|
|
|
|
|
Welcome
to Asia-Studies
Full-Text Online |
|
The Most Comprehensive and Authoritative Source of
Asia-Pacific Information |
| |
Asia-Studies Full-Text Online is the premier
database for the study of modern Asia Pacific. As the
exclusive licensee for many of the region's most prestigious research institutions,
Asia-Studies.com brings together thousands of full-text reports covering
55
countries*
on a multitude of business,
government, economic, and social issues.
more . . . |
|
| |
 |
Library Journal
eReview rates Asia-Studies Full-Text
10/10 on content and 9/10 overall. |
|
| |
*
Library Journal is a trademark of Media Source |
|
|
| |
 |
We index full-text journals with
open access platforms in our Asia-Studies
Full-Text Plus section. Here is
the
list of journals available. |
|
| |
|
April 2025 Current Topics |
|
Source |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Cybersecurity in Brunei: Building Resilience against Threats,
March 2025. Brunei Darussalam, despite its smaller digital
ecosystem, faces growing cybersecurity challenges. Safeguarding
national security, economic interests, and citizens' data
requires collaborative efforts between the government and
private sector. This article explores Brunei’s cybersecurity
landscape, focusing on key challenges, institutional responses,
legislative measures, and international collaborations... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Cybersecurity in Thailand: Balancing Progress, Geopolitical
Influences, and the Need for Enhanced Readiness, March 2025.
Thailand has made notable progress in cybersecurity, supported
by a strong regulatory framework. However, rapid digital
transformation, increased adoption of cloud computing, the
Internet of Things, digital payments, and a shortage of skilled
cybersecurity professionals continue to pose challenges.
Thailand’s cybersecurity landscape is shaped by geopolitical
rivalries, balancing cooperation between major powers... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Cybersecurity in Malaysia: Bridging Digital Ambitions with
Security Efforts, March 2025. Malaysia’s cybersecurity
approach began with information technology (IT) security for
digitization goals in the late 1990s with the Multimedia Super
Corridor (MSC) to its first National Cybersecurity policy in
2008 focused on national security approaches to protect critical
infrastructure and safeguard the nation from information and
communication technology (ICT)-enabled threats such as extremism
in the first decade of the 2000s... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Cybersecurity in the Philippines: Advancing a Cyber Defense
Posture, March 2025. The Philippines, like many small
countries, is often left to defend its own digital ecosystems.
The Philippines has experienced major cyberattacks targeting
government agencies, public schools, and even the private
sector. The country’s reactive and technology-centric approach
to cybersecurity is often a product of fragmented policies,
inadequate resources, and traditional bureaucratic practices. To
address these challenges, it must adopt a cyber defense posture
to enhance its cybersecurity to ensure a safer environment to
pursue its national interests... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Cybersecurity in Vietnam: Challenges and Opportunities in an Era
of Digital Transformation, March 2025. Vietnam has
experienced remarkable digital transformation over the past two
decades with Internet penetration surging from zero percent in
2000 to 78 percent in 2023. This rapid digital growth, however,
has brought increasing cybersecurity challenges. This article
examines the current state of Vietnam's cybersecurity landscape,
identifies key challenges, and explores opportunities for
international cooperation to strengthen the nation's cyber
resilience... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Cybersecurity for ASEAN: Many Opportunities and Challenges for
Cyber Cooperation, March 2025. As cyberspace becomes another
platform for great power competition between China and the
United States, ASEAN and its members must manage their relations
with these powers without sacrificing their socio-economic and
political interests. While Southeast Asia has yet to experience
the brunt of disruptive events characterizing cyber conflict in
recent years, the strategic significance of cyberspace continues
to be an acknowledged reality for the region... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Cybersecurity in Singapore: Strengthening Resilience Amid
Evolving Cyber Threats, March 2025. Singapore is rapidly
transforming into a leading Smart Nation, harnessing
cutting-edge technology to fuel innovation, foster economic
growth, and “build better, meaningful, and fulfilled lives for
[the Singapore] people.” However, as digital advancements become
more deeply integrated into daily life, they also open the door
to more cyber threats, endangering Singapore’s Smart Nation
agenda... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Cybersecurity in Myanmar: Concern across the Landscape, March
2025. Myanmar’s cybersecurity landscape after the 2021 coup
presents more cause for concern than complacency. Since 2021,
the junta has heavily regulated digital platforms, blocked
access to social media, and limited internet access. It further
introduced a repressive cybersecurity law amidst Myanmar’s
rising visibility as a location for cyber-scam operations. The
2025 Cybersecurity Law’s provisions against virtual private
network (VPN) usage and penalties for sharing information deemed
“inappropriate” for the country’s security situation mean that
the junta will (and does) not hesitate to violate personal data
privacy and internet freedom... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Cybersecurity in Cambodia: New Laws but a Range of Challenges
Remain, March 2025. Cambodia’s digital transformation
journey is exhibited by the introduction of key policies and
strategies. The Cambodia Digital Government Policy 2022-2035
prioritizes safety and sustainability in digital security,
emphasizing the need for robust cybersecurity measures to
protect national digital infrastructure. The Cambodia Digital
Economy and Society Policy Framework 2021-2035 recognizes
cybersecurity as crucial for building trust in the digital
sphere... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Cybersecurity in Indonesia: More Capacity Needed to Leverage
Digital Technology, March 2025. Indonesia is one of the most
digitally connected countries, with 77 percent of its population
(approximately 212 million people) actively online, contributing
an estimated US$130 billion to the national economy by 2025.
Since the early 2010s, a persistent national objective has been
to leverage digital technology to drive economic growth, enhance
public services, and address socioeconomic challenges... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Creative and Innovative Approaches to Engaging With Communities
in Water Security in the Solomon Islands, March 2025. Lack
of access to clean, drinkable water is an increasingly urgent
issue in the Pacific. Only 55 percent of Pacific Islanders have
access to basic drinking water. The Solomon Islands currently
has one of the lowest levels of access to clean drinking water
among Pacific Island countries. Recent data shows that only 91.2
percent of urban and 71.3 percent of rural households in the
Solomon Islands have access to clean water. This article
presents the current status of water catchment management in the
Solomon Islands and makes a case for more coordinated catchment
governance and for different modes of community engagement at
the catchment level. |
|
EWC |
|
|
Hedging Bets: Southeast Asia’s Approach to China’s Aid, March
2025.
China’s official development finance (ODF) to Southeast Asia has
declined markedly since 2015. Once the primary development
partner for half the region in terms of annual ODF
disbursements, Beijing now holds that position only in Malaysia
and Laos. While legacy projects will ensure that China remains a
significant development partner — potentially providing the
region an additional $32 billion in financing — newer Chinese
commitments are being provided on a much smaller scale, and with
a different focus... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
The Future of Indonesia’s Green Industrial Policy, March 2025.
Indonesia’s green industrial policy has focused on increasing
the value of raw critical minerals through onshore processing
and building a domestic electric vehicle (EV) industry. It
appears to have worked, in a limited sense. The country now
produces much of the world’s mined and refined nickel and has
become a major destination for global EV supply chains. However,
this success has drawbacks. Growth in the nickel industry has
not translated into significant local job creation, poverty
reduction, or government revenues, while serious environmental
degradation, labour violations, and poor governance persist... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
British Public Opinion on Foreign Policy: President Trump, Ukraine,
China, Defence Spending and AUKUS, March 2025. Britons
support an open and engaged foreign policy role for the United Kingdom.
