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June 2025 Current Topics		Source

	DeepSeek and the Shifting AI Landscape in China and the US, May 2025. In early 2025, a powerful open-source artificial intelligence (AI) model from a Chinese startup, DeepSeek, emerged as a major challenger to US AI dominance. Delivering comparable performance at a fraction of the cost, it disrupted Silicon Valley’s proprietary, capital-intensive model, unsettled markets, and raised concerns about America’s technological leadership. This article examines DeepSeek’s technological, market, and geopolitical impact before contrasting China’s evolving AI strategy with that of the US. DeepSeek showcases the potential of open-source AI while highlighting challenges in scaling large models...	EWC
	Empowering Blue Economy Communities through Data and Innovation, May 2025. As the blue economy grows in importance—encompassing sectors from fisheries and aquaculture to maritime transport and offshore energy—so too must our understanding of the families and communities who power it. Given the continuing rise in commercial fishing demand and aquaculture expansion, the importance of ocean resources for global food security and economic stability has become even more critical. Unsustainable practices like overfishing and ocean acidification further threaten both marine ecosystems and community livelihoods...	EWC
	Navigating Indo-Pacific Waters: Maritime Governance and Why Australia and Japan Must Lead in Capacity Building in Southeast Asia, April 2025. Southeast Asian countries continue to face various maritime policy challenges. Beijing’s aggressive conduct toward other littoral states in the South China Sea and increased China-US tensions have highlighted the pervasiveness of traditional security threats while prospects for a more stable maritime order are undermined by the stalled negotiations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) over a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea...	EWC
	Navigating Indo-Pacific Waters: Maritime Governance and Integrating Whole-of-Government and Nation Approaches in the Philippines, April 2025. The Philippines faces mounting challenges in its maritime domain. This includes geopolitical tensions, criminal activities, environmental degradation, and socio-economic vulnerabilities in coastal communities. Institutional fragmentation and outdated policies further complicate these issues by hindering effective governance. To address these pressing concerns, revising and modernizing the National Maritime Security Policy and Strategy (NMSPP) is more than an administrative necessity. It is a strategic imperative...	EWC
	Navigating Indo-Pacific Waters: Maritime Governance and Using Regional Maritime Information Sharing Centers to Form a Global Network, April 2025. Since the concept was first introduced in the early 2000s, the concept of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) has become widely recognized as an important enabler for maritime security at the state and regional levels. A distinct manifestation of this development is the proliferation of a network of regional information sharing centers (ISCs) globally. While their mandates and set-ups vary, these ISCs have been instrumental in facilitating effective MDA through the collecting and consolidation of information from diverse sources and encouraging collaboration between maritime stakeholders...	EWC
	Navigating Indo-Pacific Waters: Maritime Governance and Conceptualizing Navies as a Tool of Statecraft, April 2025. The Indo-Pacific’s maritime domain is a key arena in the rising China-United States strategic rivalry. However, viewing the maritime domain through the lens of strategic rivalry leads policymakers to focus on the traditional combat role of navies thereby obscuring the wider everyday role of sea power as a force in shaping and influencing the regional order. Yet navies offer policymakers many wider choices beyond the “thunder of battle,” especially for non-great powers who are unlikely to utilize sea power to impose their will through combat...	EWC
	Navigating Indo-Pacific Waters: Maritime Governance and Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing in the Indian Ocean Region, April 2025. Lines between traditional and non-traditional threats are diminishing, which has only heightened complexities for maritime security forces. While major maritime threats such as piracy, maritime terrorism, and smuggling are being countered by both regional and extra-regional forces in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), complex threats such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) have largely remained unacknowledged as offenders skillfully exploit regulatory gaps and evade enforcement...	EWC
	Navigating Indo-Pacific Waters: Maritime Governance and Indonesia's Pursuit of Effectivenes, April 2025. Indonesia, with its numerous islands and vast oceanic domain, plays a crucial role in shaping global maritime policies. From a historical perspective, a major success was its securing recognition as an archipelagic state in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a move that strengthened both its sovereignty and set important principles of international maritime law. However, despite such achievements, Indonesia continues to face significant maritime governance issues including illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, environmental degradation, smuggling, and piracy...	EWC
