| E-Launch and Discussion of “The State of Southeast Asia: 2023 Survey Report” on 9 February 2023 |
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Almost three years since COVID-19 was declared pandemic, Southeast Asia is still recovering from profound socio-economic impacts and grappling with the headwinds of recessionary pressures, while facing unprecedented challenges from quickly evolving geo-political situations. Against this backdrop, the ASEAN Studies Centre at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute conducted the fifth edition of ‘‘The State of Southeast Asia 2023” survey to seek the views of Southeast Asian opinion leaders on regional affairs. The survey canvassed the views of 1,308 respondents from the policy, research, business, civil society, and media communities. Among the questions explored in this edition are the top challenges facing Southeast Asia; the Russian invasion of Ukraine; Taiwan Strait tensions; Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN; the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF); China’s Global Security Initiative (GSI); the US-China rivalry and its impact on Southeast Asia, levels of trust regarding the major powers; and soft power. The E-launch event will present key survey findings, which will be highlighted for discussion and analysis, by a distinguished panel of discussants.
Click here for more information and to register. |
| Fulcrum: “What the New U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN Can Do” by Joanne Lin |
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“Ambassador Abraham’s new mandate in ASEAN, at these most challenging of times, will be extremely vital. He must cultivate strategic trust, and balance the interests of ten diverse countries against the U.S.’ vested interests in the Indo-Pacific.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Moving Southeast Asia’s Climate Needle: One Thread at a Time” by Sharon Seah and Melinda Martinus |
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“Southeast Asia remains deeply concerned about the effects of climate change, but commitment and enthusiasm for practical action vary.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN and Taiwan: Cooperation Opportunities amid Diplomatic Constraints” by Melinda Martinus |
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“While there are risks involved in pursuing deeper cooperation with Taiwan beyond trade and economics, ASEAN should not shy away from exploring possibilities even while abiding by the ‘One China’ policy.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Has ASEAN Lost its Appeal to the United Kingdom?” by Joanne Lin |
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“The race for the leadership of the Conservative Party has thrown up few clues about London’s approach to ASEAN and the wider Indo-Pacific. Whoever wins, there is reason to believe that the United Kingdom will retain its strong institutional ties to the region.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Is the ASEAN Secretariat Overdue for a Renewed Mandate?” by Joanne Lin |
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“As ASEAN marks 55 years of existence, the pressing challenge of strengthening and empowering its Secretariat needs to be faced if the organisation is to remain relevant.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting: Much Ado About Everything (or Nothing)” by Sharon Seah, Joanne Lin and Melinda Martinus |
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“The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings last week occurred at a time when the region was seeing ructions, be it in the Taiwan Strait, Myanmar or the war in Ukraine. ASEAN can boast that it has retained its convening power, but this in itself might be insufficient.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Ukraine’s Accession to TAC: A Critical Decision for ASEAN” by Joanne Lin |
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“ASEAN has a chance to stand up for international peace by allowing Ukraine to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. Failing to do so would highlight the weakness of the organisation at a time when small and medium states need to hold firm against great power bullying.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Promoting Inclusive Growth with Digital Identification in ASEAN” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Digital identification could be a silver bullet to increase tax revenues for ASEAN governments while pulling the region’s poorest out of poverty by redistributing wealth.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Frugal Innovations: New Delhi’s Soft Power Potential in ASEAN” by Melinda Martinus and Laura Lee |
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“India has the opportunity to boost its soft power in ASEAN, including by promoting and sharing its lauded ‘frugal innovations’ to help low-income Southeast Asians to improve their lives.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Enhancing ASEAN Access to Finance with Digital Banknote” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) form an integral part of ASEAN economies, but they have not been able to access sufficient financial resources to unlock their growth potential.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Can Indonesia Provide Much-needed Leadership in ASEAN?” by Joanne Lin |
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“Indonesia’s various moves on the foreign policy front suggest that it is preparing for a robust role as ASEAN Chair when it takes over the regional grouping’s leadership in 2023. However, its ambitious ideas for revitalising ASEAN will meet headwinds regionally and globally.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “Asean needs to confront two key issues” by Sharon Seah |
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“As the regional grouping turns 55 on Aug 8, it faces two big tests – what to do with Myanmar and the intensifying US-China contest. Its centrality is at stake.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “The EU in the Indo-Pacific: A New Strategy with Implications for ASEAN” by Joanne Lin |
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“The European Council reached agreement on an EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in April 2021, and in September, it presented a Joint Communication providing further rationale for its strategy. This paves the way for the EU to join the other long-standing advocates of the Indo-Pacific strategy.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “Trade and Environmental Disputes May Persist Despite Promising Leaders’ Summit on Climate” by Melinda Martinus and Qiu Jiahui |
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“The recent Leaders’ Summit on Climate Change convened by the Biden Administration signalled the US’ return and major powers’ unwavering commitment to tackling climate change. The themes and issues raised by some ASEAN leaders at the summit are a harbinger of climate negotiations to come. Can developed and developing countries find a balance between heightened climate ambition and the spirit of CBDR-RC?”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “U.S.-ASEAN: Summitry Is Not a Strategy” by Sharon Seah and William Choong |
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“The United States hit all the right notes when it hosted ASEAN leaders in Washington last week. The fact remains, however, that Washington has an uphill climb if it wants to catch up with Beijing’s economic momentum in Southeast Asia.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “The ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: What’s in a Name” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“China’s proposal to ‘upgrade’ its relations with ASEAN to ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ (CSP) is part of Beijing’s active neighbourhood diplomacy, which is given added emphasis and urgency by Sino-US tensions and China’s estrangement from the West.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN’s Consumers on the Move: Tertiary Education” by Melinda Martinus |