In light of the re-election of President Donald Trump, 40% believe
Britain should continue to maintain its current active level of
engagement in world affairs, and 23% believe it should play a larger
role. Just 16% of Britons support a less active United Kingdom on the
world stage. When asked what Britain’s response should be if the United
States withdraws its financial and military support from Ukraine, 57% of
Britons would endorse the UK either maintaining (35%) or increasing
(22%) its contributions to Ukraine. One-fifth would prefer that the UK
reduces its contributions to Ukraine... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
“Strategic Autonomy, Anyone?” Charting Europe’s Shifting
Security Debates and 2024-2029 Priorities, March 2025.
Policymakers are preparing for the 2024-2029 EU legislative
period in a dramatically changing geopolitical landscape.
With escalating wars and humanitarian crises on its borders,
shifting trade dynamics, deindustrialization threats, and a
more confrontational U.S. administration, the EU faces
pressing challenges that raise fundamental questions about
its identity and future. In this context, the debate on
Strategic Autonomy is resurfacing as a key issue, with a
focus on how EU member-states can unite to address these
challenges... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
COP30: Time for Action on the Himalayan Region, March 2025.
The Himalayas have faced unprecedented ecological,
weather-related, and geotectonic disasters, exacerbated by
human activity, disrupting ecosystems and local livelihoods.
Despite these pressing issues, international climate
discussions, particularly at COP29, largely marginalized the
Himalayan crisis, including Tibet’s environmental
degradation. Adding to this is China’s development policies
that have particularly led to the current crisis situation.
Beijing has pursued large-scale infrastructure projects,
mining, and water diversion schemes, which threaten both the
region’s ecology and downstream countries... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
India-Nordic Budding Dynamics: Sweden, a Vital Gateway?
March 2025.
The India-Nordic summits in 2018 and 2022 had the clearly
outlined goal of the expanding strategic coordination
between India and the Nordics. The spike in trade reflects a
healthy economic engagement as well as immense potential for
the future both in terms of mutual growth and regional
prosperity. These summits focused not only on trade and
investment, but also explored the potential for expanding
innovation-oriented cooperation in areas such as clean/green
technologies, maritime security, digitalization, global
health, infrastructure, and climate action, apart from
reiterating the commitment to a rules-based democratic
order... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
India-Sweden Ties: Forging a Cohesive Partnership, March
2025.
From areas like human rights and political differences to
climate and sustainability, both countries often differ on
certain points, sometimes causing friction in their
bilateral relations. Most prominently, India and Sweden
differ notably in their approach to Russia. While New Delhi
sees Russia as a historical ally and key supplier of defense
equipment, Sweden (and the EU at large) views Russia as an
imminent security threat. These distinct approaches are
shaped not only by their historical lenses, but also by
their different strategic priorities and geopolitical
alignments. Both countries have sought to manage these
differences pragmatically while continuing to focus on other
areas of cooperation... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
The Future of Korean Research from a Nordic Perspective,
March 2025.
The Nordic countries are long-standing partners to South
Korea, engaging in dialogue and collaborating on regional
and global concerns since 1959. Despite a long history of
state-level cooperation, the Nordic public’s knowledge of
Korean affairs remains comparatively low when compared to
other regional powers in East Asia, particularly China and
Japan. However, during the last decade, there has been a
noticeable increase in societal interest in South Korea
throughout the Nordic region... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Sweden and China: The Use of History and Mismatched
Expectations, March 2025.
Sweden was not the first country in the West that recognized
the People’s Republic of China, but it became the first in
the West to establish formal diplomatic relations in 1950
because China picked it ahead of others to do so. This
history has since been mutually emphasized on both sides,
for different reasons. This paper examines the history of
how Sweden established diplomatic relations with the PRC,
outlining the historical context in which diplomatic
relations were established and what it meant for the two
countries at the time. The paper examines how the history of
diplomatic relations has been used by the two countries and
in which two country-specific contexts this use can be
understood... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
PRC Mining in Tibet – a European Perspective, March 2025.
Given the enormous geostrategic and environmental importance
of the Tibetan Plateau, what the People’s Republic of China
(PRC) does with Tibet’s waters and its minerals does not
concern the PRC only. It concerns the entire Himalayan
region and their people, their security, and ecological
interests. Beyond the region, China’s role in the global
race for critical raw materials (CRM) cannot be overstated.
It is already leading in the race and needs Tibet’s rich
resources to keep its lead. Going forward, Beijing is likely
to expand mining activities on the Plateau, displacing and
disempowering Tibetans, with far-reaching regional and
global implications... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2025 #6: Current Perspectives on Geopolitics
among Southeast Asian Youths. Youths are becoming
an increasingly significant political force in Southeast
Asian countries. As a collective, young Southeast Asians
aged 18–35 have the potential to exert greater sway over
their respective national foreign policymaking landscapes.
They will also occupy key positions in their respective
countries and societies in the future, thus understanding
young Southeast Asian opinion leaders’ views on geopolitics
can provide valuable insight into the future of foreign
policymaking in the region... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2025 #5: Higher Education in Malaysia: A
History Plagued by Fluctuations. Higher education
has been a coveted policy domain in Malaysia. Political
dynamics and shifting emphasis in policy not only shape the
higher education system but hold deep implications for the
institutional and educational life of universities. The
first four decades after independence saw the government
tightening its control over universities and corporatizing
and liberalizing the higher education sector before
elevating the importance of higher education by establishing
the Ministry of Higher Education in 2004... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2025 #4: Revolutionary Regimes: Emerging
Forms of Governance in Post-Coup Myanmar. A variety
of governance forms have emerged in Myanmar’s post-coup
landscape, bringing together established Ethnic Armed
Organizations (EAOs) with dynamic new actors from a broad
spectrum of elected lawmakers, youth, women and civil
society in Myanmar’s “Spring Revolution” against the 2021
coup and military rule. Experiments with new forms of
governance have had varying degrees of success, with wide
swathes of territory across the country coming under the
control of groups opposed to the State Administration
Council (SAC)... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2025 #3: Indonesia’s Political Volunteer
Organizations: Tools of Mobilization and of Patronage. The
concept of political volunteerism in Indonesia differs
markedly from that in established democracies. In Indonesia,
it is less about civic engagement or strengthening democracy
and more about serving as a tool for candidates to mobilize
voters and win elections. The relationship between
candidates and their volunteers is reciprocal but often
imbalanced, fostering opportunities for patronage within
electoral politics... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
APEC Regional Trends Analysis, March 2025. The APEC
region faces growing economic challenges, with slowing
growth and rising fiscal pressures, aggravated by ageing
populations. While near-term prospects remain stable, risks
affecting the medium-term outlook are intensifying due to
persistent trade barriers, geopolitical tensions, and
structural constraints. Strengthening resilience requires
bold policy action—advancing structural reforms to boost
productivity and innovation while maintaining sound fiscal
and monetary policies to ensure economic stability.
Deepening regional cooperation remains essential to mitigate
trade vulnerabilities and navigate global uncertainties. By
taking coordinated and decisive action, APEC economies can
steer the region towards brighter growth prospects and build
a more sustainable, resilient future for all. |
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Asian Development Review, Vol.
42, No. 1, March 2025 (Full
Report). The opening article underscores the importance of
knowledge sharing among city governments. Other articles discuss
how urban green spaces can reduce flooding and the burning of
waste, how growing mungbeans can reduce reliance on chemical
fertilizers, and how internet access can increase farmers’
incomes. Authors also examine trade costs in Central Asia and
participation in global value chains.