	Navigating Indo-Pacific Waters: Maritime Governance and the Case for a Bay of Bengal Coast Guard Forum, April 2025. The Bay of Bengal is an epicenter of non-traditional security threats. As such, coast guards in the sub-region have been at the forefront of managing and tackling security challenges. However, there is no institutional framework for enhancing the capacities of coast guards of the Bay of Bengal to take collaborative action. Therefore, creating a Bay of Bengal coast guard forum is an essential next step to addressing the non-traditional security threats and providing a platform to promote and institutionalize maritime best practices. The threats posed by non-state actors are the most pressing transnational vulnerabilities facing the littoral states of the Bay of Bengal...	EWC
	Navigating Indo-Pacific Waters: Maritime Governance and Developing a National Unified Maritime Strategy for Japan, April 2025. Japan makes securing sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) a critical national priority as its maritime transportation accounts for 99.6% of the trade volume as of 2023. Moreover, Japan has played a pivotal role as a maritime nation. Despite this emphasis on securing SLOCs, Japan still lacks strategic communication about its foreign policy priorities. Japan needs to more clearly articulate its strategic ends, ways, and means in the Indo-Pacific Region. Strategic communication uses words, actions, or images to achieve foreign and security policy and impact the target audience’s decision making and behavior...	EWC
	Navigating Indo-Pacific Waters: Maritime Governance and Strengthening ASEAN-IORA Cooperation Through Port Connectivity, April 2025. The Indo-Pacific’s dense shipping traffic has made the region vulnerable to severe vessel-sourced pollution threatening marine ecosystems and coastal economies. A striking example is the catastrophic oil spill in the waters of Mauritius, which underscored the urgent need for greater international cooperation to combat pollution from ships in the region. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) play key roles in addressing these challenges, leveraging their strategic positions to advance regional ocean governance...	EWC
	Peak Repayment: China’s Global Lending, May 2025. Soaring debt repayments and a sharp reduction in lending have transformed China’s role in developing country finances from capital provider to debt collector. Mounting pressures from Chinese debts are especially severe for many of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries. A retrenchment in Western aid and trade is compounding these challenges while undermining any geopolitical advantage for the West. In 2025, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries will make record high debt repayments totalling $22 billion to China. Beijing has transitioned from capital provider to net financial drain on developing country budgets as debt servicing costs on Belt and Road Initiative projects from the 2010s now far outstrip new loan disbursements...	Lowy
	Building National Preparedness: A Road Map for Australia and What We Should Learn From Finland, May 2025. Australia faces increasing threats from natural disasters, pandemics and geopolitical tensions—including the increasing likelihood of conflict and war—necessitating robust preparedness mechanisms. But Australia lacks a comprehensive national preparedness framework that’s fit for purpose against the broad range of threats that the nation is likely to face soon and in the foreseeable future. Beyond a narrow range of potential crises, Australia remains poorly prepared, and little government attention is currently paid to understanding or resourcing national preparedness for threats, beyond annually reviewed natural-disaster arrangements...	ASPI
	The Cost of Defence: ASPI Defence Budget Brief 2025-2026, May 2025. Australia faces a perilous strategic environment with multiple threats overlapping and, in some cases, converging. We’re confronted simultaneously by the rise of aggressive authoritarian powers, multiple conflicts around the world, persistent and evolving terrorism, foreign interference and the normalisation of cyberwarfare. Our largest trading partner, China, is increasingly aggressive militarily and has growing control of critical technologies integral to our societies. In Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific region, rearmament is underway, including increased prospects of nuclear proliferation. Australia is a part of that rearmament, though others are moving much faster...	ASPI
	India’s ‘Wait and Watch’ Diplomacy: Redefining Regional Engagement in South Asia, May 2025. India’s ‘Wait and Watch’ approach has reinforced its foreign policy strategy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and hence allowed it to adjust to the changing political landscapes in South Asia. This issue brief looks at how India’s measured response to political changes in Afghanistan under the Taliban and in the Maldives under President Mohamed Muizzu has boosted India’s regional influence by exercising strategic patience and calibrated diplomacy. India has managed to reposition itself as an indispensable partner to both nations by striking the right balance of economic and humanitarian engagement with security concerns...	ISDP
	Proxy Wars and Silent Partners: The Pahalgam Attack a Stress Test for India–China Stability, May 2025. The April 2025 Pahalgam terrorist attack marks a significant moment in South Asia’s evolving security matrix. While the India–Pakistan binary continues to dominate discourse, China’s ambiguous posture following India’s Operation Sindoor warrants deeper scrutiny. This issue brief assesses Beijing’s silence, the implications for China-India ties, and China’s alignment with Pakistan’s strategic calculus. Drawing on past crises like Pulwama, Balakot, and Uri, it interrogates China’s selective neutrality, its shielding of Pakistan, and the erosion of its credibility as a regional stabilizer...	ISDP