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“ASEAN’s growing consumer market for tertiary education is an encouraging trend that has potential upsides for future regional development. ASEAN’s demand for university qualifications will create opportunities for foreign and local institutions to set up more regional branches.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “System Reset? Unlocking Domestic Data Flows to Enhance ASEAN E-Commerce” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“ASEAN has been unable to take full advantage of the rapid growth of electronic commerce, given uneven levels of openness in data flows within and across the region. Strengthening domestic and regional regulations in this sector will unleash the region’s potential to help its post-pandemic recovery.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “Enhancing Asean access to finance with digital banknote” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) form an integral part of Asean economies, but they have not been able to access sufficient financial resources to unlock their growth potential.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Has ASEAN Reached the Point of Diminishing Returns with Myanmar?” by Sharon Seah and Moe Thuzar |
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“The State Administration Council has cleverly gamed the ASEAN system for its own ends and dragged out the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. It is time for ASEAN to pack more punch into the office of the Special Envoy to Myanmar.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Diplomat: “Inflation: The Threat to ASEAN Economic Recovery in 2022 and Beyond” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Rising food and energy prices are set to weaken economic growth by reducing real private consumption and investment.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN and ADMM: Climbing Out of a Deep Hole” by Joanne Lin |
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“The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting has bagged modest achievements in past years. But it will take a lot more to assert ASEAN’s central role in a region where external powers have grabbed the initiative in forming minilaterals outside the ASEAN ecosystem.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN’S Relevance for the New South Korean Administration” by Joanne Lin |
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“New South Korean President Yoon has a tough balancing act to pull off for his foreign policy, given his neophyte status on the international stage. ASEAN will be watching carefully to see if great power rivalry will derail ASEAN-ROK cooperation.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Can a Regional Public Health Emergency Centre Work for ASEAN?” by Melinda Martinus |
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“ASEAN’s plan to set up a regional public health emergency centre will support its efforts to reopen the region’s economy to tourism and to finally shed the pall that the Covid-19 pandemic has cast. However, the devil is in the details and ASEAN needs to ensure the plan is not dead in the water.”
Click here to read more. |
| South China Morning Post: “Asean reopening: aviation, travel approach shows the grouping is far from flying high” by Joanne Lin |
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“As individual member states rush to reopen their borders amid the pandemic, Asean has again been found to be not up to the job.”
Click here to read more. |
| East Asia Forum: “Broadening the Quad’s appeal in the Indo-Pacific” by William Choong and Sharon Seah |
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“The wilderness years of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (the Quad), after its initial inception during the 2004 Asian tsunami, are over. The latest summit in Tokyo reaffirmed its mission as a ‘force for good’ while promising a broad array of Indo-Pacific cyber security, maritime awareness, pandemic recovery, space, climate change and infrastructure initiatives.”
Click here to read more. |
| Think China: “US-ASEAN summit: Washington still has an uphill climb” by Sharon Seah and William Choong |
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“The US hit all the right notes when it hosted ASEAN leaders in Washington last week. The fact remains, however, that Washington has an uphill climb if it wants to catch up with Beijing’s economic momentum in Southeast Asia. Not only that, Southeast Asian countries understand that in the end, it would be every man for himself.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “Enabling Domestic Data Flows for E-Commerce in ASEAN Countries” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework to build trust in data sharing between stakeholders and to enhance domestic data flows in ASEAN countries are urgent concerns. This is a precondition for enhancing cross-border data flows and promoting e-commerce in the region.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “What’s Next for ASEAN-UK Dialogue Relations?” by Joanne Lin |
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“While noting the UK’s security interest in the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN needs to continue serving as an anchor in the regional architecture through the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and to promote synergy through ASEAN-led mechanisms.”
Click here to read more. |
| Think China: “South Korea’s pivot to the US will impact ASEAN” by Joanne Lin |
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“New South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has a tough balancing act to pull off in his foreign policy as South Korea remains wary of greater US-China rivalry and China’s rise. The Yoon administration will likely continue to deepen its economic relations with ASEAN, and place more emphasis on security cooperation and a greater alignment with the US’s values-based diplomacy.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “US-Asean summit is a good start but more needed for a ‘new era’” by Sharon Seah and William Choong |
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“The United States hit all the right notes when it hosted Asean leaders in Washington last week. But the fact remains that the US has an uphill climb if it wants to catch up with China’s economic momentum in South-east Asia.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “Climate Finance in Southeast Asia: Trends and Opportunities” by Melinda Martinus and Qiu Jiahui |
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“This article provides key trends of climate finance inflows to the region throughout 2000-2019. It also informs strategic directions and offers some considerations for climate negotiations with international partners, such as determining the financial needs, attracting more donors and utilising a wide range of financial instruments to fill financial gaps, and directing more funding for adaptation projects.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “US-ASEAN Summit: The Audacity of Trope” by Joanne Lin |
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“ASEAN leaders will finally meet US President Joseph Biden at the long-awaited US-ASEAN summit in Washington. Whether ASEAN and US can find convergence on regional issues, such as Washington’s desire to manage the rise of China, will be a pressing challenge.”