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mutual Contradictions - Pacific Islands Cooperation for Maritime
Security with Global Powers, February 2025. The Blue Pacific
identity is not a “fancy concept”; it is about the collective
heritage of the people of the Pacific. Maritime security is
primarily viewed through these ecological anthropic lenses and
the historical experience of the Pacific. The Blue Pacific
concept represents “a long-term Forum foreign policy commitment
to act as one Blue Continent.” ... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Maritime Threats Across the Pacific Islands - Vulnerabilities
and Opportunities for Cooperative Action and Technological
Solutions, February 2025. The maritime territory of the
Pacific Islands, characterized by its vast expanses and rich
marine biodiversity, faces a complex array of maritime threats
that challenge its economic development, environmental
sustainability, and regional security. These threats, ranging
from illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing to
climate change, transnational crime, and marine pollution,
exploit the inherent vulnerabilities of Pacific Island
nations... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Legal Challenges in Maritime Governance Cooperation in the
Pacific Islands Region, February 2025. Despite limited land
area, populations, and economies, under international law,
roughly one dozen Pacific Island Countries (PICs) have de jure
control of vast exclusive economic zones (EEZs) that total over
19 million square kilometers, an area larger than Russia.
However, most of these countries have significant development
needs, and many lack the domestic capacity to effectively govern
their expansive maritime domains... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Australia’s Contributions to Pacific Maritime Governance,
February 2025. When it comes to strengthening Pacific
maritime governance, Australia’s principal objective is to
support the regional security architecture through bilateral and
multilateral engagement. Australia is an original member of the
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Australia seeks to strengthen law
and order at sea while respecting Pacific priorities... |
|
EWC |
|
|
US Contributions to Pacific Maritime Governance, February 2025.
The United States seeks to promote stability, security, and
sustainable development across the Pacific Islands by helping to
enhance maritime governance. Central to US objectives is
combatting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing
and transnational crime, including human trafficking and drug
smuggling by criminal networks in Asia. The United States also
aims to bolster the economic well-being of Pacific Island
nations by ensuring the sustainable management of maritime
resources, particularly fisheries... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Aotearoa New Zealand’s Contributions to Pacific Maritime
Governance, February 2025. Aotearoa New Zealand is “a
Pacific Island nation, surrounded by water” within Te
Moana-nui-a-kiwa, the Pacific Ocean. It has interests in the
region's maritime safety, security, and governance. New Zealand
maintains a non-self-governing territory, Tokelau, and has
special security and defense responsibilities regarding
independent states in free association—Niue and Cook Islands.
New Zealand is responsible for the security and defense of their
exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and represents their interests
at the United Nations... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Japan’s Contributions to Maritime Governance in the Pacific,
February 2025. Japan's involvement in maritime governance in
the Pacific is driven by a strategic commitment to maintaining
and enhancing regional security and safety. This effort is a
crucial element of Japan’s vision for a Free and Open
Indo-Pacific (FOIP). The socio-economic development of the
Pacific islands and combating transnational crime are the
cornerstones of Japan's maritime security activities in the
Pacific Ocean... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The People’s Republic of China’s Contributions to Maritime
Governance in the Pacific, February 2025. The People’s
Republic of China’s (PRC’s) approach to Pacific maritime
governance seeks to improve China’s standing among regional
countries, reshape the international maritime order in ways more
aligned with PRC interests, and set terms favorable to PRC
military and commercial actors. PRC diplomats engaging their
Pacific island country (PIC) counterparts advocate building a
“China-Pacific Island Countries community with a shared
future.”... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The United Kingdom’s Contributions to Pacific Maritime
Governance, February 2025. The Pacific Island Countries (PICs)
have not factored significantly in the United Kingdom’s (UK)
policymaking since a comparatively late wave of decolonization
between 1970 to 1980. During this time, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon
Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Vanuatu gained independence. A
diplomatic withdrawal from the Pacific defined policy in the
early 2000s. Unlike Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, the
Pacific Islands are not explicitly featured in the
‘Indo-Pacific’ Chapter of the UK’s National Strategy for
Maritime Security... |
|
EWC |
|
|
France’s Contributions to Pacific Maritime Governance, February
2025. France's Pacific territories, which include New
Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia, and Clipperton,
form a vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covering around 7
million km². This area accounts for 67% of France’s total global
EEZ. France's primary focus in maritime governance in the
Pacific is protecting this resource-rich maritime domain from
Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and drug
trafficking... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The Republic of Korea’s Contributions to Pacific Maritime
Governance, February 2025. The Republic of Korea (ROK) has a
significant interest in Pacific maritime governance owing to its
reliance on maritime trade, its security concerns in the
Indo-Pacific region, and how the ROK’s Indo-Pacific Strategy
intersects with its aspirations to become a “Global Pivotal
State,” a term coined by the Yoon Suk Yeol government. The ROK's
objectives and actions in Pacific maritime governance can be
understood through its strategic perspectives, policies,
contributions, and the challenges it faces... |
|
EWC |
|
|
China versus America on Global Trade, January 2025.
The return of President Donald Trump to the White House means
another trade war between the United States and China looks
increasingly likely, with the rest of the world caught in the
crossfire. What has happened to global trading relationships
since the last US–China trade war of 2018–19? This Data Snapshot
provides an update and expands on our previous exercise mapping
the shift towards China and away from the United States as the
larger trading partner for each economy in the world... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Five One-Chinas: The Contest to Define Taiwan, January 2025.
Global attention is often focused on Taiwan’s dwindling
diplomatic partners, which have dropped to just 11 UN member
states, mostly small Caribbean and Pacific Island countries. But
what matters more is the growing global support for China’s
efforts to bring Taiwan under its control, potentially via the
use of force. Only 40 countries (21 per cent of UN member
states) maintain one-China policies that recognise the
government in Beijing but stop short of accepting China’s
sovereignty over the de facto independent territory of Taiwan... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
State-Sponsored Economic Cyber-Espionage for Commercial Purposes:
Assessing the Preparedness of Emerging Economies to Defend Against
Cyber-Enabled IP Theft, February 2025. Strategic
competition is deepening existing tensions and mistrust between states
and prompts nations to develop capabilities that they consider central
to sovereign national power. Technological capabilities sit at the
centre of this. It’s therefore not surprising that governments around
the world are seeking technological advantage over their competitors and
potential adversaries. In this context, safeguarding intellectual
property (IP) has become necessary not just because it’s an essential
asset for any modern economy—developed or emerging—but because it’s also
increasingly underwriting national and regional security... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
State-Sponsored Economic Cyber-Espionage for Commercial Purposes:
Governmental Practices in Protecting IP-Intensive Industries, February
2025. This report looks at measures that governments in
various parts of the world have taken to defend their economic ‘crown
jewels’ and other critical knowledge-intensive industries from cyber
threats. It should serve as inspiration for other governments, including
from those economies studied in State-sponsored economic cyber-espionage
for commercial purposes: Assessing the preparedness of emerging
economies to defend against cyber-enabled IP theft... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
The Future of US Indo-Pacific Policy, February 2025. How
might US policy in the Indo-Pacific change over the next four years? In
anticipation of a new US administration and Congress in 2025, ASPI USA
held an “alternative futures analysis” exercise in mid-October 2024 to
explore the drivers of US policy and how they might evolve through to
November 2028. The workshop involved seven Indo-Pacific experts, who
discussed a range of factors that could determine US policy and assessed
how key factors could drive different outcomes... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
The Pacific Cocaine Corridor: A Brazilian Cartel’s Pipeline to
Australia, February 2025. The report highlights how
Brazil’s Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) has become a major
transnational criminal threat, exploiting weaknesses in political,
legal, and economic systems. It explores Brazil’s geography and criminal
networks with South American cocaine producers and examines the PCC’s
global distribution networks, with a focus on how the Pacific is
increasingly used to transport drugs destined for Australia. A recent
case study demonstrates the prioritisation of the Australian market in
these operations... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Responsible Cyber Behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, January 2025. In
July 2025, the mandate of the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group on
the security and use of information and communications technologies
(hereafter OEWG) ends. This marks the latest chapter of international
discussions on responsible behaviour in cyberspace. Throughout a 20-year
period, a corpus of reports has been delivered that outline standards of
behaviour. Taken together, this is referred to as the ‘UN framework of
responsible state behaviour’ and includes an acceptance that
international law applies to state conduct in cyberspace and a
commitment to observe a set of norms... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Fostering Order In The Indo-Pacific: What the EU Can Learn
From and Do With Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, and
Vietnam, February 2025.
