The Regional Economic Studies (RES) programme focuses on a broad range of economic issues in the Asia Pacific region, with a special emphasis on the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The programme covers a variety of research and research-related activities from workshops, conferences, seminars, training programmes, to the publication of journals and articles and includes partnerships with other research institutions, universities and development organisations.
The RES programme incorporates the Singapore APEC Study Centre and the Trade Policy Unit. The Singapore APEC Study Centre was established in 1994 at ISEAS by the Ministry of Education. The Centre continues to build links with other APEC study centres in the region and also the APEC Secretariat and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) Secretariat in Singapore. Members from RES have been attending conferences and meetings organized by the APEC network of study centres around the world, and especially the APEC Study Centres Consortium Meetings which are held on an annual basis.
The Trade Policy Unit (TPU) was established in 2003 to undertake research on trade policy issues particularly related to the World Trade Organization, and from a Southeast Asian perspective. Activities of the TPU include publishing trade policy papers, organising workshops, roundtables and seminars, and collaborating with other institutions involved in trade policy.
Recent projects and activities:
This workshop was held in Singapore on 15 April 2008. The main objective of the workshop was to identify the major roadblocks or impediments faced by ASEAN in its efforts to realise the ASEAN Community. By 2020, the ASEAN Community is envisaged to be a stable and prosperous region, in which there is a free flow of goods, services and investments, a freer flow of capital, equitable economic development and reduced poverty and socio-economic disparities. A policy report is expected to be published based on the workshop discussions.
In collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), ISEAS organized this workshop in Singapore on 11 March 2008. This workshop examined the development of production networks in less developed ASEAN countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia.
This workshop is part of an ongoing ISEAS research project that examines development paradigms in Indonesia. It was held in Singapore on 6 March 2008 in collaboration with the Department of Management, Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia.
The main objective of this book project was to present some of the key challenges facing ASEAN as it embarks on a major initiative to establish an ASEAN Economic Community. Organised under the auspices of the ASEAN Australia Development Cooperation Programme’s Regional Economic Policy Support Facility (REPSF), the book project brings together authoritative studies on the issues and challenges pertaining to building an AEC by 2015. These studies were undertaken over a period of seven years (2001-2007) and written by prominent experts and academicians. The book was published by ISEAS and Asia Pacific Press in November 2007 and launched in Singapore (ISEAS), Jakarta (ASEAN Secretariat) and Canberra (Australian National University).
The ASEAN Roundtable, which was held in Singapore on 3-4 December 2007, examined the economic and financial reforms that had been undertaken by crisis-affected countries since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The roundtable also identified the policy challenges that lie ahead to build a robust regional financial architecture in East Asia. An edited volume is expected to be published based on the papers presented at the roundtable.
This research project for the ASEAN Secretariat identified feasible options for East Asia Summit (EAS) finance cooperation and recommended appropriate approaches to regional financial cooperation. A technical meeting was held in Singapore on 1 August 2007. The final draft was presented to the EAS finance official in a workshop held in Jakarta on 10 September 2007. The study was submitted in October 2007 to the ASEAN Secretariat. Some of the key policy recommendations from the study were taken into account at the Third East Asia Summit in Singapore in November 2007.
This conference was held in New Delhi, India on 12-13 November 2007. The conference was organized by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) in collaboration with ISEAS, the Institute for Developing Economies (IDE) and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). This conference aimed to provide policy inputs on regional economic integration for the Third East Asia Summit in Singapore on 21 November 2007.
The workshop was held on 3-5 September 2007 in Singapore. The workshop examined various patterns of ageing in Southeast Asian communities, particularly related to financing issues. The workshop also examined the “non-monetary” aspects of financing, such as through the promotion of active ageing.
In collaboration with the Institute for Developing Economies (IDE) and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), ISEAS organized this workshop in Singapore on 7 May 2007. This workshop examined how the development of production networks and industrial clusters can contribute to the economic integration of Southeast Asia.
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