Click here to read more. |
| East Asia Forum: “Herds of elephants in the room at the ASEAN–US Summit” by Sharon Seah |
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“ASEAN countries’ divergent positions on Ukraine and Russia, Myanmar and the South China Sea (and by extension, China’s behaviour) will make for challenging conversations with their US host.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “Southeast Asia Holds Mixed Perceptions of the Biden Administration” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“While US prioritisation of some major Southeast Asian states makes sense from a ‘return on investment’ point of view, its neglect of smaller states on the region threatens to leave Southeast Asia even more strategically incoherent and ASEAN more divided.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “The EU in the Indo-Pacific: A New Strategy with Implications for ASEAN” by Joanne Lin |
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The EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy can add a strong normative dimension to the Indo-Pacific region to allow it to work closely with like-minded Indo-Pacific partners. As is the case with ASEAN, the EU places importance on building partnerships and reinforcing multilateral cooperation.
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “The ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: What’s in a Name” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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China’s proposal to ‘upgrade’ its relations with ASEAN to ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ (CSP) is part of Beijing’s active neighbourhood diplomacy, which is given added emphasis and urgency by Sino-US tensions and China’s estrangement from the West.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Bahasa Melayu as ASEAN’s Second Language: Sekali Lagi Tak Boleh” by Joanne Lin |
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Malaysia has again proposed making Malay a working language of ASEAN, but this proposal is likely to be a non-starter as ASEAN wrestles with more pressing crises.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Targeting the Tourism Dollar from ASEAN” by Melinda Martinus |
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China is the world’s biggest source of tourists, but ASEAN is not far behind it. As borders open up, it might be worthwhile looking at enticing tourists from ASEAN.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “A Regional Digital Vaccine Certificate in ASEAN, Posthaste” by Melinda Martinus |
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ASEAN needs to work on a common standard for the certification of vaccination statuses. This would facilitate safe and unrestrained movement as borders open up again.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN Special Envoy in Myanmar: Too Little, Too Late?” by Sharon Seah |
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The recent visit to Myanmar by ASEAN’s Special Envoy has been disappointing. It might be time to reconsider the grouping’s five-point consensus.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Cambodia and Myanmar: The Need to Balance Pressure and Diplomacy” by Joanne Lin and Moe Thuzar |
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Hun Sen’s visit to Myanmar has provoked some controversy. As ASEAN chair, it behoves Cambodia to operationalise the grouping’s five-point consensus on Myanmar.
Click here to read more. |
| ASEANFocus Issue 1/2022: “The Reopening of ASEAN – Trade, Tourism and Travel” by ASEAN Studies Centre |
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In this ASEANFocus issue on ‘The Reopening of ASEAN: Trade, Tourism and Travel’, we spotlight regional recovery measures in the trade, tourism and travel industries. We are honoured to present the Insider Views of H.E. Dr. Thong Khon, Kingdom of Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism, on the strategies to revive the tourism industry safely and sustainably. Our esteemed contributors also investigate current and future ASEAN-wide measures for tourism and trade recovery by tapping opportunities such as the ASEAN Travel Corridor, ASEAN Travel Bubble, RCEP, and CPTPP, to name a few. To cap off an eventful year, our experts reflect on the key challenges and accomplishments of ASEAN in 2021, analyse a potential ASEAN Troika Mechanism for Myanmar, and delve into crisis management in ASEAN. Ending on a lighter note, our contributors look into the popularity and transnational activism sparked by the humble milk tea drink, as well as the burgeoning horror film industry in Southeast Asia.
Click here to grab a copy. |
| Book E-Launch of “ASEAN Centrality: An Autoethnographic Account by a Philippine Diplomat” |
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ASEAN Studies Centre was honoured to launch the book ‘ASEAN Centrality: An Autoethnographic Account by a Philippine Diplomat’ authored by Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, Philippine Eminent Person to the High-Level Task Force on the Future of ASEAN.
We were graced with the presence of H.E. Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, and H.E. Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore as our Guests of Honour. Mr Choi Shing Kwok, Director and CEO of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute delivered welcome remarks at the E-Launch.
The E-Launch was followed by an insightful panel discussion on “ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN’s Aspirations for the Future of the Region” by Ambassador Elizabeth Buensuceso; Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, Former ASEAN Secretary-General; and H.E. Dr Marty Natalegawa, Former Foreign Minister of Indonesia.
Royalties of the book will be donated to Faith Family Foundation in the Philippines to assist those most affected by the pandemic.
Click here to order your copy of the book. If you did not get a chance to attend the Book E-Launch of “ASEAN Centrality: An Autoethnographic Account by a Philippine Diplomat”, click here for the event highlights. |
| Fulcrum: “China should build trust with ASEAN where it matters” by Joanne Lin |
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The majority of Southeast Asians continue to regard China as the most influential political, strategic and economic power in the region. But wariness of this state of affairs has not gone away.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Hope Deferred Makes Southeast Asia’s Heart Sick” by Sharon Seah |
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The US has gained brownie points among Southeast Asians, who put great store in Washington championing free trade and upholding the rules-based order. But Washington has its work cut out for it in deepening economic linkages to Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific.