	China’s Techno-Military Modernization in Tibet and its Impact on Climate, May 2025. This issue brief examines China’s extensive techno-military modernization in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), with a focus on infrastructure development and its ecological implications. The Chinese government’s investment in TAR’s infrastructure development, a crucial component of the 14th Five-Year Plan, is focused on large-scale dual-use infrastructure, including road networks, highways, airports, and railroads. Despite being presented as developmental, these infrastructure projects significantly expand China’s military mobility and enhance its strategic depth in the region. However, this rapid securitization comes with serious ecological consequences, such as grassland degradation, waterway pollution, and community displacement...	ISDP
	Tibet’s Climate Crisis: The Japanese Perspective, May 2025. Japan has increasingly advocated for Tibetan human rights, often linking environmental vulnerability to cultural preservation. While Japan maintains a robust environmental diplomacy and has regularly engaged China on broader climate issues, Tokyo’s Tibet policy remains traditionally constrained due to the political sensitivity of Beijing’s sovereignty claims in the region. This issue brief examines Japan’s nuanced approach to the escalating climate issues in Tibet, considering the region’s critical ecological role as the “roof of the world” and source of major Asian rivers. It outlines how extensive Chinese infrastructure development in the region, in conjunction with increasing militarization, has severely impacted Tibet’s fragile environment, threatened the downstream nations, and raised global climate security concerns...	ISDP
	Trends in Southeast Asia 2025 #12: Malaysia Chairs ASEAN at a Strategic Crossroads: Priorities, Opportunities and Challenges. Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2025, under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, draws from the Madani concept and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s long-standing vision of an Asian renaissance. It reflects Malaysia’s aspiration to promote a forward-looking, values-based leadership grounded in sustainability, inclusivity and regional solidarity. Malaysia’s chairmanship takes place amid heightened geopolitical volatility, including intensifying major power rivalry, ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, and the deepening political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar...	ISEAS
	Trends in Southeast Asia 2025 #11: A Historical Note on Economic Reforms in Myanmar, 2006 to 2016. This historical note seeks to provide some markers for economists and policymakers interested in Myanmar’s woeful experience over seven decades when it fell from being one of the most prosperous and promising countries in East Asia at the end of World War II to one of the poorest now. The most encouraging period of economic progress after Burma’s independence in 1948 was the decade of quasi-democratic governance under the Thein Sein administration from 2011 to 2016 and the National League for Democracy (NLD) administration (led by Aung San Suu Kyi) from 2016 to 2021. On 1 February 2021, a military coup plunged the country back into another chaotic period of civil strife and economic suffering, with no end in sight...	ISEAS
	Trends in Southeast Asia 2025 #10: Disinformation and Election Propaganda: Impact on Voter Perceptions and Behaviours in Indonesia’s 2024 Presidential Election. This study analyses the impact of social media election campaigning, disinformation and election propaganda on voters’ perceptions and behaviours in Indonesia’s 2024 presidential election. It assesses the influence of social media platforms and chat messaging apps as sources of election-related information on voters and their level of trust in these mediums. The study also assesses how exposed and susceptible voters have been to various disinformation and election propaganda narratives...	ISEAS
	Trends in Southeast Asia 2025 #9: Economic Governance of Non-State Authorities in Myanmar: Potentials and Pitfalls. Since Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, the reach and influence of non-state authorities have spread considerably, providing them with greater scope to govern economic activity in parts of Myanmar. Taxation is among non-state authorities’ most widespread aspects of economic governance. Numerous groups rely on checkpoints and road tolls, with other common taxes covering natural resource extraction, agricultural production, and business activity. At least one non-state authority collects monthly household taxes, with higher rates for wealthier households...	ISEAS
	Trends in Southeast Asia 2025 #8: Striking While the Iron Is Hot: Sarawak and Federal-State Dynamics in Today’s Malaysia. Malaysia’s federal system is asymmetric, as the East Malaysian territories of Sarawak and Sabah have more autonomy and prerogatives than their West Malaysian counterparts. This reflects their incorporation into the Malaysian Federation in 1963 and distinct ethnic and religious composition. Despite this, many East Malaysians do not feel that their position within Malaysia has been beneficial. Due to their natural resource wealth, these states generate a substantial proportion of federal government revenue and yet suffer high rates of poverty and insufficient infrastructure investment...	ISEAS
