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December,
2013 Current Topics |
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China's Economic Statecraft: Turning Wealth into Power, November 2013.
China today is using economic statecraft more frequently, more
assertively, and in more diverse fashion than ever before. Yet fears of
Chinese economic coercion should not be overdrawn. In many cases,
China’s use of economic statecraft has been counterproductive. China’s
domestic challenges and... |
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Lowy |
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Moving beyond Ambitions? Indonesia's Military Modernisation,
November 2013. Indonesia’s impressive political and economic
development in recent years has fuelled expectations that
Australia’s much larger neighbour could join the ranks of the
world’s ten largest economies as early as 2030. While there are
good reasons to caution against such long-term predictions,
there’s a high likelihood that Indonesia will become stronger
relative to Australia. Consequently, Prime Minister Tony Abbott
has made the relationship with Indonesia a top foreign policy
priority... |
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ASPI |
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Pacific Economic Monitor, December 2013.
Weak global growth is impacting the Pacific largely through
lower commodity prices. Subdued global demand is keeping
international commodity prices low—adversely affecting
agriculture, mineral, and forestry export revenues of some
Pacific economies... |
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ADB |
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The Economics of Climate Change in the Pacific, Published 2013.
This study identifies the effects and quantifies the costs of
these adverse outcomes to the Pacific island economies, with
details provided for selected key sectors including agriculture,
fisheries, tourism, coral reefs, and human health. It then
presents policy recommendations and action steps for the
countries to minimize or mitigate these impacts, particularly by
mainstreaming climate change in their development plans,
adopting forward-looking and risk-based approaches to climate
change, and climate-proofing both their programs and
infrastructure so that poverty eradication and sustainable
development efforts can continue regardless of the vagaries of
climate. |
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ADB |
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ASEAN
Centrality and the ASEAN-US Economic Relationship, Published
2013. This advance copy is for
circulation and discussion. A revised, final version of this
issue of Policy Studies will be published in January 2014 and
will include analysis of relevant developments at and after the
WTO Bali Ministerial meeting, December 3-6, 2013. |
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EWC |
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Vietnam in
ASEAN and ASEAN in Vietnam, November 2013. Le Dinh Tinh,
Deputy Director General at the Institute for Foreign Policy and
Strategic Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, and Hoang Hai
Long, B.A. Student at Depauw University, explain that "Vietnam
recognizes that by working with ASEAN it can have a greater
impact on regional and global events, rather than by just acting
alone." |
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EWC |
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Constructing and Multilateralizing the Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership: An Asian Perspective, December 2013.
In May 2013 the ASEAN+6 countries began to negotiate the
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The
objective of this paper is to analyze the feasibility of
constructing such a region-wide agreement and to examine ways to
multilateralize it. The paper first reviews free trade agreement
(FTA) developments, and discusses the characteristics and
motives of FTAs in East Asia. It then analyzes the contents of
major plurilateral FTAs in East Asia, that is ASEAN's five FTAs
each with the People's Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of
Korea, India, and Australia/New Zealand... |
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ADB |
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Disaster Risk Management at the National Level, November 2013.
National governments are supposed to play a pivotal role in
disaster risk management (DRM). This paper reviews trends and
patterns in developing governance and institutions in DRM in the
Asia and the Pacific region. The paper then derives
recommendations on how to establish disaster risk governance for
developing countries, including mainstreaming DRM into
development plans and policies. A four-pronged approach is
presented... |
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ADB |
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Disaster Risk Management at the Regional Level: The Case of Asia
and the Pacific, November 2013.
Hazards have no respect for the political boundaries of
countries, so it is essential for disaster risk management (DRM)
to be developed with a strong regional perspective. This paper
describes a wide range of regional initiatives in Asia and the
Pacific that rely on innovative solutions being adopted within a
holistic approach and that link national governments, regional
organizations, diverse sectors, and public and private bodies... |
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ADB |
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Energy Policy Options for Sustainable Development in Bangladesh,
November 2013.
Bangladesh today faces a different future than it did
decades ago when relatively abundant natural gas seemed to be
the key to prosperity. To support more evidence-based dialogue
on energy development, allocation, and pricing reform, this
study uses a computable general equilibrium model to evaluate
major energy policy issues facing Bangladesh... |
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ADB |
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Directory of Initiatives to Assist Small and Medium Enterprises
Access Global Markets, October 2013. The aim of this
directory is to provide a consolidated source of information for
policy makers on the various initiatives used in APEC member
economies to help small and medium enterprises become ready to
access global markets. |
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APEC |
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Training Course on the Application of Remote Sensing and GIS in
Crop Production, Summary Report, November 2013. This report
summarises the findings of the above training course which aimed
to provide a platform for sharing information and technological
expertise on the issues related to the application of geographic
information system (GIS) and remote sensing technology in crop
production among APEC economies and for around the globe. |
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APEC |
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Low Carbon Town and Physical Energy Storage, November 2013.