One of the most critical challenges of this century is
fostering order in the Indo-Pacific. (Dis)order in this
space will significantly affect the international order. Not
only do many Indo-Pacific residents lead efforts to probe
and reform international order and concepts of order, but
the superpower competition between the United States (US)
and China primarily unfolds here. The EU is already
cognizant of this. Yet, it is not just about what the EU and
its members seek to accomplish in the region but just as
much the interpretations of and preferences for order of key
Indo-Pacific resident actors... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Assessing the Effectiveness of China’s Military Exercises in
Restraining Taiwan’s Leadership, February 2025.
Beijing has been using coercive approaches to restrain
Taiwan’s voices for decades. The Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
in 1995 and 1996 set a precedent for Beijing to conduct
large-scale military exercises to deter Taiwan’s leadership
from advocating sovereignty and deepening its relations with
other countries. Between 2022 and 2024, China conducted
several large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in
response to statements made by Taiwan’s leadership. With
many military exercises being conducted as part of its
coercive strategies, Beijing still faces the challenge of
restraining Taiwan’s leadership... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Chinese Water Projects in Tibet: A “Continental Challenge”,
February 2025.
The management of transboundary water resources originating
in Tibet has become a critical geopolitical and geo-economic
issue in Asia. This issue brief examines China’s
hydrological projects on the Tibetan Plateau and their
implications for downstream countries. By exploring two key
pillars of China’s water strategy—the construction of
mega-dams and the South-North Water Diversion Project—the
issue brief discusses both the domestic and international
consequences of Beijing’s initiatives, such as environmental
degradation, displacement of local populations, and the
potential for Beijing to weaponize water as a geopolitical
tool... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Justice for the Rohingya: How Bangladesh and the
International Community Can Uphold Human Rights, January
2025.
The Rohingya crisis stands out as one of the most severe
humanitarian emergencies of recent times. Since Myanmar’s
military crackdown in 2017, over 700,000 Rohingya have fled
to Bangladesh, escaping violence that meets the criteria for
genocide and ethnic cleansing under international law. This
issue brief delves into the historical and political roots
of Rohingya persecution, including the impact of Myanmar’s
1982 Citizenship Law, which left them stateless and excluded
from basic rights... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Faultlines in Singapore: Perceptions and Management with a Focus
on Race and Religion, February 2025. This report presents
findings on public perceptions of faultlines and their
management, with a particular focus on racial and religious
divides. It is based on the third iteration of the IPS Survey on
Race, Religion, and Language, conducted from April to August
2024, involving a nationally representative sample of 4,000
Singaporean residents. This study builds on comparable data
gathered in 2018 and 2013. At the outset, the study underscores
the widespread belief that mismanagement of societal divides can
have serious consequences... |
|
IPS |
|
|
Results from the IPS-OnePeople.sg Indicators of Racial and
Religious Harmony 2024, February 2025. This report presents
the latest findings from the IPS-OnePeople.sg Indicators of
Racial and Religious Harmony, offering a detailed snapshot of
Singapore’s ever-evolving racial and religious landscape. It
rides on the IPS Survey on Race, Religion and Language, which
was conducted between April 2024 to August 2024, on a nationally
representative sample of 4,000 Singaporean residents. The
current study builds on comparable data from 2018 and 2013. Key
trends and developments across the indicators highlight both
progress and persistent challenges... |
|
IPS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
Survey and Workshop on Interconnecting Family Farmers with
Consumers through Innovative and Inclusive Digital
Platforms, February 2025
-
Study to Generate Digital Tools for the Transition to Formal
Economy of Tourism Businesses in the Asia-Pacific Region,
February 2025
-
Study on Strategies to Promote Sustainable and Safe Mobility
in APEC Economies, February 2025
-
Digital Transformation to Generate New Business
Opportunities, Opening to New Markets in the MSMES and
Gender Focused Cooperatives, in Response to the Economic
Crisis Caused by COVID-19, February 2025
-
Identification and Analysis of Guidelines Implemented for
the Development of the Meetings Industry in the APEC Region,
February 2025
-
Final Report for the 15th Sub-Committee on Standards and
Conformance (SCSC) Conference: Leveraging Voluntary
Sustainability Standards (VSS) to Strengthen APEC Member
Economies’ Trade Partnerships and Economic Cooperation,
February 2025
-
Regulatory/Market Settings to Support Greater Electrical
Energy Storage Development for Sustainable and Socially
Responsible Electricity Sector CO2 Emissions Reductions in
APEC Economies, February 2025
-
Summary Report of the APEC Workshop on Improving the
Resilience of APEC Vulnerable Coastal Communities to Climate
Change, February 2025
-
High Performance Computing Infrastructure Management
Ecosystem Model (HPCI-MEM) - White Paper, February 2025
-
APEC Embracing Carers as an Integral Part of Health Systems
- Workshop Outcomes Report, February 2025
-
APEC Experiences on Good Regulatory Practices: Improving
Public Consultation, February 2025
-
APEC School Leadership Program (ASLP): School Leadership
Development for Materializing Education Innovation in the
APEC Region, Focusing on “Interconnected and Inclusive
Education Leadership”, February 2025
-
Impact of Creative Economies on the Future of Tourism in the
APEC Region, February 2025
-
Workshop on Strengthening Early Warning Early Action for the
Vulnerable Communities in APEC, February 2025
-
A Path to Paperless Trade: Analysing the Legal Gaps and
Economic Benefit of Adopting or Maintaining a Legal
Framework that Takes into Account the UNCITRAL Model Law on
Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR), February 2025
-
The Legislation Recommendation and Promotion of
Multifunctional Ocean Space Usage: Combine Floating PV
Installations at Offshore Wind Farms, February 2025
-
Interoperability of Electronic Invoicing Systems in the APEC
Region, February 2025
-
APEC Sustainability and Environmental Education for Post
Disaster, February 2025
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
2025 Asia–Pacific SDG Partnership Report—Delivering a Just
Transition: Advancing Decent Work, Gender Equality, and
Social Protection, Published 2025
-
India’s Industrial Park Rating System: IPRS 2.0 and Beyond,
February 2025
-
Capacity Building for Saline Agriculture in the Mekong
Delta—Innovation in Focus: Salt Farming, February 2025
-
Viet Nam’s Financial Markets 2023 and Outlook 2024:
Direction for Fintech Regulation, Published 2024
-
State-Owned Enterprise Reform Handbook, February 2025
-
Optimizing Health Financing: Digital Solutions Against
Health Care Inefficiencies, Fraud, Waste, and Abuse, January
2025
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Potential Impact of Higher United States Tariffs on Asian
Economies, January 2025.
In 2018, the United States (US) government introduced
protectionist measures by imposing tariffs under various
sections of its Trade Act. Under Section 201, additional tariffs
were imposed on solar cells or modules, starting at 30% in the
first year (2019) and reduced to 15% by the fourth year (2022).
