stakeholders in Managing Health Crises in APEC
Economies, January 2024
-
Paving the Way for Green Hydrogen in Advancing Circular
Economy: Stakeholder Management for Capacity Building and
Strategic Communications for Advocacy, January 2024
-
Digital and Inclusive Talents Cultivation and Technology
(AI)-Enabled Collaboration: TVET’s Integrative Models of
Skills and Trainings - Project Summary Report, January 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
Frequency Macroeconomic Forecasts Current Quarter Model:
2024Q1, January 2024. Hong Kong’s economy has
reverted to a growth rate of 2.2% in the first half of
2023. Economic growth is expected to accelerate in the
second half of 2023 with a 4.1% increase in 23Q3. Hong
Kong’s real GDP is expected to grow by 4.5% in 23Q4. It
is projected to grow by 3.3% for the year 2023 as a
whole. Hong Kong’s imports and exports are expected to
reverse the decline in 2023 and grow by 5.8% and 5.5% in
the first quarter of 2024 respectively, partly due to a
lower base of comparison. The job market is anticipated
to remain stable, with an unemployment rate maintained
at 2.9%. Elevated interest rates hold back consumer and
investment sentiment, leading to a global economic
slowdown in the first half of 2024. Hong Kong’s real GDP
is expected to grow by 2.1% in 24Q1. Hong Kong’s
economic growth is projected to be between 1.9% to 2.7%
for the year 2024. |
|
HKU |
|
|
Enhancing Australia’s Taiwan Ties, December 2023.
Australia’s economic and political engagement with the
self-governed island of Taiwan has been constrained by
inconsistent and tentative policy under diplomatic pressure from
Beijing. Economically, Australian interests have been hurt by
China’s so-far successful effort to stop Canberra pursuing a
free trade agreement with Taipei. Politically, Australia has
contributed to Taipei’s international isolation by not more
fully taking advantage of the freedom to manoeuvre granted by
the ambiguities of its one-China policy. If left unchecked, this
deepening international isolation could eventually endanger both
Taiwan’s de facto independence and its liberal democracy... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Shadow Play, December 2023. ASPI has recently observed a
coordinated inauthentic influence campaign originating on YouTube that’s
promoting pro-China and anti-US narratives in an apparent effort to
shift English-speaking audiences’ views of those countries’ roles in
international politics, the global economy and strategic technology
competition. This new campaign (which ASPI has named ‘Shadow Play’) has
attracted an unusually large audience and is using entities and voice
overs generated by artificial intelligence (AI) as a tactic that enables
broad reach and scale. It focuses on promoting a series of narratives
including China’s efforts to ‘win the US–China technology war’ amid US
sanctions targeting China. It also includes a focus on Chinese and US
companies, such as pro-Huawei and anti-Apple content... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
North of 26 Degrees South and the Security of Australia: Views From the
Strategist, Volume 8, December 2023. Building on
previous volumes, this edition discusses the opportunities and
intersections between improved national defence and capability
development in northern Australia, regional economic growth, and
enhanced engagement with the Indo-Pacific region. Similar to previous
editions, Volume 8 contains a wide range of articles sourced from a
diverse pool of expert contributors, writing on topics such as: northern
Australia’s critical role for national defence, how Defence can improve
operational capability and re-design its strategy in the north, critical
minerals and rare earths, national disaster preparedness, and economic
opportunity in northern Australia... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Building the India-Japan Partnership: Strategic Compulsions
and Indo-Pacific Imperatives, December 2023.
Over the past two decades, Japan and India have witnessed a
transformative shift in bilateral ties that has seeped into
their already officially established “Special Strategic and
Global Partnership.” However, even as this growth remains
unprecedented, the need for deepening their three-tiered
partnership—bilateral, regional, and global— on multilateral
concerns such as traditional and non-traditional security,
defense, trade and investment, energy, technological
innovation, and economy has never been more urgent, nor the
scope so immense. This publication reviews diverse aspects
of the ever-growing India-Japan comprehensive partnership in
four key areas—namely strategic essence; trade, investment,
and economic security; energy and digital partnership; and
Indo-Pacific connects—highlighting the opportunities and
challenges, as well as providing implementable
recommendations for going forward. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
The CSDDD Effect: Assessing the Impact of the EU’s Impending
Corporate Sustainability Mandate on Japanese Companies,
December 2023.
This issue brief explores the significant impact of the
European Union (EU)’s expected Corporate Sustainability Due
Diligence Directive (CSDDD) on global corporate
responsibility, with a specific focus on its implications
for Japanese companies. The CSDDD, which will mandate that
companies conduct human rights and environmental due
diligence (HREDD) across their value chains, extends the
influence of the EU’s regulatory policy to companies well
beyond the borders of Europe. Japanese companies, which have
traditionally been less integrated in HREDD practices, now
face a critical need to align their corporate policies with
these new standards to maintain their global business
relevance... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Chinese Investments in Malaysia: Synthesizing the Evidence
Ten Years into the BRI, December 2023. The launch of the
BRI in 2013 raised the interests of Chinese investors in
Malaysia. However, views of the BRI in Malaysia are often
based on a few mega projects, which are financed by federal
loans. This lends a misleading view that Chinese investments
are motivated by geoeconomic interests alone rather than
commercial interests. This study synthesizes the existing
evidence on Chinese investments in Malaysia, ten years into
the BRI, using an Antecedent, FDI Decision and Outcome (ADO)
