ARTICLES

18 Sep 2020

A Review of the ASEAN Charter: In the Fullness of Time

Sharon Seah

A long-running review of the ASEAN Charter may yet bear fruit – or it may not.

ASEAN

1 Sep 2020

Digital Payments Can Accelerate Master Plan for ASEAN Connectivity

Melinda Martinus

Digital payment systems have proliferated across Southeast Asia, thanks to various platforms provided by banks, ride-hailing apps and fintech firms. For such payments to truly take off, the region needs to work on facilitating cross-border transactions.

1 Sep 2020

Non-tariff Barriers to Agri-trade in ASEAN: Taking Down Walls

Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy

A bid to boost market access for agri-food trade in ASEAN is in jeopardy. Non-tariff measures (NTMs) – policy measures other than tariffs that can potentially hinder trade – have emerged as one of the key obstacles to agri-food trade, namely fisheries and agro-based products. NTMs increase trade costs for producers, importers and exporters through information, compliance and procedural...

Agri-Trade ASEAN Non-Tariff Barriers

17 Aug 2020

Global Value Chains in ASEAN: With Pandemic Comes Opportunity

Gloria Pasadilla

The ensuing Sino-US trade war and the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the moving of global value chains out of China into other regional states such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. ASEAN countries should not squander the historic opportunity to grab a bigger market share in such chains.

ASEAN COVID-19 Global Value Chains

12 Aug 2020

The Race for Global Value Chains: Return to RCEP, India?

Tham Siew Yean

Both India and ASEAN are vying for places in shifting global value chains (GVC) affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. India is behind the grouping in GVC participation. One way for New Delhi to play catch-up is to rethink its withdrawal from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

ASEAN Global Value Chains India RCEP

12 Aug 2020

Finding ASEAN’s Voice Amid the Din of Geopolitics

Hoang Thi Ha

The re-emergence of the “neutrality” term in a recent ASEAN statement shows the underlying tensions between a fallback position based on neutrality and autonomy, as opposed to a more forward “principled neutrality” position based on international law.

ASEAN ASEAN Neutrality ZOPFAN

17 Jul 2020

ASEAN Single Window: Time to Enlarge the Aperture

Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy

The development of ASEAN Single Window in the past 15 years has demonstrated the importance of digitalizing trade procedures to reduce trade costs and boost competitiveness in ASEAN. The enlargement of the ASEAN Single Window to include the grouping’s dialogue partners will reduce trade costs further.

ASEAN Asean Trade

2 Jul 2020

Australia’s 2020 Defence Strategic Update: Red Alert, Down Under

Malcolm Cook

Australia’s recently-released defence update may be the most consequential document in terms of Canberra’s defence relations with Southeast Asia. Australia is asking its Southeast Asia partners to do more, while offering them more in return.

ASEAN Australia Southeast Asia

22 Jun 2020

Cash, Cards And Cigarettes: Is Covid-19 Helping or Hampering The Black Economy?

Michael Schaper

It is difficult, at this stage, to predict the impact of Covid-19 on the black economy in the region. Lockdowns and the near-total ban on air travel could well affect underground trade – but only if regulators up their street smarts.

ASEAN Black Economy Southeast Asia

17 Jun 2020

ASEAN Cities: Putting the Smarts into the Fight Against Covid-19

Melinda Martinus

ASEAN governments and companies are harnessing the power of smart technologies to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Given future challenges, small and local interventions will be vital.

ASEAN COVID-19 Smart CIties