Similarly, large residential washing machines were subject to
additional tariffs of 20%–50% based on a tariff-rate quota.
Tariffs were also imposed on steel and aluminum imports under
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, citing economic
security concerns. Initially, some economies, including the
Republic of Korea, were temporarily exempt from these tariffs,
but steel quotas and aluminum tariffs were eventually applied... |
|
ADB |
|
|
MAS Survey of Professional Forecasters, December 2024.
The Singapore economy expanded by 5.4% year-on-year in Q3 2024,
exceeding the respondents’ median forecast of 2.6% in the
previous survey. In the current survey, the respondents expect
the economy to grow by 3.1% year-on-year in Q4 2024. The
respondents expect GDP to expand by 3.6% this year, up from 2.6%
in the previous survey, with higher forecasts for the
manufacturing and wholesale & retail trade sectors. As reflected
in the mean probability distribution, the most likely outcome is
for the Singapore economy to grow by 3.5 to 3.9% this year, with
an average probability of 54%. In the previous survey, the
respondents assigned the highest probability to growth outturns
of between 2.5 to 2.9%... |
|
MAS |
|
|
Balancing Act - Military Diplomacy and Deterrence on the Korean
Peninsula, January 2025.
The Korean Peninsula, shaped by historical grievances,
ideological divides, and contemporary geopolitical
tensions—including North Korea’s alleged military support for
Russia’s war with Ukraine and South Korea’s tense political
situation—stands out as a heavily militarized and strategically
crucial region. Under the scrutiny of the United States and
positioned between major powers—China, Japan, and Russia—the
peninsula's military dynamics profoundly influence regional and
global security. The legacy of the Korean War is omnipresent... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Securing the Future - The US-Maldives Defense Partnership and
Regional Stability, January 2025.
The defense relationship between the United States and the
Maldives has evolved significantly over the years, culminating
in a robust partnership characterized by mutual interests and
shared security concerns. This article examines the historical
context of this partnership, the bolstering of relations of the
current decade, and the future outlook for this critical defense
relationship. Limited interactions marked the initial phase of
the US-Maldives defense relationship, primarily focused on
diplomatic engagements and occasional military exchanges... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Solar
Panels and EV Batteries: US Green Energy Policies Toward China,
January 2025.
As of mid-2023, China produced 97 percent of the world’s solar
panel silicon wafers and was rapidly growing in importance as a
provider of batteries for the latest generations of electric
vehicles. The Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act
(IRA) had provisions to help US manufacturers of green
technologies in the energy and automotive industries compete in
key sectors against China. By late 2024, however, American
efforts in these two vital green energy areas had seen both
false starts at competition and defensive efforts that may be
counterproductive to US interests... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Navigating Water Challenges in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta: How
Can a Shift in Water Management Help? January 2025.
The Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) is currently grappling with
multiple water challenges. These challenges stem from the
alteration of the Mekong River’s natural flows caused by
upstream hydropower development, unpredictable rainfall
patterns, and local policies that prioritize agricultural
production. This article examines how these combined stressors
have prompted a shift in water management strategies—from
focusing on water expulsion to water retention—to tackle water
scarcity and achieve long-term water security in the VMD... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Responsible Cyber Behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, January 2025. In
July 2025, the mandate of the United Nations OpenEnded Working Group on
the security and use of information and communications technologies
(hereafter OEWG) ends. This marks the latest chapter of international
discussions on responsible behaviour in cyberspace. Throughout a 20-year
period, a corpus of reports has been delivered that outline standards of
behaviour. Taken together, this is referred to as the ‘UN framework of
responsible state behaviour’ and includes an acceptance that
international law applies to state conduct in cyberspace and a
commitment to observe a set of norms... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
North of 26 Degrees South and the Security of Australia: Views From the
Strategist, Volume 10, January 2025. Australia should
establish a separate budget allocation for special defence industry
grants to build up companies in the north in support of the armed
forces. Northern Australia is strategically crucial, and so, therefore,
is developing a defencesupporting industry there. But northern
Australia’s limited economic depth presents huge problems for its
companies in showing the business capacity needed to secure current
Australian Defence Industry Grants. To overcome these obstacles, the
budget line for separate Northern Australian Industry Grants need not be
large... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
China, Russia and Undersea Cable Vulnerability: Shoring Up
Protection, January, 2025.
The global undersea cable network, carrying up to 99 percent
of international internet traffic, faces increasing
vulnerabilities. Recent incidents in the Baltic Sea and
around Taiwan highlight the urgent need for enhanced
protection measures and international cooperation. The mere
possibility of cable interference can create significant
anxiety in financial markets and erode public confidence in
critical infrastructure, having a huge psychological impact.
Russia and China are developing alternative cable routes and
systems that could reduce Western control over global
communications infrastructure... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Forecasting European Security in 2025: Will Transatlantic
Ties Test Europe’s Indo-Pacific Limits? January 2025.
In late December 2024, Finland—one of the latest entries to
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—seized an oil
tanker, with alleged links to Russia’s so-called “shadow
fleet,” on grounds of “grave sabotage.” The vessel is
suspected of damaging a subsea cable network connecting
Estonia and Finland, the two European Union (EU) and NATO
members that are staunchly defending Ukraine’s fight against
Russia. Moreover, as other such incidents of infrastructure
disruptions allegedly by not just Russia but also China have
come to light, there is greater concern over escalating
hybrid activities, many of which are unprecedented in scale
and potential impact... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Pezeshkian Aims to Strengthen Relations with Japan in All
Fields, January 2025.
Iran’s view of Japan correlates to the Masoud Pezeshkian
government’s view of the international order and its
economic and political needs. The Pezeshkian administration
has a post-polar view of the international order and strives
for cooperation, collaboration, and networking in various
fields. In this regard, East Asia is important for the new
government of Iran, wherein Japan has a prominent role. The
Pezeshkian administration intends to strengthen relations
between Tehran and Tokyo in all fields based on a
“comprehensive roadmap” by taking advantage of extensive
knowledge from Japan... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Repurposing the United Nations to Address the Climate Crisis
on the Tibetan Plateau, January 2025.
The futures of people along China’s western frontier changed
dramatically with the annexation of Xinjiang in 1949 and
Tibet in 1950. When Communist China emerged from decades of
isolation in the late 1970s and reasserted itself
internationally through a strategy of rejuvenation under Xi
Jinping, the native cultures that call the Tibetan Plateau
home began a long period of subjugation and repression. As
wider Central Asia is now threatened by climate change,
strategies must be developed to respond to China’s growing
influence internationally, regionally, and locally, as
regional ecosystems, water storage and reserves, and local
livelihoods are increasingly fragile... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Report of the Webinar: Climate Crisis in Tibet – Part I:
CCP’s Tibet Takeover: Wither Global Climate Action? January
2025.
The webinar titled “Climate Crisis in Tibet”, organized by
the SCSA-IPA at the Institute for Security and Development
Policy (ISDP), was held on December 18, 2024. This
significant event brought together a distinguished panel of
experts to explore the environmental and geopolitical
impacts of China’s policies in Tibet. The Tibetan ecosystem
has been majorly impacted by the accelerating climate
change, as well as China’s rapacious so-called
“developmental” aims and repressive political measures,
including cultural annihilation and Sinicization... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Climate Meltdown in Tibet: Global Recognition Still Missing,
January 2025.
The Tibetan Plateau covers approximately 2 percent of the
planet, the size of Western Europe, with more than half of
the area over 4000 m above sea level. It is the highest and
most extensive highland in the world, with as many as 46,000
glaciers, making it the third-largest ice mass in the world.