Click here to read more. |
| E-Launch and Discussion of “The State of Southeast Asia: 2022 Survey” (16 February 2022) |
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The fourth edition of “The State of Southeast Asia: 2022 Survey Report” was officially launched on 16 February 2022 followed by a panel discussion on the key findings of the survey and implications for the region.
With a total of 1,677 Southeast Asian respondents taking part, the Survey presents a snapshot of the prevailing attitudes and perceptions of the region’s policymakers, academics, businesspeople, media personnel, and civil society activists towards key regional political, economic and socio-cultural issues.
At the E-Launch and Discussion of the Survey Report, the ASEAN Studies Centre was honoured to have a stellar panel of discussants. We extend our deep appreciation to our esteemed discussants, Professor Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore; Professor Zha Daojiong from the School of International Studies and Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development, Peking University; Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Director of the Institute of Security and International Studies, Chulalongkorn University; and Professor Evelyn Goh, Director of Research at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University; for their enlightening insights.
Click here to download the Survey Report. If you did not get a chance to attend the E-Launch and Discussion of “The State of Southeast Asia: 2022 Survey”, click here for the event highlights and here for the video recording. |
| Fulcrum: “A Regional Digital Vaccine Certificate in ASEAN, Posthaste” by Joanne Lin |
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ASEAN needs to work on a common standard for the certification of vaccination statuses. This would facilitate safe and unrestrained movement as borders open up again.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Tourism in ASEAN: The Need to Turn Dreams Into Reality” by Joanne Lin |
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ASEAN has grand plans to boost its tourism sector, which has been afflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite its strenuous efforts, however, tourism in the region is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
Click here to read more. |
| The Jakarta Post: “Is ASEAN branding still attractive for the youth?” by Melinda Martinus |
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A recent survey launched by the ASEAN Secretariat on Understanding How Young People See ASEAN: Awareness, Values and Identity shows that university students across the region possess a strong awareness of ASEAN.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Hun Sen’s Cowboy Diplomacy: Quick Draw or Firing Blanks?” by Sharon Seah |
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By visiting Myanmar, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has demonstrated some derring-do in trying to resolve the crisis in the country. That said, it could be argued that the trip has not moved the needle much.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Cambodia and Myanmar: The Need to Balance Pressure and Diplomacy” by Joanne Line and Moe Thuzar |
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Hun Sen’s visit to Myanmar has provoked some controversy. As ASEAN chair, it behoves Cambodia to operationalise the grouping’s five-point consensus on Myanmar.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Paperless Trade in ASEAN: A Long Way To Go” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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Digitalising paperless trade across ASEAN will help the grouping strengthen supply chains amid the Covid-19 pandemic. But ASEAN has a long way to go.
Click here to read more. |
| Webinar on the 23rd ASEAN Lecture – The Kingdom of Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2022 – ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together (3 January 2022) |
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The 23rd ASEAN Lecture was delivered by H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia. H.E. Sokhonn outlined the Kingdom of Cambodia’s commitment, under its Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2022, in leading ASEAN under the theme of “ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together” to foster harmony, peace and prosperity across the whole region. Cambodia seeks to draw on ASEAN’s spirit of “Togetherness” to consolidate efforts within ASEAN and with external partners in effectively addressing challenges and promoting shared goals for the benefit of the peoples of ASEAN and beyond.
Click here for the event highlights and video recording. |
| Fulcrum: “The EU in the Indo-Pacific: A New Strategy with Implications for ASEAN” by Joanne Lin |
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The EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy can add a strong normative dimension to the Indo-Pacific region. As is the case with ASEAN, the EU places importance on building partnerships and reinforcing multilateral cooperation.
Click here to read more. |
| The Diplomat: “RCEP Will Drive ASEAN Economic Recovery” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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On January 1, 2022, RCEP will take effect and should serve as a key engine of trade and economic recovery for the entire region.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN and the Group of 7: Same Bed, Different Dreams” by Joanne Lin |
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The Group of 7 is courting ASEAN in a bid to increase its profile in the Indo-Pacific. It is easy to list the convergences in approaches between the two groupings. But the divergences are more significant.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Omicron: Threat to ASEAN’s Trade Recovery” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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The new Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus could impact trade in goods and services in ASEAN economies due to increased travel restrictions and the risk of more lockdowns.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “What is China Bringing to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN” by Joanne Lin |
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Last Monday, ASEAN member states met formally with China’s top leader Xi Jinping for the first time to commemorate 30 years of dialogue partnership.
Click here to read more. |
| ThinkChina: “China and US could work on building clean and green BRI and Build Back Better World (B3W)” by Sharon Seah, Melinda Martinus and Ryan Wong |
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The 26th Conference of Parties in Glasgow (COP26) concluded with several high-level political pledges delivered, but it is another matter if they will be followed through. For the Southeast Asian region, Indonesian commitments to the phase down of fossil fuel subsidies and the global goal to end deforestation by 2030 will be critical. The broken promise of climate finance may also affect several Southeast Asian countries’ ability to see through their pledges. China’s climate leadership on the phasing out of coal has taken a hit but amid the gloom, there are some bright spots, not least China and the US finally finding some common ground.