framework. It seeks to shed light on the nature, drivers,
and motivations as well as some of the outcomes of these
investments. It is found that Chinese investments in
Malaysia are diverse in terms of sectoral coverage, drivers,
and entry modes while the long-term impact on technology
transfer remains unclear. |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
2022 Singapore Asset Management Survey.
2022 presented a challenging environment for global investors,
with global AUM falling by 10%. Against this backdrop,
Singapore’s asset management industry also declined by 10% to
S$4.9 trillion (or US$3.65 trillion1). The healthy net inflows
partially offset the decline in valuation that contributed to
the drop in AUM. Singapore remains a key gateway for
global asset managers and investors to tap the region’s growth
opportunities, with 76% of AUM sourced from outside Singapore,
and 88% of total AUM invested outside the country. Within Asia
Pacific, 20% of AUM was invested in Southeast Asia... |
|
MAS |
|
|
MAS Survey of Professional Forecasters, December 2023. The
Dec 2023 Survey was sent out on 22 November 2023 to a total of
26 economists and analysts who closely monitor the Singapore
economy. This report reflects the views received from 25
respondents (a response rate of 96%) and does not represent MAS’
views or forecasts. The Singapore economy expanded by
1.1% year-on-year in Q3 2023. This was slightly above the
respondents’ median forecast of 1.0% in the previous survey. In
the current survey, the respondents expect the economy to grow
by 1.8% year-on-year in Q4 2023... |
|
MAS |
|
|
2023 Singapore Corporate Debt Market Development. Global
bond issuances volume decreased in 2022 due to an acceleration
in rate hikes to rein in inflation. Over the same period,
annual issuance volume of Asia (Ex-Japan) G-3 bonds halved to
USD 192 billion as compared to USD 391 billion in 2021. Issuers
and investors continued to keep a close eye on the interest
rates environment with corporate issuers reducing financing
amidst greater volatility in bond markets as interest rates
climbed, or opting for shorter-term financing as an
alternative... |
|
MAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Project Report on Improving Transparency and Knowledge of
Safety Requirements for Trade Food in APEC Region, December
2023
-
APEC Embracing Carers Policy Toolkit to Address the Unpaid
Care Gap, December 2023
-
APEC Digital Innovation to Facilitate SMEs’ Green
Transformation Feature Report, December 2023
-
Virtual Workshop: Leveraging New Technology for Tax
Administration in the Post-COVID Era, December 2023
-
APEC Workshop on Microgrids for a Just Energy Transition,
December 2023
-
Study on Techniques to Implement International Secured
Transactions Standards in Civil and Common Law
Jurisdictions, December 2023
-
Sharing Standards of the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 by Nucleic
Acid Amplification Methods for Strengthening Public Health
System and Facilitating, December 2023
-
FemTech: Economic Empowerment of Women with Health
Technology, December 2023
-
Communicating the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040: Perception
Survey 2023
-
APEC Workshop on Facilitating Digital Transformation for
SMEs in Logistics and Transport Industries in the Post
COVID-19 Pandemic, December 2023
-
Study on the Use and Efficacy of Face Masks for Combating
COVID-19 Transmission, December 2023
-
Assessing the Impact of Rising Sea Levels on Travel and
Tourism in APEC Economies, December 2023
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Alternative Way to Expand Access and Improve Quality
Public–Private Partnership in Education in the Republic of
Korea and Japan, December 2023
-
Performance-Based Road Maintenance Contracts in the CAREC
Region, December 2023
-
Strengthening the Life-Science Industry in the People’s
Republic of China, December 2023
-
Financing Transport Connectivity in the BIMSTEC Region,
December 2023
-
Enhancing Gender Equality in Infrastructure Development:
Theories of Change, Indicators, and Sector Strategies,
December 2023
-
Gendered Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Central and
West Asia: Lessons Learned and Opportunities for
Gender-Responsive Public Investments, December 2023
-
Manual for Climate Change Adaptation Measures for Transport
Infrastructure in Central Asia with a Focus on Uzbekistan,
December 2023
-
Road Map to Scale Up Solar Irrigation Pumps in Bangladesh
(2023–2031), December 2023
-
Human Settlements in Mongolia: Strengthening Strategic
Cities and Towns for Sustainable Territorial Development,
December 2023
-
Online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of
Student Experiences in Asian Higher Education, December 2023
-
Driving Digitalization of Global Trade: UNCITRAL Model Law
on Electronic Transferable Records, December 2023
-
Civil Society Brief: Kazakhstan, December 2023
-
Atlas of Landslides in the Kyrgyz Republic, December 2023
-
Tax Expenditure Estimation Tool Kit, December 2023
-
Tourism as Services Export: Current State, Vulnerabilities,
and Building Resilience, December 2023
-
Pacific Economic Monitor: Domestic Resource Mobilization for
Economic Recovery and Resilience, December 2023
-
Asian Development Outlook (ADO): Growth Upbeat, Price
Pressures Easing, December 2023
-
Update on Financial Market Infrastructures in ASEAN+3,
December 2023
-
Excise Tax Policy and Cigarette Use in High-Burden Asian
Countries, December 2023
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