The APEC project, Low Carbon Town and Physical Energy Storage,
aims at promoting the technology combination of renewable energy
and energy storage. The energy consumption of buildings will be
reduced and the regional energy security in APEC regions will be
enhanced. This report presents the findings of Low Carbon Town
and Physical Energy Storage Project. |
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APEC |
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Emergency Response Travel Facilitation for Personnel, Goods and
Equipment in Times of Crisis, Published 2013. The objective
of this report is twofold: 1) to understand current policies and
procedures affecting the cross-border movement of emergency
personnel and disaster goods and equipment within APEC
economies, and 2) to identify best practices that can be used to
help formulate policy recommendations to effectively deal with
the international movement of emergency responders and disaster
goods and equipment. |
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APEC |
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APEC International Ship and Port Facility Security Code Good
Practices Workshop, Summary Proceedings, November 2013. This
report provides a summary of above the workshop. It aimed to
identify and share good practices in port security oversight
linked to implementing the ISPS Code by discussing the lessons
learnt from APEC’s recently-ended Port Security Visit Program
and other regional capacity building initiatives as well as
opportunities to broaden the scope of the ISPS code’s
application within port areas. |
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APEC |
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Roadmap for Development of Small Hydropower - APEC Workshop on
Small Hydro and Renewable Grid Integration, September 2013
(Published November 2013). This roadmap is part of the "APEC
Workshop on Small Hydro and Renewable Grid Integration". The
objective of the Small Hydropower Plants (SHP) Road map
development is to gather and consequently make available for
Members of APEC, relevant energy, market and policy on SHP. The
roadmap for the development of SHP in APEC economies probably
can not attempt to be a complete guide to SHP development. |
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APEC |
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APEC Workshop on Small Hydro and Renewable Grid Integration,
Final Report, September 2013 (Published November 2013). The
workshop aimed to share experiences on the issues related to
diversification of energy sources, sustainable development and
green growth and suggest road map for addressing current grid
integration problems and suggested future APEC projects. |
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APEC |
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Good Regulatory Practices for Conformity Assessment in APEC
Member Economies, October 2013. The report summarizes member
economies’ preferred approaches to and practices in conformity
assessment and the laws governing such practices, and examines
the application of international standards to conformity
assessment, cooperation among member economies, and member
economies incorporate good practices into assessment
requirements. It also describes member economies’ mandatory
assessment requirements for electrical installations,
photovoltaic products, and medical devices/pacemakers. The
report also offers observations as the basis for further
improvement in conformity assessment approaches in member
economies |
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APEC |
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Enhancing Supervision of Financial Institutions' Risk Appetite
Frameworks, Published 2013. This report summarizes the above
Training Workshop which was organised in Shanghai in May 2013 to
enhance the capacity of supervisors of banks and other financial
institutions from emerging economies within the APEC region to
ensure the implementation of sound risk appetite frameworks in
those institutions. |
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APEC |
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Trends in Trade Finance across the APEC Region, October 2013.
Trade finance is critical for cross-border trade for at least
two reasons: (1) it provides the necessary insurance against
counterparty risk; and (2) it provides working capital, which is
vital to the maintenance of a healthy cash flow especially given
the long time lag in international trade between production of
the goods and receipt of payment. This issues paper has been
prepared to analyse the trends in trade finance since the 2008
Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and to assess the current
situation... |
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APEC |
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Vulnerability to Expected Poverty in Afghanistan, 2013.
This paper measures vulnerability to expected poverty (VEP) an
ex-anti measure of well-being for Afghanistan using a single
cross-section data. We measure VEP using household consumption
expenditure during 2007/08 to predict probability of future
consumption being lower than a specific probability threshold.
Our results show that 66 per cent of Afghan population is
vulnerable to poverty in near future compared to 42 per cent of
the population who currently live under the poverty line... |
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ASARC |
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The
Determinants of Household Level Fertility in India, 2013.
Using NSS data for 1993-94 and 2004-05 this paper highlights the
impact of growing incomes, social and household decisions of
households, and regional and ethnic factors on patterns of
household level fertility in India. These have helped determine
the composition of India’s young (aged 9 to 34) today... |
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ASARC |
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Vulnerability and Responses to Risks in Rural India, 2013.
Using ARIS/REDS data set for 2006 for rural India this paper
models household vulnerability as expected utility and its
components. We conclude, first, that between the years 1999 and
2006 household vulnerability is most explained by poverty and
idiosyncratic components. Second, for risk coping strategy,
households rely heavily on informal instrument such as their own
saving, transfers or capital depletion... |
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ASARC |
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The
Impact of a Large Rice Price Increase on Welfare and Poverty in
Bangladesh, 2013.
This paper studies the effect of a sharp rice price increase on
welfare and poverty in Bangladesh. We employ household
expenditure information to estimate the welfare loss induced by
the price increase. Our findings suggest that we underestimate
the proportionate welfare loss for the rice producing households
and overestimate that of the households who do not produce
rice... |
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ASARC |
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Welfare Schemes and Social Protection in India, 2013.
This paper provides a broad overview of welfare schemes in India
and their impact on social protection during a period of high
economic growth. It summarizes India’s performance with respect
to select economic and social indicators relative to select low
and middle income countries in the Asia Pacific region. It
further overviews trends in some key select economic and social
indicators for India and discusses India’s attainment in Social
Protection relative to an index of such protection provided by
the Asian Development Bank... |
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ASARC |
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Indirect Tax Reform and Fiscal Federalism in India, 2013.
This paper underscores the substantial spatial disparities
across India and evaluates the case for putting together
(various versions) of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) and also
indicates the risks involved in the process. This paper argues
that, on balance, there is a case for an appropriately
constituted GST but that the federal transfer formula must be
sensitive to any fallout from such a move... |
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ASARC |
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Budget
Deficit and National Debt: Sharing India Experience, 2013.
India suffered humiliations in terms of balance of payments
crises in 1991 but since then it has weathered all crises, which
have hit the world economies despite the fact that subsequent
periods have seen even larger current account and fiscal
deficits. It is in this context that an analysis of fiscal and
debt problems of India is timely and assumes importance. The
paper delves upon fiscal exuberance and debt management
practices in India, the budgetary allocations, changing
structure of the deficit and debt, and the sustainability... |
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ASARC |
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New Zealand Journal of Asian
Studies, Volume 11 No. 1, June 2011
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NZJAS |
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New Zealand Journal of Asian
Studies 2009-2010 |
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NZJAS |
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November,
2013 |
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Financial Crisis as a Catalyst of Legal Reforms: The Case of
Asia, November 2013.
This paper discusses how financial crises in emerging
Asia and Japan worked as catalysts for legal reforms. Findings
show that six Asian countries pursued significant legal and
judicial reforms following financial crises in 1997–1998, but
indicators that measure the quality of legal institutions
exhibit mixed results... |
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ADB |
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Mapping Crisis-Era Protectionism in the Asia and Pacific Region,
November 2013.