	Latest APEC publications: Promoting Digital Solar Resource Maps and Management Technologies in Advancing Renewables Growth in APEC, May 2025 Advancing Health Technology Assessment for Sustainable Universal Health Coverage - Project Final Report, May 2025 Best Practices to Promote Transparency in the Logistic Supply Chain: Information Platforms of Logistic Services for Foreign Trade, May 2025 Performance Review Study of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Scheme - Final Report, May 2025 APEC Energy Handbook 2022, May 2025 APEC Energy Statistics 2022, May 2025 Green Synergy Solutions to Net-Zero Emissions Based on Bioenergy Technologies for Resilience and Sustainability, May 2025 APEC Investment Experts’ Group (IEG) Workshop on Best Practices for Long-Term Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Workshop Summary Report, May 2025 APEC Non-binding Care Compact, May 2025 PSU Annual Report 2024, May 2025 Exchange of Experiences in the Development and Implementation of Fisheries and Aquaculture Traceability Systems to Strengthen Traceability and Combat IUU Fishing: Final Report, May 2025 Application of the APEC Index to Measure the Regulatory Environment for Services Trade (APEC Services Index) in Regionally Relevant Use-Cases, May 2025 APEC Workshop on Indigenous, Rural, and Remote Communities in Just Energy Transitions, May 2025 Accelerating Progress for Lung Cancer Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment: Learnings from APEC Collaboration on Cancer Contro, May 2025 APEC Regional Trends Analysis, May 2025 Enhancing Technology and Innovation Management Practices in APEC Economies: A Focus on Public Policies and Programs to Promote Academia-Industry Technology Transfer, May 2025 Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in the Asia-Pacific, May 2025 Workshop on Technological Solutions for Green Customs in the Asia-Pacific Region - Research Paper and Summary Report, May 2025 8th APEC Energy Efficiency Policy (EEP) Workshop Report - Energy Management: Standards, Policies, and Best Practices, May 2025 Promoting the Utilization of Paperless Trade Platforms in the Post COVID-19 Era, May 2025 Promoting Women’s Economic Empowerment through Trade Policy and Trade Agreements: Sharing Experiences and Lessons Learned in the APEC Region - Project Summary Report, May 2025 Guidebook on Digital Enforcement to Improve Fight Trademark Counterfeiting, May 2025	APEC
	Latest ADB Publications: Digitalizing H2O: The Future of Water in Asia and the Pacific, May 2025 Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Diagnostic of Selected Sectors in Maldives, May 2025 Climate Change Governance at the Subnational Government Level in Asia and the Pacific, May 2025 Can Digital Technology Strengthen Inclusivity in Plastic Waste Management? Evidence from Indonesia and Viet Nam, May 2025 The Role and Future of Digital Economy Agreements in Developing Asia and the Pacific, May 2025 High-Level Technology Fund, May 2025 Pre-Feasibility Study of Crop and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Insurance Pilots for Nepal’s Municipalities, May 2025 Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, May 2025 Promoting Capital Markets for a Sustainable and Inclusive Southeast Asia, May 2025 Harnessing Digital Transformation for Good: Asian Development Policy Report 2025, May 2025 Digital Twin Framework: A Practical Guide, May 2025 Impacting the Way India Moves, May 2025	ADB
	Latest ADB Working Paper Series: Impact of Slowdown of Outbound Tourism from the People’s Republic of China on Asia and the Pacific, May 2025 COVID-19, Food Relief, and Social Distancing: Evidence from the Bayan Bayanihan Program in the Philippines, May 2025 Hospital Workload and Adaptation Under Climate Change: Evidence from the People’s Republic of China, May 2025 Cross-Border Bank Flows, Regional Household Credit Booms, and Bank Risk-Taking, May 2025 The Double-Edged Sword: Unintended Consequences of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Promotion Policy, May 2025 Mapping the Unpaid Care Work Economy in Asia, May 2025	ADB
	Latest ADBI Working Paper Series: The Dark Side of Escaping the Middle-Income Trap: A Sage Study of Asian High-Income Countries, May 2025 Wastewater Management and Reuse in Hyderabad, India: Comparison of the Related Regulations Between Japan and India, May 2025 Subnational Dependency Ratios Adjusted by Health in the People’s Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, and the Philippines, 1990–2021, May 2025 Dependency Ratios Adjusted by Health in Asia and the Pacific 1990–2021, May 2025 Progress of Fecal Sludge Management for On-Site Sanitation and Wastewater Treatment Systems in Warangal City and Hyderabad Metropolitan Region, Telangana State, India, May 2025 Financial Deepening, Financial Inclusion, and Agricultural Investment: Evidence from International Panel Data, May 2025 Declining Fertility Leading to Long-Term Stability in Demographic Dependency Ratios, May 2025 Exits from the Four-Lane Highway to National Development: What Are the Risks to Sustained Economic Growth? May 2025 Navigating Demographic Aging and Macroeconomic Growth in Asia: Lessons from Japan’s Experience, May 2025 Access to Finance and Young Women Entrepreneurs: Driving Sustainable Livelihood in Rural India, May 2025	ADB


May 2025