Click here to read more. |
| ThinkChina: “US and China not perceived as climate change leaders in Southeast Asia” by Sharon Seah and Melinda Martinus |
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Although geopolitics is encroaching onto climate change discussions, a poll shows that Southeast Asians remain objective and pragmatic. Achieving climate goals in the region depends on realpolitik and ASEAN leaders’ shrewdness in tapping resources from all major powers.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “COP26 and Southeast Asia: Cop-outs and Take-Aways” by Sharon Seah and Melinda Martinus |
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The conclusion of the 26th Conference of Parties in Glasgow has several implications for Southeast Asia.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Cambodia’s Chairing of ASEAN: The Heat is On” by Joanne Lin |
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As the chair of ASEAN in 2022, Cambodia will have a lot to prove, be it on issues such as Myanmar, the South China Sea, and the grouping’s external relations.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Southeast Asia and the Major Powers: Climate Change and the Need For Shrewdness” by Melinda Martinus and Sharon Seah |
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Although geopolitics is encroaching onto climate change discussions, a poll shows that Southeast Asians remain objective and pragmatic. Achieving climate goals in the region depends on realpolitik and ASEAN leaders’ shrewdness in tapping resources from all major powers.
Click here to read more. |
| Webinar on “ASEAN and the New Geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific” (30 October 2021) |
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Of late, there has been much concern about the “return of geopolitics” to the Indo-Pacific. Amitav Acharya examines how this “new geopolitics” differs from previous escalations of great power rivalry, especially during the Cold War period. The webinar will look at the implications of emerging strategic trends in the region for ASEAN’s unity and response. While its normative framework of engaging all major powers and not taking sides in the US-China rivalry still has merits, ASEAN needs to develop a more calibrated and strategic approach with a mix of diplomatic incentives and disincentives to discourage Great Power policies that might destabilise Southeast Asia.
Click here for the event highlights. |
| Foreign Policy: “Why AUKUS Alarms ASEAN” by Sharon Seah and William Choong |
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The bloc is struggling to preserve unity—and can’t decide what to do about the new U.S.-China rivalry.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Southeast Asians Weigh In On Climate Issues” by Sharon Seah, Melinda Martinus and Qiu Jiahui |
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A climate outlook survey conducted by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute shows that Southeast Asians expect their government to exert more effort in addressing the issue.
Click here to read more. |
| Webinars on the 36th ASEAN Roundtable – “Braving the Storms: ASEAN in Crisis Mode” (12-13 October 2021) |
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The ASEAN Studies Centre at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute held its 36th ASEAN Roundtable, themed “Braving the Storms: ASEAN in Crisis Mode” on 12 and 13 October 2021. This year’s roundtable discussions anchored around the charting of the region’s path towards a post-pandemic equitable and inclusive economic recovery, critical areas that are vital for ASEAN’s transition to a more inclusive and resilient society, and ASEAN’s strategic positioning in managing evolving regional geopolitical challenges and uncertainties. The Roundtable examined the complexities and nuances of the issues that underlie these uncertain times and provoked frank and open discussions on how ASEAN can remain steadfast in the post-pandemic recovery, open up further growth opportunities and shore up ASEAN’s resilience in the long run. The Roundtable was supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
Click here for the event highlights and video recordings. |
| ASEANFocus: Biodiversity Conservation in ASEAN by ASEAN Studies Centre |
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In this ASEANFocus issue on ‘Biodiversity Conservation in ASEAN’, we shine a light on regional conservation efforts. Our esteemed contributors delve into both pressing biodiversity threats – such as transboundary marine plastics pollution, endangered species conservation and the biodiversity and climate change nexus – as well as promising conservation opportunities in our region, including the blue economy, citizen science and the circular economy. In the run-up to the 38th ASEAN Summit in October, we invited regional experts to give their take on multi-sectoral regional issues and also shared the insider views of the second resident of the ASEAN Artist Residency Programme on exploring ASEAN identity through art.
Click here to grab a copy. |
| Fulcrum: “Urbanisation – An Overlooked Issue in the Mekong River Basin” by Melinda Martinus and Qiu Jiahui |
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Rapid urbanisation and population growth have been overlooked factors contributing to environmental and ecological disruptions in the Mekong region.
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “The Aukus challenge to Asean” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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Aukus, the trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK and US, presents a reckoning moment for Asean, amplifying the pre-existing challenges and fault lines that it will have to confront in future.
Click here to read more. |
| Webinar on ASEAN Prize Talk 2021: “ASEAN Prize and Its Role in Forging an ASEAN Identity” (17 September 2021) |
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The ASEAN Studies Centre at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, in partnership with the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat, hosted the ASEAN Prize Talk 2021 on “ASEAN Prize and Its Role in Forging an ASEAN Identity”. In this webinar, the three ASEAN Prize recipients from 2018 to 2020 discussed the progress of forging an ASEAN identity through their views and experiences, and their exemplary efforts in promoting a people-oriented, people-centred ASEAN Community.
Click here for the event highlights. |
| The Jakarta Post: “Digitalizing trade in ASEAN: Opportunities and challenges” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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Unlocking digital trade potential is essential to boost regional trade in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during and post COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2021, the World Trade Organization (WTO) predicted that merchandise trade volume in Asia is expected to increase from 0.3 percent in 2020 to 8.4 percent in 2021 and 3.5 percent in 2022. The positive short-term outlook of trade recovery suggests the need for ASEAN to reduce the risks of COVID-19 outbreak, while enhancing regional value chains.