This paper provides an account of how governments in the
Asia and Pacific region have resorted in recent years to
discrimination against foreign commercial interests. As in
previous systemic economic crises, policymakers altered the mix
of discriminatory policies employed... |
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ADB |
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Myanmar-China-US: The Potential for Triangular Cooperation,
November 2013. David I. Steinberg,
Distinguished Professor of Asian Studies Emeritus, Georgetown
University, explains that ”Those in China, the United States, or
Myanmar who view the Sino-US relationship in Myanmar as a
zero-sum game are wrong.” |
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EWC |
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North Korea
and Mongolia: A New Partnership for Two Old Friends? November
2013. Charles Krusekopf, Executive
Director of the American Center for Mongolian Studies, explains
that "Political and cultural relations between Mongolia and
North Korea have generally remained close since 1948, when
Mongolia became only the second country in the world to
recognize North Korea, after the Soviet Union." |
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EWC |
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Getting to
Full Bloom in US-Malaysia Relations, November 2013.
Prashanth Parameswaran, Ph.D Candidate in International Affairs
at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, explains that "US
diplomatic attention to Malaysia is only beginning to match the
growing importance of the bilateral relationship." |
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EWC |
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China-ASEAN
Relations: Consensus on Principles, Differences on Specifics,
October 2013.
Chaobing Qiu, Research Fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences (CASS), explains that "The consensus on principles such
as mutual trust, cooperation and mutual respect is highly valued
by both sides, but is still not enough to resolve the specific
differences concerning disputes in the South China Sea." |
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EWC |
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Azerbaijan and Georgia: Strategic Partnership for Stability
in a Volatile Region, September 2013.
Azerbaijan and Georgia are two neighboring countries of the
South Caucasus and strategic allies in the region. The
current de-jure map of the South Caucasus region includes
three internationally recognized states: Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Georgia. These three countries not only
share borders, but also a long history of cohabitation as
well as many traditions. At the same time, the unresolved
armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is the most
serious challenge for stability and prosperity in the
region. Azerbaijan is the largest country of the South
Caucasus in terms of territory and population, followed by
Georgia and Armenia. There are also three other territories
that claim independence from Georgia and Azerbaijan. These
are Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan, and Abkhazia and South
Ossetia in Georgia... |
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ISDP |
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Fixing Australia's Incredible Defence Policy, October 2013.
Australia’s new government must make tough decisions in defence policy.
Australia’s broad national interests and the challenging strategic
environment in Indo-Pacific Asia make it essential to modernise the
Australian Defence Force. The nation’s defence capabilities remain
underfunded and its strategic edge in the region is eroding. The gap
between the nation’s interests and capabilities is widening, and it is
getting harder to meet the demands of the US alliance. Australia’s new
government needs to restore focus and funding to defence. |
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Lowy |
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Syria: How the West Can Play a Weak Hand Better, September 2013.
This Lowy Institute Analysis examines the trajectory of the Syrian
conflict in the wake of the Russian and US agreement to eliminate
Syria's chemical weapons. It argues that while that agreement, enshrined
in Security Council Resolution 2118, may remove a pernicious class of
weapons from the Syrian battlefield, it will do nothing to end the
conflict or mitigate some of its other disastrous consequences... |
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Lowy |
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Monetary
Authority of Singapore: Macroeconomic Review, Volume XII, Issue
2, October 2013 (Full
Report,
Presentation Slides for Briefing):
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MAS |
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FDI Technology Spillovers and Spatial Diffusion in the People's
Republic of China, November 2013.
This paper investigates the geographic extent of foreign
direct investment (FDI) technology spillovers and diffusion in
the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The empirical results show
that FDI presence (measured as employment share) in a locality
will generate negative and significant impacts on the
productivity performance of domestic private firms in the same
location. Nevertheless, these negative intra-regional spillovers
are found to be locally bounded... |
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ADB |
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PRC Knowledge Brief: Housing the People, October 2013.
Housing supply in the People’s Republic of China (PRC)
has increased tremendously in recent years to meet demand, but
affordability is increasingly an issue. A State Council document
mandates the provision of 36 million new affordable homes under
the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP) for 2011–2015. Home ownership in
the PRC is very high compared to other countries. As of 2010,
home ownership was almost universal. Living space increased
nine-fold in urban areas and 4.5-fold in rural areas in the past
3 decades. Effectively, two-thirds of all housing was built
after 1990. This rapid expansion in housing has been an
important contributor to GDP growth... |
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ADB |
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The Future of the World Trade Organization, November 2013.
The paper firstly identifies and assesses the key
developments in the Doha Round that have contributed to the
present stalemate. Secondly, it presents several options that
the organization could consider for defining its future work
program given the new realities of global economic engagement,
especially the emergence of global production networks. Most
importantly, the paper assesses the possibility of including new
disciplines covering areas that can help the growth of these
drivers of global economic integration. Such an initiative could
include three sets of issue: trade facilitation measures, an
equitable investment regime, and effective disciplines for
curbing non-tariff barriers. |
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ADB |
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Developing the Service Sector as an Engine of Growth for Asia,
Published 2013.
The future of the sector depends on whether the expansion
of services in Asia is driven by dynamic, open competition or by
the inflexible protection of vested interests. If competition
prevails, Asia can establish a robust, highly productive sector
generating collateral benefits for other industries and
providing services that power inclusive growth. Competition, in
particular foreign competition, worked miracles for
manufacturing in Asia as the region transformed itself into the
factory of the world. It can work new miracles for the region’s
service sectors and for the broader economy. |
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ADB |
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Working Together in Pursuit of Inclusive Business: Sharing the
Latin American and Caribbean Experience with Asia and the
Pacific, November 2013.
This publication summarizes the Inter-American
Development Bank's Opportunities for the Majority program and
provides recommendations for ADB to learn from Latin America in
the pursuit of inclusive business. It is part of the IDB–ADB
cooperation on knowledge exchange between the two regional
development banks in Latin America and the Caribbean and in Asia
and the Pacific. |
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ADB |
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Guidebook on Public–Private Partnership in Hospital Management,
Published 2013.