This issue brief aims to identify the importance of the
Himalayan glaciers and the potential threat to the fragile
mountain ecosystem in the Tibetan region. This would include
the natural and anthropogenic factors responsible for its
degradation in contemporary times... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2025 #2: Retelling the Tale of Two
Democracies: How Shifting Urban-Rural Dynamics Shaped
Thailand’s 2023 General Election. Thailand’s 2023
general election reveals a political landscape undergoing
significant transformation, where the traditional
Bangkok-versus-countryside political dichotomy has given way
to more nuanced urban-rural electoral dynamics unfolding
within individual provinces and constituencies.As
urbanization spreads across Thailand, political candidates
adapt their campaign strategies to appeal to voters across
the urban-rural divide in their constituencies, leveraging
the resources and competitive advantages that come with
their party affiliation... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2025 #1: Youth and Civic Engagement in
Southeast Asia: A Survey of Undergraduates in Six Countries. Youths
in Southeast Asia have been active in making their voices
heard in politics and in society, both online and offline.
However, comparative studies on their civic engagement
across the region remain wanting. This pilot study,
conducted by the Regional Social and Cultural Studies
Programme (RSCS) at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute,
gathers insights from educated youths across selected
Southeast Asian countries. Between August and October 2024,
the team surveyed undergraduates from six Southeast Asian
countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
17th Conference on Good Regulatory Practice (GRP17) -
Conference Summary Report and Lessons Learned, January 2025
-
Study and Workshop to Understand the Role of Digital
Connectivity in the Formalization Process of Informal
Businesses, January 2025
-
Guidance on Strengthening Good Governance on the
Implementation of Standardization and Conformity Assessment
for APEC Economies, January 2025
-
Workshop on Enhancing Prevention and Risk Reduction for
Climate Change Adaptation in Vulnerable Communities in the
Asia-Pacific Region, January 2025
-
APEC Workshop on Empowering Women in Remote Areas through
Climate-Smart Agriculture for Sustainability and
Inclusivity, January 2025
-
Study on Convergences and Divergences of Free Trade
Agreements in the APEC Region, January 2025
-
Building Precision Fishery Model Cases in the APEC Region
with Smart Technology - Policy Report, January 2025
-
The ROPES: Cultivating Green Tech Talent for the Sustainable
Future, January 2025
-
Follow-Up Peer Review on Energy Efficiency in Chile, January
2025
-
Workshop Summary Report - APEC Workshop on Promoting Digital
Transformation for Energy Efficiency, January 2025
-
APEC Gender Equality Budgeting Toolkit, January 2025
-
Survey and Workshop on Preventing and Reducing Food Loss and
Waste (FLW) to Achieve Sustainable Food Systems in APEC
Economies, January 2025
-
International Workshop on Circularity in Agriculture: A
Pathway to Sustainability Among APEC Economies, January 2025
-
Empowering Tomorrow: APEC Women Entrepreneurs in Startups,
January 2025
-
Study and Workshop on the Associativity as a Strategy to
Improve the Competitiveness of Women in Small-Scale
Agriculture in APEC Economies, January 2025
-
Promoting Gender Equality and Inclusion in Digital Health
Technology for Caregivers, January 2025
-
Development of Information and Communications
Technology-enabled Smart Hospitals, January 2025
-
Review Report - Biomass Energy from Agriculture Wastes in
APEC Region, January 2025
-
Project Report of APEC Green Vocational Skills Workshop,
January 2025
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New War in the South China Sea - Framing China's
Unrestricted Warfare and the Role of the US Indo-Pacific
Strategy, December 2024.
China’s gray zone campaigns in the South China Sea (SCS) are
characterized by incremental advances that do not directly cause
war but aggregate tensions to shift the status quo in favor of
Chinese territorial claims. These advances include constructing
Chinese facilities in uninhabited or unhabitable areas and using
non-militarized coercions to establish control over maritime
territories and enhance China’s national interests. China’s gray
zone campaign began in 1987 when UNESCO requested China's
assistance to build an observation outpost in Fiery Cross Reef... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The Case for US-Japan-ROK Trilateral Extended Deterrence
Dialogue, December 2024.
For over half a century, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK)
have relied on US extended deterrence, including its “nuclear
umbrella,” for their security. However, their confidence in
America’s commitment to its bilateral alliances has been shaken
in recent years as the two countries face increasing threats
from nuclear-armed neighbors, China, Russia, and North Korea,
formally the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Despite Washington’s repeated attempts to denuclearize the DPRK
through offers of economic assistance and diplomatic
rapprochement, the DPRK continues to build up an arsenal of
ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.. |
|
EWC |
|
|
The United States and Indo-Pacific Must Lead the Way on Creating
Indoor Air Quality Regulations, December 2024.
Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to human
health today. Recent studies have shown that particulate matter
air pollution is the leading contributor to the global disease
burden and shortens the average person’s lifespan by 1.8 years.
It was also the second leading cause of global mortality.
Exposure to particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in
aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) has been linked to a wide range of
adverse health effects, including lung cancer, stroke, low birth
weight, and reduced cognitive function... |
|
EWC |
|
|
The Economics of Revoking Permanent Normal Trade Relations
(PNTR) for China, December 2024.
The United States grants nearly every country in the world
normal trade relations, née most favored nation, status.
However, political pressure has been building to strip China of
this treatment. Yet, recent modeling suggests that revoking
permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) from China would not
deliver economic benefits to the United States. Instead, it
would have the opposite effect compared to what its proponents
seek. Starting in 1979, the United States moved China from
Column 2 of the tariff schedule, the infamous Smoot-Hawley
tariffs, to Column 1, most favored nation. Each year, Congress
voted to maintain this status. In 2000, in connection to China’s
2001 accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United
States granted China PNTR status, ending the practice of annual
Congressional votes.. |
|
EWC |
|
|
Whither Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal? December 2024.
In less than two months of student protests, Bangladesh, a
partly free democracy, has plunged into a phase of serious
political uncertainty that has not been seen since 2007 when the
then Bangladeshi army chief launched a military coup. The Prime
Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has fled to India, leaving behind a
country plagued by violence, lawlessness, and vandalism. A new
interim government has taken shape, led by Mohammad Yunus, a
Nobel Peace Prize winner for revolutionizing Bangladesh’s rural
banking system. The 17-member interim government is comprised
largely of technocrats, military officials, activists, and
leaders of the student movement... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Navigating the Shift - Is China Losing Its Grip on Africa?
December 2024.
In the first week of September, as African leaders convened in
Beijing for the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC),
it became increasingly clear that Africa is growing
disillusioned with China. On the surface, the summit appeared as
significant as ever, with 51 African heads of state in
attendance and a $51 billion investment pledge from China for
the next three years. While this reflects China’s continued
commitment, a closer look reveals troubling issues beneath the
surface. For instance, of the $51 billion pledged, only $10
billion constitutes new investment. This amount is relatively
modest over three years, especially compared to the $8 billion
the US annually allocates in humanitarian aid... |
|
EWC |
|
|
COFA 2023 Emerges as a Vital Lifeline for the Marshall Islands
National Climate Adaptation Effort, December 2024.
The Compact of Free Association (COFA) between the United States
and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) provides economic
assistance, access to US social programs, and guaranteed defense
provisions in exchange for US military access to the strategic
Kwajalein Atoll. While the partnership allows the United States
to maintain a significant presence in the Pacific, critical for
regional security and broader geopolitical interests, it also
traditionally provides the RMI with financial support for
infrastructure, education, and healthcare, alongside granting
certain rights, such as migration privileges to the United
States.
