ARTICLES

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.

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

10 Jun 2020

The RCEP in 2020: Covid-19 and Another Casualty?

Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy

The formation of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a lengthy process. Signing the RCEP in 2020 is not impossible although it can be undermined by the persistent spread of Covid-19.

ASEAN Asean Trade RCEP

19 May 2020

E-commerce and Supply Chains: Links of the Same Chain

Gloria Pasadilla

E-commerce is seen as a panacea for the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but it should be seen as one part of a larger and more complex system, involving other elements such as manufacturing and logistics. An ASEAN initiative to address bottlenecks in such systems should be lauded and supported.

ASEAN Asean Trade

30 Apr 2020

ASEAN in the RCEP: Diversions and Reversions

Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy

Tariff cuts under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership will generate import gains for ASEAN as it will reverse the negative trade-diversion effects caused by the existing bilateral and ASEAN+1 free trade agreements. But there will be firms in ASEAN that have to compete with their counterparts from RCEP countries.

ASEAN Asean Trade RCEP