This publication looks at hospital management as an
important component of well-rounded health care systems. Through
PPPs in hospital management, people will have increased access
to effective, affordable, and compassionate health care
services. |
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ADB |
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Social Protection Index Brief: Social Assistance Programs in
Asia and the Pacific, October 2013.
This policy brief examines the six major subcomponents of
social assistance and draws out policy lessons based on
comprehensive data for 35 countries in the region... |
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ADB |
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Supply Chains and Credit-Market Shocks: Some Implications for
Emerging Markets, November 2013.
First, for
industries where specific investment in the input
supplier-customer relationship is large, firms are more exposed
to credit-market shocks. It is found that measures of global
credit-market shocks are negatively associated with trade
receivables, trade payables, and inventories, conditional on the
level of contract intensity in the industries where firms
operate. Second, firms in emerging markets are more vulnerable
to credit-market shocks than are firms in developed countries... |
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ADB |
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Development of Capital Markets in Member Countries of the South
Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Published 2013.
The level of integration and harmonization of South Asian
capital markets is low. There are major barriers including
exchange controls, ownership restrictions, and differences in
regulatory standards and enforcement capacity. The proposals
address some of these barriers and include measures to promote
awareness, stimulate innovation, raise regulatory standards, and
champion the value of integration... |
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ADB |
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Cold Calculations: Australia's Antarctic Challenges, October
2013. This Strategic Insights looks at the range of
Australian objectives in Antarctica, the assumptions that
underpin those goals, and the options open for us to best
achieve our aims. It’s hoped that this report will inform those
responsible for formulating and implementing our Antarctic
policies... |
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ASPI |
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Keep Calm and Carry On: Reflections on the Anglosphere, October
2013. The Anglosphere—shorthand for the Anglo-American
sphere of influence—established the concept and structure of the
modern transnational community and remains salient in
contemporary international relations. For Australia, the
Anglosphere provides a framework for continued prosperity
through strong trade and political favours between those within
its fold... |
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ASPI |
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Japan-US
Alliance Adapts to the Needs of the 21st Century, October 2013.
Satoru Fuse, Political Correspondent with TV-Asahi in Tokyo,
explains that "The SCC agreement tasks Japan with two roles: to
reinforce its capability to defend its own sovereign territory,
specifically the Senkaku Islands, and to reach out and assist
Southeast Asian countries in building up their own defensive
capabilities." |
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EWC |
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The ROK-US
Alliance at Sixty: Vigorous, But Vigilance Required, October
2013.
Sukjoon Yoon, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for
Maritime Strategy, explains that "The ROK-US security and
defense alliance has been an exemplary model of cooperation, but
the world is changing." |
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EWC |
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Turkey's
Evolving Strategic Balance with China, Japan and South Korea,
October 2013.
Selcuk Colakoglu, Visiting Research Fellow with the Near East
South Asia Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense
University in Washington, D.C., explains that "While Turkey's
relationship with Japan and South Korea will continue to
develop, it is the economic relationship with China that will
continue to the primary focus for Turkish policymakers." |
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EWC |
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Asian
Economic Integration Monitor, October 2013.
The
Asian Economic Integration Monitor is a semiannual review of
Asia’s regional economic cooperation and integration. It covers
the 48 regional members of the Asian Development Bank. The
October 2013 issue includes two theme chapters: i) Toward an
ASEAN Economic Community– and Beyond; and ii) World Trade
Facilitation Negotiations–Asian Perspectives. |
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ADB |
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Monetary and Fiscal Operations in the People's Republic of
China: An Alternative View of the Options Available, October
2013. This paper undertakes a comparative and firm-level
analysis of the impact of regional trade agreements (RTAs) in
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. It finds that
firm-heterogeneity matters in RTA use. Acquiring knowledge about
RTAs, building technological capabilities, and membership of
industrial clusters affect the likelihood of RTA use at
firm-level. A lack of information about RTAs and the absence of
RTAs with major trading partners explain non-use of RTAs. Key
policy implications include the need to improve business support
for RTAs, to conclude RTAs with major trading partners, and to
create a database on preference use in RTAs. |
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ADB |
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Corporate Cash Holding in Asia, October 2013. This paper
undertakes a comparative and firm-level analysis of the impact
of regional trade agreements (RTAs) in Indonesia, Malaysia and
the Philippines. It finds that firm-heterogeneity matters in RTA
use. Acquiring knowledge about RTAs, building technological
capabilities, and membership of industrial clusters affect the
likelihood of RTA use at firm-level. A lack of information about
RTAs and the absence of RTAs with major trading partners explain
non-use of RTAs. Key policy implications include the need to
improve business support for RTAs, to conclude RTAs with major
trading partners, and to create a database on preference use in
RTAs. |
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ADB |
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Regional Trade Agreements and Enterprises in Southeast Asia,
October 2013. This paper undertakes a comparative and
firm-level analysis of the impact of regional trade agreements (RTAs)
in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. It finds that
firm-heterogeneity matters in RTA use. Acquiring knowledge about
RTAs, building technological capabilities, and membership of
industrial clusters affect the likelihood of RTA use at
firm-level. A lack of information about RTAs and the absence of
RTAs with major trading partners explain non-use of RTAs. Key
policy implications include the need to improve business support
for RTAs, to conclude RTAs with major trading partners, and to
create a database on preference use in RTAs. |
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ADB |
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Learning by Exporting: Evidence from India, August 2013. It
examines whether productivity growth among Indian exporters is
higher than that of non-exporters... |
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ADB |
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The Financial Role of East Asian Economies in Global Imbalances:
An Econometric Assessment of Developments after the Global
Financial Crisis August 2013. The objective of this paper is