	Asian Development Outlook, April 2025 (Full Report, Highlights ). Weak consumption in the People’s Republic of China will partly offset robust domestic demand in South Asia. Disinflation is expected to continue, driven by lower food and energy prices, along with the lagged effects of previous monetary policy tightening. The region’s high-income technology exporters remain a bright spot, benefiting from strong global demand for electronics. However, rising trade uncertainty and escalating tariffs have created headwinds, weighing on financial markets and investor confidence. The region must navigate these challenges to sustain its economic momentum.	ADB
	Monetary Authority of Singapore: Macroeconomic Review, Volume XXIV, Issue 1, April 2025 (Full Report). The global economy grew steadily in 2024, underpinned by robust domestic demand in the US and strong export performance in Asia. However, prospects for global GDP growth have diminished amid the trade conflict. Economies that levy duties on imports will likely experience an increase in costs, which will in turn weigh on business and consumer spending. Meanwhile, exporting countries which have been hit by tariffs will experience a negative external demand shock. As a whole, global GDP growth is expected to slow below trend. Against this backdrop, Singapore’s growth outlook has turned more cautious...	MAS
	MAS Survey of Professional Forecasters, March 2025. The Singapore economy expanded by 5.0% year-on-year in Q4 2024, exceeding the respondents’ median forecast of 3.1% in the previous survey. In the current survey, the respondents expect the economy to grow by 3.8% year-on-year in Q1 2025. The most likely outcome is for the Singapore economy to grow by 2.5 to 2.9% this year, similar to the previous survey conducted in Dec 2024 (Chart 2). The average probability assigned to this range has risen to 46%, from 42% in the previous survey. The standard deviation of the forecasts has remained broadly the same as the previous survey, although the distribution has become slightly more negatively skewed...	MAS
	2024 Singapore Corporate Debt Market Development. Global bond issuance volume remained flat at USD 6.6 trillion in 2023, amidst the peaking interest rates environment and an expectation of an economic slowdown. In Asia, issuance volume of Asia (Ex-Japan) G-3 bonds declined by 16.5% YoY to USD 160 billion1, as Asian corporates rein in financing on the back of higher funding costs. Against this backdrop, Singapore’s bond market fared well, with issuance volumes rebounding 59% in 2023 to reach USD 77 billion2, driven by financing needs of global corporates based in Singapore to fund their operations and expansion in Asia. Total outstanding debt arranged by financial institutions in Singapore registered a 10.5% YoY increase to SGD 566 billion, driven by financing needs from MNEs in Singapore...	MAS
	High Frequency Macroeconomic Forecasts Current Quarter Model: 2025Q2, April 2025. Compared to the 2.9% economic growth in the first half of 2024, Hong Kong’s economic growth slowed to 2.5% in the second half of the year. Hong Kong’s real GDP is expected to grow by 1.6% in 25Q1, reflecting the impact of further escalation of China-US trade uncertainties. The unemployment rate is projected to remain at 3.2% during 25Q1 and 25Q2. US tariffs on multiple countries hinder global economic growth, presenting major challenges to Hong Kong's external demand. Hong Kong's economic growth will mainly be driven by domestic demand in 2025...	HKU
	South Korea and Australia in Space: Towards a Strategic Partnership, April 2025. Space cooperation between Australian and South Korea remains stuck in its infancy and, to some extent, is treated as an end in itself. This report argues that the time is ripe for both Australia and South Korea to embark on joint projects and initiatives that would deliver tangible and practical outcomes for both countries. For South Korea and Australia, space cooperation and space development serve as key pillars of the bilateral relationship. The two nations elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in December 2021, incorporating space development into core areas of cooperation in the fields of economics, innovation and technology...	ASPI
	National Food Security Preparedness Green Paper, April 2025. Australia’s agriculture sector and food system produce enough food to feed more than 70 million people worldwide. The system is one of the world’s least subsidised food systems. It has prospered under a global rules-based system influenced by Western liberal values, but it now faces chronic challenges due to rising geopolitical tensions, geo-economic transitions, climate change, deteriorating water security and rapid technological advances. The world is changing so rapidly that the assumptions, policy approaches and economic frameworks that have traditionally supported Australia’s food security are no longer fit for purpose...	ASPI
	Indonesia in 2035: Climate Risks to Security in the Indo-Pacific, March 2025. The Indo-Pacific region is particularly exposed to climate impacts, and Indonesia, like many countries, will be severely affected by climate impacts in the decade to come. The effects of climate-amplified disasters, combined with the political, social and economic consequences of climate impacts originating from within and across the region, will strain Indonesia’s economic and national-security interests. This report presents the findings of a narrative-driven scenario to stress-test Indonesia’s climate risks emerging by 2035. Its objective is to identify opportunities for Indonesia and its economic and strategic partners to prepare for and mitigate the risks...	ASPI