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “The ASEAN-China Partnership: Balancing Merits and Demerits” by Farah Nadine Seth and Sharon Seah |
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While a pragmatic analysis of what an AC-CSP would bring to the table across its three pillars of cooperation is needed, ASEAN should also consider the implications for the bloc’s strategic autonomy, given the political and institutional upgrading of ties involved.
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Easier Monetary Policies Amid Covid-19: Maintain, Not Roll Back” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy and Neo Guo Wei Kevin |
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Southeast Asia economies have maintained easier monetary policies to cushion the shock of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now that prices are trending upward, they should think twice before tightening the policies.
Click here to read more. |
| ASEAN Matters for America/America Matters for ASEAN |
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Produced in partnership with the East-West Center and the US-ASEAN Business Council, the 5th edition of “ASEAN Matters for America/America Matters for ASEAN” covers US relations with the 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Topics include diplomatic and defence ties, trade and investment (with spotlights on the health, agriculture, infrastructure, and digital sectors), job creation, travel and tourism, student exchanges (including YSEALI and Fulbright), ASEAN Americans, and sister relationships.
Click here to download the publication. |
| Fulcrum: “IPCC Report: No Time for Southeast Asia To Take it Easy” by Sharon Seah |
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The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has some sobering data applicable to Southeast Asia. Whether countries muster up the political will to follow through on their commitments will be key.
Click here to read more. |
| Webinar on “Global Britain in Southeast Asia: Ambitions, Strategies and Challenges” (26 August 2021) |
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In this webinar, Ambassador Jon Lambe, Ambassador of the UK Mission to ASEAN, Ms Veerle Nouwens of the Royal United Services Institute, and Dr Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Chulalongkorn University discussed the UK’s Southeast Asia policy in the context of its overall Indo-Pacific vision, as well as Southeast Asia’s expectations and concerns over the UK’s geopolitical ambitions. The panel also discussed specific areas where both sides could strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit.
Click here for the event highlights. |
| Online Training and Capacity Building Programme: “ASEAN-India Development Partnership Programme” (16-20 August 2021) |
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The ASEAN Studies Centre, the ASEAN-India Centre at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), and Asian Confluence, India, are delighted to announce the ASEAN-India Development Partnership Programme (AIDPP) to be held virtually on 16-20 August 2021.
Open to citizens of ASEAN countries and India, this week-long online training and capacity building programme aims to equip scholars, practitioners and officials with a better understanding of ASEAN-India cooperation, as well as strategies and tools for enhancing the cooperation.
Click here for the event highlights and here here for the press release. |
| ASEAN Studies Centre awarded ASEAN Prize 2020 (2 August 2021) |
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The ASEAN Studies Centre (ASC) of ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute has been awarded the prestigious ASEAN Prize 2020 by ASEAN. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, in his capacity as ASEAN Chair, made the announcement and congratulated ASC during the Opening Ceremony of the 37th ASEAN Summit.
On behalf of the ASEAN Chair, the High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Singapore, His Excellency Dato Paduka Haji Sidek bin Ali presented the ASEAN Prize 2020 Trophy to Mr Choi Shing Kwok, Director and Chief Executive Officer of ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and Head of ASEAN Studies Centre.
The ceremony at the Brunei High Commission in Singapore was streamed live to ASEAN Foreign Ministers at the 54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM).
Click here to read more. |
| Jakarta Post: “Reducing regulatory burden to enhance food security in ASEAN” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy and Neo Guo Wei Kevin |
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“For ASEAN, having harmonized agrifood technical measures and standards should reduce food prices, maintain consumer confidence in the quality and safety of agrifood products, and increase competitiveness of producers in the region.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN and the Problem of Legitimacy” by Sharon Seah |
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“ASEAN needs to decide whether Myanmar’s State Administration Council has the legal capacity to engage in international relations that has direct impact on ASEAN’s own legal capacity as an inter-governmental organisation.”
Click here to read more. |
| East Asia Forum: “Stumbling blocks to ASEAN-China smart city cooperation” by Melinda Martinus |
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“China’s cooperation on smart cities with ASEAN countries should be a combination of genuine engagement for mutual benefits and high-quality projects that ensure socio-environmental protection. Most importantly, it requires locally conscious development, where the people of ASEAN countries can see themselves as direct beneficiaries of Chinese investment.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “ASEAN’s COVID-19 Recovery Measures: Missing Opportunities for a Green Future” by Melinda Martinus and Sharon Seah |
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“As of 28 May 2021, ASEAN countries had authorised a total of US$ 730 billion, equivalent to 7.8% of its total GDP in stimulus dollars, and nearly double from July 2020 when lockdowns started to ease. However, few ASEAN countries and development partners have tied green components to their Covid-19 stimulus packages, and in effect, environmentally harmful measures are also embedded in the present stimulus packages.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Diplomat: “Reducing ASEAN’s trade compliance costs” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy and Neo Guo Wei Kevin |
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“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted regional trade flows and highlighted the importance of facilitating goods trade among ASEAN member states. Reducing high trade compliance costs could boost ASEAN’s trade recovery.”