to empirically assess how global imbalances have evolved since
the global financial crisis of 2008/9. It examines how the
security investment positions of major East Asian economies in
United States financial markets - equities, bonds, and bank
lending - changed after the crisis. |
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ADB |
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What is Economic Corridor Development and What Can It Achieve in
Asia's Subregions? August 2013. Economic corridors connect
economic agents along a defined geography. They provide
important connections between economic nodes or hubs that are
usually centered in urban landscapes. They do not stand alone,
as their role in regional economic development can be
comprehended only in terms of the network effects that they
induce... |
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ADB |
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Impact of Eurozone Financial Shocks on Southeast Asian
Economies, August 2013. Five years after the Global
Financial Crisis, the economies of the United States (US) and
the eurozone continue to struggle. How will Southeast Asian
economies be affected should there be a further deterioration in
conditions in the eurozone? In this paper, we present estimates
using a Global Vector Autoregression model of the direct impacts
in Southeast Asia of a further shock to the eurozone... |
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ADB |
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The Role of International Trade in Employment Growth in Micro-
and Small Enterprises: Evidence from Developing Asia, August
2013. This paper examines the role of international trade in
employment growth in micro-and small enterprises using a
representative sample of manufacturing firms in six Southeast
Asian countries. After controlling for firm and individual
characteristics as well as country and sector dummies,
participation in international trade plays a significant role in
explaining this growth, boosting firm-level growth by 3% per
year on average... |
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ADB |
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2013 Key APEC Documents. Key APEC Documents 2013 is the 20th
in a series produced by the APEC Secretariat. The Key Documents’
publication provides a reference set of the key policy decisions
and initiatives endorsed by APEC Leaders and Ministers each
year. Collectively, these documents frame the policy directions
for APEC’s annual work programs. This issue presents a
compilation of the statements from each of the APEC Ministerial
Meetings held during 2013 together with the APEC Economic
Leaders’ Declaration from their recent meeting in Bali,
Indonesia. |
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APEC |
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Independent Assessment of the APEC Transportation Working Group,
July 2013. |
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APEC |
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Independent Assessment of the Experts Group on Illegal Logging
and Associated Trade, May 2013. |
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APEC |
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Highlights of Journal of Global Buddhism, Volume
13, 2012
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JGB |
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October,
2013 |
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The ASEAN Economic Community: Progress, Challenges, and
Prospects, October 2013. The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
involves liberalization and facilitation of trade in goods,
services, and investment, as well as protection and promotion of
investment. The paper outlines the AEC Blueprint actions and the
time lines for completion. The authors find that by end-2011
only an implementation rate of 67.5% had been achieved. While
tariff elimination is found to be largely on schedule, there are
difficulties with the removal of non-tariff barriers as well as
with the liberalization of services and investment regimes. |
|
ADB |
|
|
Plurilateral Agreements: A Viable Alternative to the World Trade
Organization? October 2013. The paper looks at some
issue-based plurilateral agreements—such as the Information
Technology Agreement (ITA), the Financial Services and Basic
Telecommunication Services Agreements, and the
Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)—with the aim of
pointing to their crucial role in resolving the stalemate at the
WTO and the Doha Round and the accelerating proliferation of
free trade agreements (FTAs). It also suggests possible areas
where new plurilateral agreements—whether single or multiple
issue-based—can be developed. The paper highlights the
importance of plurilateral agreements as a mechanism
complementary to the WTO and FTAs in enhancing the governance of
the global trade system, and outlines conditions that need to be
fulfilled to address the needs of developing countries. |
|
ADB |
|
|
Special Study on Sustainable Fisheries Management and
International Trade in the Southeast Asia and Pacific Region,
October 2013. This paper analyzes the current status of
fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia and international
trade. Analysis concludes that a policy of sustainable
management for both capture fisheries and aquaculture is of
greatest importance, but such a policy has been neither planned
nor implemented with a holistic and long-term perspective.
Current policy reflects a short-term view and the immediate
needs of each nation. Therefore, capacity building of human
resources and organizations, including governments, is needed
for the formulation of holistic national policies to seek
long-term and fundamental remedies for the sustainable
management of fisheries resources and intensified and extensive
aquaculture. |
|
ADB |
|
|
Modern Currency Wars: The United States versus Japan, October
2013. In 2013, through massive quantitative easing by the
Bank of Japan (BOJ), the yen depreciated about 25% against the
US dollar, stoking fears of Japan bashing by the US. However,
this sharp depreciation simply restored the purchasing power
parity of the yen with the dollar. Since 2008, quantitative
easing by the BOJ has been similar to that carried out by the US
Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, and the European Central
Bank. So the BOJ can only be faulted as a currency belligerent
if there is further significant yen depreciation. Led by the US,
now all mature industrial countries are addicted to near-zero
interest liquidity traps in both the short and long terms. Such
ultra-low interest rates are causing lasting damage to the
countries' financial systems, and to those of emerging markets,
which naturally have higher interest rates. But exiting the trap
creates a risk of chaos in long-term bond markets and is proving
surprisingly difficult.... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Exchange Rate Policy and Regional Trade Agreements: A Case of
Conflicted Interests? October 2013. The results highlight
the conflicting interests of countries — to stabilize exchange
rates or to keep the option of exchange rate depreciation in
order to maintain competitiveness of domestic tradable
producers. With deepening integration in East Asia, however, the
desire for exchange rate stability will eventually outweigh the
desire to maintain a protectionist tool... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Abenomics' Trade Spillover, October 2013. The paper assesses
the impact on Japan's competitors from a marked fall in the
value of yen. Competing exporters are likely hurt by a cheaper
yen, except those relying heavily on Japanese parts and
components for their exports. This paper formalizes this
intuition and tests it against a data set covering more than 90%
of world trade at the product level, between 2000 and 2011... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Invisible Trade Barriers: Trade Effects of US Antidumping
Actions Against the People's Republic of China, October 2013.