	Trapped in Debt: China’s Role in Laos’ Economic Crisis, April 2025. This Analysis examines the drivers of the Lao debt crisis and what will be required to get out of it, with a focus on China’s role. Laos’ debt crisis has received little international attention and scrutiny, reflecting the country’s opacity and the minor exposure of international bond investors. Yet China’s outsized role makes the Lao crisis a crucial case study in an era when China has become the world’s largest bilateral creditor to developing countries. What is clear is that China lent on a huge scale to a country with weak institutions and limited ability to productively absorb the investment. This has resulted in massive overcapacity in the Lao energy sector, unsustainable financial losses, and finally the takeover of its energy grid by a Chinese state firm...	Lowy
	Emerging Leaders, Enduring Bonds: Australia–Papua New Guinea Relations, March 2025. This report is based on insights from the 2024 Australia–PNG Network Emerging Leaders Dialogue, held in Canberra, 7–11 October 2024. The Dialogue brought together a group of young leaders to explore the opportunities and challenges facing PNG youth in education, employment, and civic engagement. It provides actionable recommendations to deepen collaboration between the two countries. The recommendations are those of the young leaders. The authors of this report were guided by their thinking. By design, the Dialogue did not weigh the financial or policy trade-offs involved in implementing these recommendations...	Lowy
	(UN)Ambiguous Meaning? Cross-Strait Narratives of UN Resolution 2758, April 2025. This Focus Asia paper examines China’s and Taiwan’s narratives about UN Resolution 2758 in the context of current cross-strait relations and the global debate surrounding Taiwan’s UN participation. The paper expounds on what UN Resolution 2758 is and in what historical context it was voted on in the 1971 UN General Assembly. It analyzes the international debate that led up to the resolution’s adoption and argues that it had a different meaning to the UN’s voting member-states. The paper also examines how the PRC’s and Taiwan’s narratives of UN Resolution 2758 has evolved over time. For the PRC, the resolution affirmed its “one China principle” claiming that Taiwan is part of China. Its use has not so much evolved but instead intensified...	ISDP
	Relational Dynamics and Italy’s Strategic Integration into the Indo-Pacific, April 2025. The Indo-Pacific region is currently the primary arena in which global geopolitics is being played out. Italy has taken a more flexible approach, cultivating links and engaging in strategic activities without having an official strategy in place, despite the fact that several other governments have formed formal plans for the Indo-Pacific region. Initially, Italy’s involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative was focused on establishing business linkages, particularly with China. In recent times, however, Rome has been increasing its involvement in multilateral cooperation, maritime security, and regional stability...	ISDP
	China’s Rapacity for Mining in Tibet: An Indian Perspective, April 2025. China’s rapacity for mining in Tibet has unfortunately become a permanent feature of its occupation. There are several reports on the environmental degradation caused by China’s activities in Tibet. What, however, is not explored is how and why China mines what it mines the most in Tibet. In order to understand the all-pervasive and permanent nature of China’s rapacity for mining in Tibet, it is pertinent to analyze the phases in which Chinese mining in Tibet has become as extensive as it is today. It is also pertinent to understand the problems it causes to downstream countries, in order to create more awareness, to push back against China’s unchallenged mining in Tibet...	ISDP
	Challenges Faced by TSMC and Its Suppliers in Expanding to Europe, April 2025. The semiconductor shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the European Chips Act (ECA). The ECA was first proposed in February 2022 aiming to double the European Union’s (EU) global market share in semiconductor manufacturing to 20 percent by 2030.* The ECA opens a door for Taiwanese companies to reposition their geopolitical strategy. In August 2024, the first Taiwan-invested semiconductor fabrication plant (fab) broke ground in Dresden, Germany. It will specialize in producing mature chips for automation and electrification in the automotive and industrial sectors...	ISDP
	Going for Gold on the Tibetan Frontier, April 2025. In 2025, China is hungrier than ever for gold, as an abiding holder of accumulated wealth, in a time when even the biggest Chinese real estate builders, tech entrepreneurs, exam coaching, and other industries can go broke in a blink. The focus is on the copper, and on the hydro dams that power its extraction from remote Tibetan mountain sides, and the copper cables that transmit electricity from Tibetan rivers to far distant Chinese industrial hubs. Yet, in Tibet, these deposits are consistently polymetallic, usually bearing not only copper but also extractable and profitable molybdenum, silver, and gold. The quantum of gold may be small, but not its value.	ISDP