Click here to read more. |
| Webinar: “Rethinking the Export-Led Growth Strategy in ASEAN Developing Economies” on 26 July 2021, 3pm-4.30pm (GMT+8) |
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How can export diversification strategies further develop and what are their potential impacts on economic growth in ASEAN?
In our upcoming webinar, Dr Phi Minh Hong, ASEAN Graduate Fellow at the ASEAN Studies Centre, and Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Management of the University of Rouen Normandy, France, together with Dr Elodie Mania, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Management of the University of Rouen Normandy, will explore the development of export diversification and its potential impact on economic growth in ASEAN. Based on their cross-country analysis of developing Asian countries, Sub-Saharan African countries, and OECD founder members, over the period 1995 to 2017, they will also discuss the role of export diversification and sophistication in stimulating economic growth as well as the policy implications for ASEAN countries.
Click here to find out more and here to read the event highlights. |
| The Diplomat: “Why ASEAN Needs to Reduce Its Non-Tariff Measures on Agri-Food Imports” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy and Neo Guo Wei Kevin |
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“Streamlining non-tariff barriers to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses remains a key priority for the region’s recovery from COVID-19.”
Click here to read more. |
| South China Morning Post: “How US-China competition in addressing climate change could benefit Southeast Asia” by Sharon Seah |
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“Both countries face challenges in expanding climate cooperation: the US is beholden to domestic politics while China’s economic growth makes reducing emissions difficult. There are also different forms of governance, styles of engagement and policy objectives involved, shaping Asean’s cooperation with both countries in different ways.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Time for ASEAN to Have a Female Secretary-General?” by Apichai Sunchindah and Sharon Seah |
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“As ASEAN faces the twin crises of the coup in Myanmar and the raging Covid-19 pandemic, it might well be time to consider a female at the helm of the grouping’s secretariat.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “The Importance of Export Diversification for Developing ASEAN Economies” by Phi Minh Hong |
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“With the Covid-19 crisis involving both demand and supply shocks, export diversification of the region’s upper-middle-income and lower-middle-income economies should be combined with supply side policies to enhance economic resilience.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “ASEAN’s Climate Cooperation with China and the US: Challenges and Prospects” by Sharon Seah |
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“The 2003 Joint Declaration on ASEAN-China Strategic partnership framed by the ASEAN-China Strategy on Environmental Cooperation papers has enabled cooperation with China to progress well. Cooperation with the US can be more substantive if there is an institutional framework to bring climate cooperation to a higher level and protect it from domestic partisan politics.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “The Myanmar Challenge to ASEAN” by Choi Shing Kwok |
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“Recent developments have shown how fragile and tricky ASEAN’s quest to help Myanmar will be.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Brunei’s Visit to Myanmar: No Time to Run Down the Clock” by Evan A. Laksmana |
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“A team from Brunei is reportedly visiting Myanmar this weekend. The aims of the visit are yet unclear. Still, Brunei, as ASEAN Chair, should first announce the identity of the grouping’s Special Envoy to the country and empower him or her with the necessary resources to carry out the task at hand.”
Click here to read more. |
| Trends in Southeast Asia: “Gaps and Opportunities in ASEAN’s Climate Governance” by Sharon Seah and Melinda Martinus |
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“Although climate-linked impacts on ASEAN’s economy, increasing vulnerability to severe weather, and interlinkages to transboundary haze, health, security and marine pollution are evident, a recent survey by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute reveals that Southeast Asians are ambivalent about ASEAN’s effectiveness in tackling climate change.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “Beijing’s head start over Biden in South-east Asia” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“China is faring better and doing more than the United States in the contest for influence, even though there is much goodwill for the Biden administration in the region.”
Click here to read more. |
| Perspective: “The Mekong River Ecosystem in Crisis: ASEAN Cannot be a Bystander” by Hoang Thi Ha and Farah Nadine Seth |
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“To stay relevant and central to the region, ASEAN needs to recognise its stakes in the Mekong basin by overcoming its current sub-regional mentality and by embracing Southeast Asia in its totality as a strategic theatre.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN’s Mission to Myanmar: An Approach to Ends with Possibilities of Success” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“All eyes will be on the incoming mission of the ASEAN Chair’s special envoy in Myanmar to facilitate talks between the military junta and civilian government it toppled earlier this year. But the writing is already on the wall – the envoy has a mountain to climb.”
Click here to read more. |
| South China Morning Post: “Why ASEAN needs to care about Mekong issues like it did with haze” by Hoang Thi Ha and Farah Nadine Seth |
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“Most maritime member states seem to think that issues affecting the river would best be addressed through existing subregional frameworks. But Asean’s centrality depends upon it representing all members’ concerns and interests, including the Mekong – even if geopolitics gets in the way.”
Click here to read more. |
| Roundtable Discussion: “ASEAN’s Mission in Myanmar: What Next?” on 14 May 2021, 3pm-4.30pm (GMT+8) |
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“We are honoured to have The Honourable Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam deliver opening remarks at the Roundtable. Mr Choi Shing Kwok, Director and Chief Executive Officer, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute will deliver welcome remarks at the event.
We will be convening a high-level panel comprising Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Ambassador Sihasak Phuangketkeow, previous Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ambassador Dr Rizal Sukma; Senior Research Fellow of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia; and Ms Moe Thuzar, ISEAS Fellow, and Co-coordinator of the Myanmar Studies Programme.