This paper empirically examines the trade restriction and
diversion effects of United States (US) antidumping actions
against imports from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The
results show that the antidumping measures raised the prices of
imports from the PRC and reduced US imports from the PRC only in
the short term. Overall, the evidence suggests that antidumping
actions fail to protect US domestic industries but harm US
consumers via higher import prices. |
|
ADB |
|
|
Energy Outlook for Asia and the Pacific, 2013. This report
attempts to identify policy, social, infrastructure, and
technology issues that must be addressed to meet the future
energy needs of members of ADB in Asia and the Pacific. Two
cases of the projected energy demand and supply up to 2035 for
ADB members in Asia and the Pacific are presented:.. |
|
ADB |
|
|
Economics of Climate Change in East Asia, Published 2013.
This regional study includes the People's Republic of China,
Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Mongolia and examines how
strategies for adapting to climate change up to 2050 can be
combined with measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in
East Asia... |
|
ADB |
|
|
South Asia Conference on Environmental Justice, Published 2013.
The recommendations from the conference led to the adoption of a
14-point Bhurban Declaration establishing "green benches" across
Pakistan and calling for subregional collaboration for educated
judiciaries, specialized courts, and cooperation to achieve
environmental justice... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Indus Basin Floods: Mechanisms, Impacts, and Management,
Published 2013. This report proposes a contemporary holistic
approach, applying scientific assessments that take people,
land, and water into account. It also includes planning and
implementation realized through appropriate policies,
enforceable laws, and effective institutions. |
|
ADB |
|
|
Hong
Kong: High Frequency Macroeconomic Forecasts Current
Quarter Model: 2013Q4, October 2013
revised the real GDP growth
forecast for the whole year of 2013 to 3.4%. This growth
is driven mainly by the mild improvement of the external
sector and the robust internal demand... |
|
HKU |
|
|
2013 APEC Economic Policy Report: Executive Summary. This is
an executive summary of the 2013 APEC Economic Policy Report
which focuses on APEC’s work to enhance fiscal transparency and
public accountability as part of APEC’s New Strategy for
Structural Reform initiative. |
|
APEC |
|
|
Factsheet: 2013 APEC Economic Policy Report. This is a 2
page factsheet of the 2013 APEC Economic Policy Report which
focuses on APEC’s work to enhance fiscal transparency and public
accountability as part of APEC’s New Strategy for Structural
Reform initiative. |
|
APEC |
|
|
2013 APEC Economic Policy Report. As part of APEC’s New
Strategy for Structural Reform initiative, the 2013 APEC
Economic Report focuses on APEC’s work to enhance fiscal
transparency and public accountability. It includes individual
member economies reports to provide valuable information on
economies’ fiscal institutions and their key initiatives and
challenges in promoting fiscal transparency and accountability. |
|
APEC |
|
|
2013 Senior Officials' Report on Economic and Technical
Cooperation. The key focus of the SOM Steering Committee on
ECOTECH in 2013 was on improving APEC’s ECOTECH work to ensure
ECOTECH continue to play a critical role in accelerating
Regional Economic Integration and in implementing the APEC
Leaders' Growth Strategy. |
|
APEC |
|
|
Factsheet: 2013 APEC Senior Officials' Report on Economic and
Technical Cooperation. This is a 2 page factsheet of the
2013 APEC Senior Officials' Report on Economic and Technical
Cooperation. |
|
APEC |
|
|
2013 CTI Annual Report to Ministers. The CTI Annual Report
to Ministers for 2013 outlines the Committee’s accomplishments
and recommendations in the key priority areas of APEC’s Trade
and Investment Liberalization and Facilitation agenda in support
of APEC’s 2013 priorities under the theme of “Resilient
Asia-Pacific, Engine of Global Growth”. |
|
APEC |
|
|
APEC in Charts 2013. APEC in Charts is a new initiative of
the APEC Policy Support Unit. It provides a graphical overview
of the APEC region’s economic, trade, investment and
policy-related performance. |
|
APEC |
|
|
2013 ABAC Report to Leaders: Partnership, Resilience Bridges to
Growth. The 2013 APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC)
Report to APEC Economic Leaders, contains recommendations by
ABAC to the APEC Economic Leaders in Indonesia, October 2013. |
|
APEC |
|
|
2013 ANSSR Mid-Term Progress Report: Summary of Results.
APEC’s New Strategy for Structural Reform (ANSSR) was adopted by
Leaders at their Yokohama meeting in 2010. This report is a
mid-term progress review, designed to facilitate knowledge
exchange and information sharing by highlighting examples of
successful structural reforms, as well as identifying common
challenges that have arisen during the ANSSR implementation
process. |
|
APEC |
|
|
APEC Economic Trends Analysis: Cautious Steps towards Recovery,
October 2013. The October 2013 issue examines the economic
performance of the APEC region in the first half of this year.
There have been divergent trends seen in the region. Economic
activity has strengthened in industrialized APEC economies while
there has been weaker than expected GDP growth in some APEC
emerging and developing economies. Some economies in APEC were
also affected as investors reassessed the outlook for monetary
policy in some large economies, with visible impacts on the
bond, equity and currency markets... |
|
APEC |
|
|
Key Trends and Developments Relating to Trade and Investment
Measures and Their Impact on the APEC Region, October 2013.
This report was presented at the APEC Ministerial Meeting in
Bali, Indonesia in October 2013. It highlights that as economic
activity has recently gathered strength in advanced economies,
it has begun to slow in many developing and emerging economies.