The 2023 Compact renewal marks a significant shift in how the
agreement tackles climate change, reflecting both the RMI’s
vulnerability to rising sea levels and the US strategic interest
in the Pacific... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Pacific Island Nations and Japan's Role, December 2024.
Japan hosted the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM)
from July 16 to July 18, 2024, bringing together leaders and
officials from 18 countries and regions in the South Pacific.
Established in 1997, the summit has been held every three years.
Japan and the Pacific Island nations have had a deep historical
relationship. After World War I, Japan administered what are now
the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and
the Federated States of Micronesia as the “South Sea Islands”
under a mandate from the League of Nations. Japan established
Nan'yo Cho (Territorial Government of the South Seas) in Koror,
Palau, in 1922 and engaged in a variety of projects through
private companies, including developing the island, encouraging
Japanese immigration, building sugar refineries, liquor
factories, and constructing railways... |
|
EWC |
|
|
Partnership of Convenience: Ream Naval Base and the
Cambodia–China Convergence, December 2024.
The development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base has caused concern
in the United States and elsewhere regarding its potential to
become a Chinese military outpost. This concern is set to grow
as the Chinese-supported upgrade of the base nears completion at
the end of 2024. There can be little doubt that China is
reinforcing its military presence and influence in Southeast
Asia. Yet Western partners have often raised their concerns with
Phnom Penh in a counterproductive way, failing to understand the
factors motivating Cambodia to seek deeper defence ties with
China. By understanding Cambodia’s threat perceptions and the
influence of the kingdom’s domestic politics on its defence and
foreign policies, Western partners will be better able to
balance China’s influence in Cambodia... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Looking Through a Pacific Islands Lens: Access, Accountability,
and Alignment in Global Engagements, December 2024.
The most pressing development and security challenges facing the
Pacific Islands are rooted in domestic concerns about economic
resilience, law and order, corruption, and the escalating
impacts of climate change. Viewed from the Pacific, geopolitical
rivalries open development opportunities, but they also magnify
governance weaknesses. The sharp increase in global aid and
interest in the Pacific Islands is straining limited government
capacity in the region. The findings of this report are drawn
from interviews with more than 150 Pacific Island leaders from
government, civil society, and business, canvassing the impacts
of geopolitics on governance, development, and security... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Cyclone Tracy: 50 years on, December 2024. This year
marks a powerful milestone in Australia’s history: the 50th anniversary
of Cyclone Tracy, a disaster that reshaped the nation’s approach to
resilience and recovery. When the cyclone struck Darwin on Christmas Day
in 1974, it killed 66 people, displaced thousands, and left the city in
ruins. Yet, it also sparked an extraordinary national response that
redefined how Australia prepares for and recovers from natural
disasters. Darwin, once devastated, now stands as a modern, resilient
city—built not just to recover, but to withstand the worst. ASPI’s new
report, released in honour of this anniversary, takes a deep dive into
Cyclone Tracy’s lasting impact on Australia’s disaster management. It
explores how the event prompted major shifts in urban planning, building
codes, and national security frameworks... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Australia and South Korea: Leveraging the Strategic Potential of
Cooperation in Critical Technologies, December 2024.
Cooperation between
Australia and the Republic of Korea (hereafter South Korea or the ROK)
in a range of critical technology areas has grown rapidly in recent
years. Underpinned by the Australia – South Korea Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) on Cyber and Critical Technology Cooperation signed
in 2021, collaboration is currently centred around emerging
technologies, including next-generation telecommunications, artificial
intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. Such technologies are deemed to
be critical due to their potential to enhance or threaten societies,
economies and national security. Most are dual- or multi-use and have
applications in a wide range of sectors... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Martial Law and Political Polarization: What’s in Store for
South Korea? December 2024.
On December 3, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared
emergency martial law, shocking both the country and the
rest of the world. However, the martial law was only in
place for a few hours before being rescinded by the National
Assembly. Yoon’s decision to impose martial law sparked
protests in both civic society and the opposition, with many
urging that he and his supporters accept responsibility for
their actions. Following weeks of uncertainty and a lack of
consistent action to deal with the fallout from the martial
law debacle, the National Assembly impeached Yoon on
December 14, stripping him of presidential powers while the
Constitutional Court conducts an investigation... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
“Yizhou 夷洲” and “Liuqiu 流求” in Historical Chinese Texts:
International Relations on the Northeast Asian Seas
(3rd-17th Centuries), December 2024.
Sun Quan 孫權, Emperor Da of the Eastern Wu, and Emperor Yang
of Sui Yang Guang 楊廣 sent armies across the sea to invade
Yizhou and Liuqiu between the 3rd and the 7th centuries.
Since 1874, when the French sinologist Léon d’ Hervey Saint-Denys
proposed the theory that Liuqiu of the past is Taiwan,
giving it a close historical relationship with China, the
question of whether Taiwan or Ryukyu 琉球 is the historical
Liuqiu has been a significant topic of academic contention.
Yizhou was brought into this discussion by the research of
Ichimura Sanjirō 市村瓚次郎 in 1918, which similarly explored the
question of whether Yizhou is Taiwan or Ryukyu. This paper
uses the Hanyu pinyin “Liuqiu” for antiquated toponyms in
historical documents, including 流求 and 流球. “Ryukyu” is
commonly used to refer to 琉球, the modern formulation in use
since the Ming-dynasty of China, in Western languages... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
The Convergence of Disinformation: Examining Russia and
China’s Partnership in the Digital Age, December 2024.
The spread of disinformation has been a longstanding issue
since the establishment of communication between societies.
It has been used as a tool to spread propaganda and deceive
adversaries in the political and intelligence sphere for
centuries. In modern times, the internet has provided
extensive opportunities to spread misinformation and
manipulate information on a global scale. Western liberal
democratic states, due to their open societies, have been
heavily targeted by adversaries aiming to cause political
turmoil, distrust, and instability through the effective use
of disinformation and manipulation of information campaigns.
The digital age has ushered in an era where the manipulation
of information has become a potent, and easily accessible,
tool in the arsenal of statecraft... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
Central Asia in the Energy Transition, December 2024.