	Trends in Southeast Asia 2025 #7: Localization of the United States–China Rivalry: Cases from the Philippines. The intensified rivalry between the United States and China has put small states like the Philippines in a precarious position, given its relative importance in the regional geo-strategy of both big powers. Since foreign and security policymaking tend to be formulated in a top-down manner, existing analyses have not paid sufficient attention to what extent this big-power competition has affected local political dynamics and local governance. The Philippine foreign policy pendulum has swung since 2016 between adopting a more cordial relationship with either the US or China. This opened opportunities for each big power to engage local governments in political, security, economic, and socio-cultural activities that potentially hold implications for national security...	ISEAS
	Tourism and Amenities in Malaysia, March 2025. The tourism industry in Malaysia was adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Domestic tourism has recovered faster that in-bound tourism. The empirical analysis in this study indicates that air connectivity is a key amenity for in-bound tourism. Shopping-related amenities may be less important for in-bound tourism due to the type of tourist attractions that appeal to in-bound tourists. There is also evidence that Malaysia is currently regarded as a low cost or cheap holiday destination. It attracts tourists from relatively lower income and with weaker national currency. These findings support key elements of the current government policies for the industry.	ISEAS
	Demographic Change and Services: The Case of Malaysia, March 2025. Malaysia is at the threshold of transitioning into an aging society. This study undertakes an empirical analysis of demographic changes in Malaysia and how this has brought about changes in the demand for services in the country. Evidence from this study suggests that the demand for services such as information and communications is relatively robust against demographic change but will evolve as higher income increases the demand for quality services. The education services will be transformed with the shrinking of the share of the younger population...	ISEAS
	AI-Enabled Organisational Listening – Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for a More Relational Approach to Government Communication, March 2025. This paper examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance government communication, with a focus on “organisational listening” (Macnamara, 2018, p.122) — the government's ability to listen and respond to citizens, and engage them in co-creating policies and public services. The paper analyses both opportunities and risks, drawing insights from global examples. Government communication has evolved from a one-way, transactional approach to a more relational model that emphasises two-way dialogue. This shift reflects both proactive government initiatives and external pressures...	IPS
	Latest APEC publications: Navigating Artificial Intelligence Landscape in APEC: Balancing Development and Oversight, April 2025 Best Practices Aimed at Attracting Quality FDI and Measuring it to Promote Sustainable Development Through the Execution of Physical Infrastructure, April 2025 What are the Energy Security Implications of Recent Declines in Both APEC and Global Spare Petroleum Refining Capacity? April 2025 Promoting APEC Cooperation for Seaweed-based Sustainable Bioenergy Production, April 2025 APEC Regional Dashboard on Vaccination Across the Life-Course, April 2025 Technical Report with Roadmap: Developing Best Practices to Address Coastal Marine Oxygen Loss in APEC Economies for Improving the Management of Marine Living Resources, April 2025 APEC Forum on Women and Youth Empowerment: Advancing Innovative Education and Enhancing Workforce Skills for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future, March 2025 Strengthening APEC Cooperation in Circular Agriculture Development to Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Growth, March 2025 APEC Workshop on AI in Atmospheric Corrosion Assessment to Address Climate Change Impact, March 2025 Digitalization and Innovation of Food Supply Chain in APEC Region, March 2025 Workshop on Development of Sustainable Ventures in Small-Scale Aquaculture in APEC Economies, March 2025 Bioplastic Materials to Reduce Marine Plastic Litter in the Asia-Pacific Region, March 2025 APEC Workshop on Promoting Biomass Energy for Rural and Remote Area Development, March 2025 Conversion of Coal-Fired Power Plants Using Energy Storage Systems: Experiences, Challenges, and Opportunities, March 2025 The 2nd APEC Seminar on Best Practices and Applications of Digitalization and Innovation in Food Supply Chain, March 2025	APEC
	Latest ADB Working Paper Series: The Impact of Digitalization on Entrepreneurial Innovation: A Comparative Analysis Between Developing Economies in Asia and in Other Regions, April 2025 How Do Institutions Shape Productive Entrepreneurship Across Levels of Economic Development? A Multilevel Analysis, April 2025 Lead Exposure and Cognitive Skills in a Developing Country: Evidence from Toxic Sites in Indonesia, April 2025 Assessing the Impact of Income Decline on Household Clean Fuel Choice: Evidence from the Kyrgyz Republic, April 2025 Asian Development Bank Gender Salary Gap Study, March 2025	ADB
	Latest ADBI Working Paper Series: Physical and Psychological Distress Among Lower-Skilled Gig vs Nongig Workers in India, April 2025 From Platforms to Paychecks: Comparative Insights into Wages of Low-Skilled Platform and Nonplatform Workers in India, April 2025 Exploring Economic Challenges and Resilience During COVID-19 of Low-Skilled Gig Workers in Urban India, April 2025 Operation and Maintenance and Performance Monitoring of On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems in Japan: A Proposal for India, April 2025 Optimal Foreign Reserve Policy amid Large External Shocks in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand: Implications for Policy Response to Disasters, April 2025	ADB