Trade performance in the first half of 2013 was also weaker than
expected as the strong growth in import demand from emerging
economies wasn't enough to offset the weakened import demand in
advanced economies... |
|
APEC |
|
|
Improving Connectivity in the Asia Pacific Region, September
2013. The main objectives of the study are to: (1) enhance
APEC’s understanding of the current state of physical,
institutional and people-to-people connectivity in the APEC
region, including the initiatives of APEC and other
international organizations in promoting connectivity; and (2)
identify gaps and areas of opportunity in order to provide
strategic recommendations towards the development of an APEC
Framework on Connectivity... |
|
APEC |
|
|
Emergency Response Travel Facilitation for Personnel, Goods and
Equipment in Times of Crisis: Summary, September 2013. The objective
of this report is two-fold: 1) to understand current policies
and procedures governing the cross-border movement of emergency
personnel and disaster goods and equipment within APEC
economies; and 2) to identify best practices that can be used to
help formulate policy recommendations to effectively deal with
the international movement of emergency responders, disaster
goods and equipment. |
|
APEC |
|
|
Study Report on APEC Environmental Services-Related Technology
Market, August 2013. The report aims to provide a
comprehensive study on ES and ES- related technologies market,
including relevant general concepts and links between ES and
ES-related technology, etc. |
|
APEC |
|
|
The PLA and International Humanitarian Law: Achievements and
Challenges, October 2013. As a branch
of international law, the duty to implement international
humanitarian law (IHL) lies mainly with the state. The
government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has
undertaken a number of legal and practical actions to
fulfill its international obligations in this area. The
practical measures include organizing and delegating the
implementation of tasks to military authorities and academic
institutions. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has a major
role in the PRC’s aim of ensuring full compliance with this
body of law, as well as ensuring that its provisions are
fully respected, even in peacetime... |
|
ISDP |
|
|
China's
Antidrug Policies in Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle, September
2013.
Xiaobo Su, recent Asia Studies Visiting Fellow at the East-West
Center in Washington, explains that “Since the 1980s, successive
Chinese leaders have sought to address this nontraditional
security challenge, and there have been a number of initiatives
activated in China’s antidrug campaign with Yunnan province on
the frontline.” |
|
EWC |
|
|
Patterns of
Military Behavior in Myanmar's New Legislature , September 2013.
Renaud Egreteau, Research Assistant Professor at the University
of Hong Kong, explains that “All indications are that there is a
long way to go before the Myanmar military fully returns to the
barracks.” |
|
EWC |
|
|
US Investors
Support the ASEAN Economic Community But Question the 2015
Deadline, September 2013.
John Goyer, Senior Director for Southeast Asia at the US Chamber
of Commerce, explains that "slightly over half of US companies
surveyed said that their companies are preparing strategies
based on ASEAN's plans to reduce and eliminate barriers to trade
in goods, services, and investment among its member countries." |
|
EWC |
|
|
Judicious Ambition: International Policy Priorities for the New
Australian Government, September 2013.
The new Australian Government should approach the international
challenges and opportunities with judicious ambition. It should restore
focus and funding to defence policy, re-energise the G20, add substance
to the Australia-China strategic dialogue, work with China in the
Pacific Islands region and adopt a measured and sustainable approach to
people-smuggling... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Syria: How the West Can Play a Weak Hand Better, September 2013
examines the trajectory of the Syrian conflict in the wake of the
Russian and US agreement to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons. It
argues that while that agreement, enshrined in Security Council
Resolution 2118, may remove a pernicious class of weapons from the
Syrian battlefield, it will do nothing to end the conflict or mitigate
some of its other disastrous consequences. The West needs, therefore, to
build on this deal and forge new agreements to gain humanitarian access
and protection for Syria's civilians, and to establish a durable
ceasefire. This will mean accepting, for the moment at least, that Assad
will remain in power. But Western policy on Syria needs to operate
within the realm of the possible, rather than the preferable... |
|
Lowy |
|
|
Trends in a Tumultuous Region: Middle East after the Arab
Awakening, September 2013. This paper, by Lydia Khalil,
looks at the road to revolution, the polarised politics of
Islamists vs secularists, and sectarianism’s grip in the region.
The events in Egypt and Syria illustrate the difficulties faced
by policymakers around the world—options for intervention are
limited. However, the international community continues to look
for ways to encourage stability. Australia's role is considered
including its role on the United Nations Security Council,
particularly when it comes to the Syrian crisis and dealing with
Iran’s nuclear ambitions... |
|
ASPI |
|
|
Monetary
Authority of Singapore: Survey of Professional Forecasters (September
2013) |
|
MAS |
|
|
Asian Development Outlook 2013
UPDATE
(Highlights,
Full
Report):
Governance and Public Service
Delivery
|
|
ADB |
|
|
Asia Bond Monitor, September 2013. The
quarter-on-quarter growth rate for emerging East Asia's local
local currency bond market in 2Q13 was 1.7%, down from 2.9%
growth in 1Q13, as the region's local currency bond market
reached US$6.8 trillion in size. The slight decline in the
quarterly growth rate reflected not only a drop in the growth
rate for government bonds to 1.1% in 2Q13 from 1.9% in the
previous quarter, but an even larger drop in the corporate
sector’s growth rate to 2.9% from 4.7%... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Monetary Policy Frameworks in Asia: Experience, Lessons and
Issues, September 2013. The paper finds that East Asian
central banks have managed inflation and growth well over the
past decade, but the difficulties faced by central banks of
advanced countries in the aftermath of the GFC suggests that not
all problems have been solved. |
|
ADB |
|
|
Schooling Supply and the Structure of Production: Evidence from
US States 1950–1990, October 2013. This paper finds that
over the period 1950–1990, states in the United States absorbed
increases in the supply of schooling due to tighter compulsory
schooling and child labor laws mostly through within-industry
increases in the schooling intensity of production. Shifts in
the industry composition toward more schooling-intensive
industries played a less important role... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Deepening Economic Cooperation between India and Sri Lanka,
Published 2013. This book analyzes the performance and
impact of the India–Sri Lanka free trade agreement over the past
decade and suggests the way forward. India became an important
source of imports for Sri Lanka immediately after the
implementation of the free trade agreement... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Aid for Trade: An Investment-Benefit Road Map from South Asia,
Published 2013. This report lays out an applied framework
for prioritizing potential trade-related interventions and
investments according to the expected strength of their combined
economic impacts. Along the way, and for the first time, the
economic geography of northeastern South Asia has been
comprehensively mapped. Computer-driven modeling provides a
dynamic portrayal of the economic geography that is a resource
for decision makers (and investors)... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Health in
the Post-2015 Development Agenda for Asia and the Pacific,
September 2013. The paper discusses the key health
challenges in the post-2015 development agenda for Asia and the
Pacific, a highly populated, diverse region of countries with
different health needs and priorities. However, common to most
countries are the emerging health challenges of an aging
population... |
|
ADB |
|
|
Regional and Subregional Program Links: Mapping the links
between ASEAN and the GMS, BIMP-EAGA, and IMT-GT, September 2013.