The United States, Europe, the United Nations and more are
promoting a top-down energy transition from fossil fuels to
renewable energy, which shows no signs of emergence. Under
this scenario, Europe and the global market are likely to
maintain demand for the energy riches of Central Asia for
many decades to come. The gas market of Central Asia itself
requires additional gas volumes as well. In order to lower
carbon emissions and air pollution and improve public health
in Central Asia, the ideal policy in the region is increased
access to natural gas that can replace the widespread
burning of biomass and lump coal. Current European policies
promote expanding electrification and is leading to a new
look at nuclear energy. Accordingly, the uranium deposits of
Central Asia have become of high commercial and geopolitical
interest. |
|
ISDP |
|
|
High
Frequency Macroeconomic Forecasts Current Quarter Model:
2025Q1, January 2025. Compared to the 3.0% economic
growth in the first half of 2024, changes in consumption
patterns among Hong Kong residents and shifts in travel
patterns among mainland tourists have respectively
resulted in weaker local private consumption expenditure
and lower-than-expected improvements in tourism-related
service exports. Economic growth slowed in the second
half of 2024, with a 1.8% growth recorded in 24Q3. Hong
Kong’s real GDP is expected to grow by 2.4% in 24Q4,
with an estimated annual growth of 2.5% for the year
2024 as a whole... |
|
HKU |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #25: Managing State-Federal Relations:
Growing Pressure on Malaysia’s Madani Administration. Federal-state
relations in Malaysia today are more dynamic than ever
before, with states having changed leadership several times
following the 2022 general election and several state-level
elections between 2020 and 2023. At present, there are seven
states under the Pakatan Harapan–Barisan Nasional (PHBN)
grand coalition—three with PH Chief Ministers and four with
BN Chief Ministers, four states under the Perikatan Nasional
(PN) coalition comprising the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS)
and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), and Sabah and
Sarawak under their respective state-specific coalitions
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak
(GPS), the latter two of which support the unity government
at the federal level... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
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). Still nascent, Malaysia’s
electric two-wheeler (E2W) sector appears to prioritize an
extensive model of assembly and distribution rather than the
protection of home-grown brands... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #27: Building upon Deep Trust:
ASEAN-Japan Ties at a Crossroads. Over the past
five decades, ASEAN-Japan relations have thrived on a
foundation of mutually beneficial cooperation and shared
interests. This partnership has matured into a multifaceted
collaboration deeply rooted in a common commitment to
friendship, mutual understanding and trust across cultural,
linguistic, and historical differences. The alignment
between ASEAN and Japan, notably demonstrated in the Joint
Statement on Cooperation on ASEAN Outlook on the
Indo-Pacific adopted at the 23rd ASEAN-Japan Summit in 2020,
underscores a shared interest in shaping the region’s
future. While approaches and priorities may vary, both sides
find common ground through a reaffirmation of key values
such as an open rules-based order and a multilateral trading
system... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #28: Autonomy in Sarawak and Sabah:
Different Paths and Diverging Outcomes. The
formation of Malaysia in 1963, governed by the Malaysian
Agreement 1963 (MA63), was a defining moment for Sabah and
Sarawak. Despite joining the larger component of Peninsular
Malaysia, MA63 was designed to: safeguard the rights and
autonomy of the two Borneo states; ensure their distinct
cultural identities and; grant them more self-governance
than that enjoyed by other states in the federation.
However, as federal centralization efforts intensified over
time, many of these safeguards were gradually eroded.
Despite initial similarities, Sabah and Sarawak have taken
very different paths in asserting their autonomy. Sarawak,
with its deep-rooted history of self-governance and strong
leadership, has skillfully navigated federal relations and
maintained a significant degree of autonomy... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Trends in
Southeast Asia 2024 #29: Online Campaign Narratives in
Thailand’s 2023 General Election: An Ecosystem Analysis. After
almost a decade of semi-authoritarian rule and a series of
tumultuous political incidents, Thailand was ready for a
reboot. The elections in May 2023 served as the light at the
end of the tunnel for voters. Yet, political dramas
continued as the Move Forward Party (MFP), the winner of the
popular vote, failed to form a government and eventually was
rejected from the ruling coalition entirely. Anyway, this
paper is not so much about ousting a party elected by the
people; rather, it seeks to explore the pathways of
persuasion employed by political parties in Thailand’s
pivotal 2023 general election. While it is clear that
parties employ both online and on-ground tactics to reach
voters, we are particularly interested in the use of social
media for campaigning... |
|
ISEAS |
|
|
Latest APEC publications:
-
More than Just Another Expansion: Why Does the 3rd
Information Technology Agreement (ITA3) Need to Be Bold?
December 2024
-
Understanding the Economic Impact of Digitalisation on
Digital Trade: Evidence from APEC Economies, December 2024
-
Accelerating and Promoting Digitalization and Innovation
among Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in APEC
Economies, December 2024
-
Research on the Working Condition of Women Freelance Online
Workers in the APEC Region and Recommendations to Address
Their Challenges, December 2024
-
Best Practices for Inclusive Innovation, Digital
Sustainability and Cross-Regional Talent Development -
Project Summary Report, December 2024
-
Workshop on Strengthening Capacities to Use Spectral
Signatures of Remote Sensing Applied in Environmental
Control Processes for the Identification of Environmental
Impacts in the Mining Sector, December 2024
-
Workshop Summary Report - APEC Capacity Building Workshop to
Promote MSMEs’ Implementation of Circular Economy in
Manufacturing Industries, December 2024
-
Sustainable Cities Development to Promote Sustainable and
Inclusive Growth for the Asia-Pacific, December 2024
-
Coping with Psychosocial Effects of the Pandemic on Boys,
Girls and Adolescents of APEC Economies - Resource Manual
and Guide of Best Practices, December 2024
-
Capacity Building Workshop on Testing Methods for Internet
of Things (IoT) Products, December 2024
-
Case Studies on MSMEs-Specific Provisions in FTAs, December
2024
-
Empowering the Next Generation: Investment in Preventable
Infant Deaths by a Healthy Start, December 2024
-
Project Final Report: APEC Climate Symposium 2024 – Towards
a Sustainable and Resilient Society through Enhanced ENSO
Response and Preparedness, December 2024
-
APEC Marine Sustainable Development Report III, December
2024
-
Policy Toolkit: Leveraging Digital Tools for
Multistakeholder Engagement, December 2024
-
Report on APEC Digital Innovation to Implement SMEs’
Low-Carbon Transformation, December 2024
-
APEC Needs Assessment & Gap Analysis: Guiding Policy
Directions to Promote Coastal Resilience, December 2024
-
Fact sheet: 2024 APEC Economic Policy Report, December 2024
|
|
APEC |
|
|
Latest ADB Working Paper Series:
-
Mentoring, Educational Preferences, and Career Choice:
Evidence from Two Field Experiments in Bhutan, December 2024
-
Foreign Direct Investment Location and Trade Dynamics in
Viet Nam After the US-PRC Trade Dispute, December 2024
-
Regionalism, Productivity, and Innovation: An Empirical
Investigation, December 2024
-
Empirically Estimated Impacts of Climate Change on Global
Crop Production via Increasing
Precipitation–Evapotranspiration Extremes, December 2024
-
Adoption of Farm Mechanization for Clean Air: Evidence from
Farm Trials in Pakistan, December 2024
-
Marriage, Motherhood, and Women’s Employment in Rural India,
December 2024
-
Health Effects of Climate Change and Mitigating Effects of
Climate Policies: Evidence from Bangladesh, December 2024
-
Do Environmental Provisions in Preferential Trade Agreements
Reduce Emissions Traded in Global Value Chains? December
2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADBI Working Paper Series:
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Latest ADB Publications:
-
Beyond Boundaries: Navigating the Digital Landscape for a
Green and Inclusive Future, Published 2024
-
The Transformative Power of Inclusive Business: Case Studies
on How Commercially Viable Projects Drive Development,
December 2024
-
The Enabling Environment for Disaster Risk Financing in the
Philippines; Country Diagnostic Assessment, December 2024
-
The Enabling Environment for Epidemic and Pandemic Risk
Financing in Pakistan: Country Diagnostics Assessment,
December 2024
-
Operational Certification Procedures of Free Trade
Agreements in Asia: An In-Depth Analysis for Implementing
Trade Facilitation Reforms, December 2024
-
Strengthening the Climate Resilience and Restoration of
Wetlands and Lakes in the Yangtze River Floodplain, December
2024
-
ASEAN–Republic of Korea Tourism Cooperation: Fostering
People-to-People Connectivity, December 2024
-
Sustainable Cooling How to Cool the World Without Warming
the Planet, Published 2024
-
Digital Transformation for the Sustainable Development
Goals: Framework and Road Maps to Drive Prosperity,
Inclusion, Resilience, and Sustainability, December 2024
-
Accelerating Green Bonds for Municipalities in Southeast
Asia, Published 2024
-
Redefining Financial Ecosystems in Asia and the Pacific: A
New Era of Open Banking, Open Finance, and Inclusive Growth,
December 2024
-
One Water: An Integrated and Adaptive Approach for Rural
Wastewater Management in the People's Republic of China,
December 2024
|
|
ADB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