	Latest ADB Publications: Energy Transition Readiness Assessment for Developing Asia and the Pacific, April 2025 Agricultural Finance in Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities, April 2025 Basic Statistics 2025 Strengthening the Financial Sustainability of Cities in Uzbekistan, April 2025 Road Map for Investment Policy Reforms and Sustainable Development in Bangladesh, April 2025 Advancing Resilient and Sustainable Development of Critical Minerals in Asia and the Pacific, April 2025 Building Supply Chain Resilience: Insights Into Greening Value Chains for ASEAN—A Collective Intelligence Playbook, April 2025 Making Social Protection Programs Work for Improved Nutrition in Asia and the Pacific, April 2025 Making Social Protection Work for Nutrition in Asia and the Pacific, April 2025 Digitalization for Improving Elder Care, March 2025 How Thailand Can Apply Economic Instruments to Accelerate Plastic Packaging Circularity, March 2025 Asia Bond Monitor, March 2025	ADB


April 2025

	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: Guidebook on Machine Learning Techniques for Road Quality Monitoring, March 2025 Asian Economic Integration Report 2025: Harnessing the Benefits of Regional Cooperation and Integration, March 2025 CAREC Road Crash Investigation Manual, March 2025 Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Assessment for Sri Lanka, March 2025 Just Transition Socioeconomic Impact Assessment for Georgia, March 2025 Personal Income Taxation in Asia and the Pacific: Future Directions, March 2025 Asian Development Bank and the United Kingdom: Fact Sheet, March 2025 The Model Forest Act Initiative (MoFAI): A Global Partnership to Improve the Legal Protection of Native, February 2025	ADB
	Latest ADB Working Paper Series: Quantifying the Economic Costs of Climate Change Inaction for Asia and the Pacific, March 2025	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 Distinguished Speaker Lecture: The Complementarity Between Cities and State Capacity Pollution, Information, and Migration Analysis of Elites’ Characteristics and the Environmental Performance in the People’s Republic of China: A Focus on the New Environmental Protection Law Environmental Impacts of Green Open Space in Urban Indonesia: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis Income and Jobs from Global Value Chain Participation by Developing Asian Economies How Selling Online Is Affecting Informal Firms in South Asia Enhancing Food Security in an Era of Rising Fertilizer Prices: Evaluation of an Intervention Promoting Mungbean Adoption in Nepal The Impact of Micronutrient Training on High-Zinc Rice Demand Among Mothers: A Randomized Control Trial Study in Bangladesh Internet Use in Agriculture and Farm Earnings: An Analysis of the Indonesia Labor Force Survey Effect of Climate-Related Disasters on Consumption: Theory and Evidence from Bangladesh Impact of High Trade Costs and Uncertain Trade Times on Exports of Final and Intermediate Goods in Five Central Asian Countries Impact of Nontariff Measures on Border Crossing Time and Costs: The Case of Perishable Goods Trade in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region The Impact of Mobility Restrictions on Trade Facilitation at Borders: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Central Asia	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: Monitoring Business Cycle Fluctuations in Asia, February 2025 Unintended Consequences of Business Digitalization Among MSMEs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of the Philippines, February 2025 Dynamic Impact of Foreign Exchange Trading Volume on Foreign Exchange Volatility, February 2025 Implications of Artificial Intelligence and Robots for Employment and Labor Productivity: Firm-Level Evidence from the Republic of Korea, February 2025 Strengthening Food and Nutrition Security in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, February 2025	ADB
	Latest ADBI Working Paper Series: Are Natural Disasters Disastrous for Education? Evidence from Seven Asian Countries, February 2025 India’s Green Hydrogen Review and Perspective, February 2025	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: Resilience to Shocks of Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Fiji, January 2025 Digitalization and Income Inequality: Evidence from Households, January 2025 Analyzing the Sources of Older People’s Self-Dependency and Overall Financial Wellness in Four Asian Countries and the United States, January 2025	ADB
	Latest ADB Publications: Accelerating Private Sector and Green Transformation in Uzbekistan, January 2025 Customized Low-Carbon Development Models for Rural Areas in the People’s Republic of China, December 2024 Mobilizing Private Capital for Sustainable Development Through Sustainable Bonds: Case Studies from Indonesia and Thailand, January 2025 Strengthening Health Systems: Addressing Challenges in Medical Equipment Management and Ways Forward in Nepal, December 2024 Health, Hygiene, Safety, and Dignity of Sanitation and Waste Workers: A Training Manua, December 2024 The Enabling Environment for Disaster Risk Financing in Cambodia: Country Diagnostics Assessment, December 2024	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: Drought and Migration: Evidence from the Kyrgyz Republic, December 2024	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

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