TThis report presents an assessment of the links among ASEAN and
the three subregional programs (Greater Mekong Subregion [GMS],
Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN
Growth Area [BIMP-EAGA], Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth
Triangle [IMT-GT], and the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations [ASEAN]) and is the first study that explicitly maps and
analyzes the strategic program and institutional links among the
three subregional programs and ASEAN... |
|
ADB |
|
|
APEC at a Glance 2014, Published October 2013.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum was
established in 1989 to capitalise on the growing interdependence
of Asia-Pacific economies. This handy publication lists APEC's
goals, modus operandi and member economies. |
|
APEC |
|
|
Guidebook on SME Business Continuity Planning, August 2013.
This Guidebook is
intended to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
introduce business continuity plan (BCP). It presents 10 easy
steps that SME readers can follow to develop their own BCP. In
each step, forms have been prepared to assist readers. You
should fill in those forms to suit the needs of your company.
When you finish all the forms, you will have a complete business
continuity plan for your company. |
|
APEC |
|
|
The
Limits of Sovereignty and Post-War Okinawan Migrants in
Bolivia, August 2013.
This paper examines the legal implications for Okinawan
migrants of Article 3 of the San Francisco Peace Treaty
(hereafter SFPT), signed between Japan and most of the
Allied Powers in 1951. Particularly, it analyses the
case of post-war Okinawan migrants in Bolivia, showing
how the legal conditions in the Ryukyu Islands were
extended to the Andean country... |
|
APJ |
|
|
Fukushima, Fuel Rods, and the Crisis of Divided and
Distracted Governance, August 2013.
Japan is more fluid than it has been in years. The end
of Japan’s “nejire kokkai” (“divided Diet)” via Abe’s
resounding win in the July 21 Upper House elections was
hailed in many circles in Japan and internationally as
heralding three years of stability in government. But
perhaps this sense of stability has very weak
foundations... |
|
APJ |
|
|
Abe's
Nuclear Energy Policy and Japan's Future, August 2013.
Abe was belatedly forced to state, “Rather than relying
on Tokyo Electric, the government will take measures.”
Two and a half years after the three meltdowns at
Fukushima, Tepco has not come to grips with the problem
of how to manage accumulations of contaminated water
being used to cool the crippled reactors and the spread
of that contamination to groundwater that flows through
the plant site to the sea... |
|
APJ |
|
|
Water,
Water Everywhere: Incentives and Options at Fukushima
Daiichi and Beyond, August 2013.
Japan’s ruined and radioactive reactor plant at
Fukushima Daiichi has been an abiding source of concern
among knowledgeable observers. There are a host of good
reasons for this reemergence. As this Mainichi survey
observes, it is now clear that several hundred tons of
radiation-contaminated water is entering the ocean per
day... |
|
APJ |
|
|
The
Korean War and Sino-North Korean Friendship, August 2013.
The relationship between China and North Korea is a
subject that attracts much discussion and speculation in
today’s policy circles and media. The history of
Sino–North Korean friendship is typically traced to the
time of the Korean War (1950–1953), although in North
Korea it tends to go further back, to the colonial
period... |
|
APJ |
|
|
Miyazaki
Hayao's Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Rises), August 2013.
Miyazaki Hayao‟s new film Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Rises)
premiered on July 20 and is on pace to become one of the
most successful, if not the most successful, Japanese
films of 2013. Miyazaki tells the story of Horikoshi
Jiro, the designer of the “Zero Fighter”, which was a
terrifyingly effective weapon deployed against China,
the United States, and its allies in the early war
years... |
|
APJ |
|
|
In the
Dark With Tepco: Fukushima's Legacy for Nuclear Power,
August 2013.
The sad saga of Fukushima, with its recurrent
revelations of incompetence and obfuscation, carries on.
Among the latest, as related in detail in this July 31
Reuters article, are radioactive releases into the sea,
unexplained ventings of steam, and the lack of a
credible plan to deal with a daily 400-tonne influx of
groundwater... |
|
APJ |
|
|
Zen as a
Cult of Death in the Wartime Writings of D.T. Suzuki,
August 2013.
The publication of Zen at War in 1997 and, to a lesser
extent, Zen War Stories in 2003 sent shock waves through
Zen Buddhist circles not only in Japan, but also in the
U.S. and Europe. These books revealed that many leading
Zen masters and scholars, some of whom became well known
in the West in the postwar era, had been vehement if not
fanatical supporters of Japanese militarism... |
|
APJ |
|
|
Medical Tourism in the Philippines: Market Profile,
Benchmarking Exercise, and S.W.O.T. Analysis, September
2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
Relative Price Effects on Decompositions of Change in
Aggregate Labor Productivity, September 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
Feasibility of Mortgage-Backed Securitization for the
Underserved Housing Market in the Philippines, September
2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
Philippine Fisheries Trade with ASEAN: Chokepoints to
AEC 2015, September 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
Opportunities for Making Health Financing and Services
More Inclusive in the Philippines, August 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
Explaining the Large Disparities in Health in the
Philippines, August 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
The Puzzle of Economic Growth and Stalled Health
Improvement in the Philippines, August 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
Urgent: A Road Map for Agro-industrial Development in
the Philippines, August 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
The ASEAN Economic Community, August 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
Buying or Leasing of
Election Machines by COMELEC, August 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
After Five Years of Pantawid, What Next? August 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
Multisector Strategy in Addressing Noncommunicable
Diseases in the Philippines, July 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
|
Trade Liberalization and Trade Performance in Asia:
1974-2008, April-June 2013 |
|
PIDS |
|
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