Different country perspectives will be discussed on how ASEAN can move forward on the Five-Point Consensus from the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on 24 April 2021 as ASEAN’s response to the political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. The roundtable will also offer lessons learned from past experiences of engagement with Myanmar that could be instructive for ASEAN in its upcoming critical undertaking.”
Click here to read the event highlights. |
| Perspective: “Is the East Asia Summit Suffering Erosion?” by Hoang Thi Ha and Malcolm Cook |
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“ASEAN has had difficulties improving the institutional efficacy of the East Asia Summit (EAS) and lifting it out of its default ‘talk shop’ mode. ASEAN dialogue partner developments also pose an EAS erosion threat. Leveraging the EAS to address the aftermath of the Myanmar coup and to engage with the Quad Vaccine Partnership could help the EAS bolster its ability to deliver concrete results on pressing Southeast Asian issues.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Freeing Trade in the Greater Mekong Subregion” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Implementing WTO trade facilitation commitments will be key.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN Emergency Summit: In the Hot Seat” by Sharon Seah |
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“One can assess ASEAN’s recent emergency meeting in Jakarta in two ways. One scenario is cautiously optimistic; the other would be tantamount to pure fatalism.”
Click here to read more. |
| Webinar: “Investment Facilitation: Advancing Investments in ASEAN” on 22 April 2021, 10am-11.30am (GMT+8) |
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“This webinar aims to discuss the importance and development of investment facilitation at the multilateral and regional levels. In a world of declining global direct investments, especially in the wake of the impact of the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, investment promotion agencies (IPAs) in ASEAN need to be more effective in attracting foreign direct investments (FDI) into the region including by stepping up their investment facilitation measures to complement existing promotion initiatives. There are opportunities for IPAs to enhance their roles as trusted advisors of foreign investors through a combination of investment facilitation and investment promotion activities which can attract new investments, improve investment retention and promote re-investments from investors interested in ASEAN.
Against this backdrop, Mr Marc Proksch of the Trade and Investment Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) will present the conceptual framework and highlight key investment facilitation initiatives in Asia and the Pacific while Mr Tan Tai Hiong, Head of the Services and Investment Division of the ASEAN Secretariat will provide insights on ASEAN’s investment facilitation initiatives.”
Click here to find out more and register and here to read the event highlights. |
| ASEANFocus: “Rethinking ASEAN” by ASEAN Studies Centre |
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“The March 2021 issue takes a reflective tone by asking how can we ‘Rethink ASEAN’? Young scholars were challenged to take a deconstructionist approach to ASEAN’s established norms and modus operandi in light of the Myanmar crisis, as well as on a range of other issues including the role of law in ASEAN, ASEAN identity, ASEAN amid US-China rivalry and the South China Sea beyond geopolitics. In this issue, the voices of our youth, the future of ASEAN, were also highlighted. Special attention was placed on promising, young Southeast Asians who have leveraged disruptive technologies and social entrepreneurship to contribute back to the society.”
Click here to get your copy. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “ASEAN Navigates between Indo-Pacific Polemics and Potentials” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“ASEAN member states remain ambivalent about the Indo-Pacific to different degrees due to the concept’s malleability and external pressures from China and Russia.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Bon Voyage, Maybe: An ASEAN Digital Vaccine Passport” by Giselle Lee and Quah Say Jye |
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“ASEAN plans for a digital vaccine passport will likely fall flat without institutional adjustment, while sub-regional alternatives could hurt ASEAN unity.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Covid-19 and ASEAN: Facilitating Trade in Perishable Goods” by Dr Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Fulfilling their WTO obligations will expedite perishable goods trade among ASEAN member states.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Publication: “Gaps and Opportunities in ASEAN’s Climate Governance” by Sharon Seah and Melinda Martinus |
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“Although climate-linked impacts on ASEAN’s economy, increasing vulnerability to severe weather, and interlinkages to transboundary haze, health, security and marine pollution are evident, a recent survey by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute reveals that Southeast Asians are ambivalent about ASEAN’s effectiveness in tackling climate change.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Vietnam’s Solar Power Boom: Policy Implications for Other ASEAN Member States” by Thang Nam Do and Paul J. Burke |
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“Vietnam provides relevant lessons for other ASEAN member states to realise their significant solar power potential.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “The Military Coup in Myanmar: Time to Prioritise ASEAN Centrality and Communal Values” by Yongwook Ryu, Bernard Minn, and Myat Myat Mon |
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“It appears high time for ASEAN to weaken its commitment to the norm of non-intervention and give more effect to its communal values and the notion of ASEAN Centrality. Directly responding to the Myanmar crisis serves ASEAN Centrality and its emphasis on a caring and people-oriented community. Continued inertia based on strict adherence to the non-intervention principle will further weaken ASEAN’s agency, unity and relevance.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “COVID-19 Economic Recovery: ASEAN’s Mixed Pattern” by Jayant Menon and Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“It appears high time for ASEAN to weaken its commitment to the norm of non-intervention and give more effect to its communal values and the notion of ASEAN Centrality. Directly responding to the Myanmar crisis serves ASEAN Centrality and its emphasis on a caring and people-oriented community. Continued inertia based on strict adherence to the non-intervention principle will further weaken ASEAN’s agency, unity and relevance.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Southeast Asians’ Declining Trust in China” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“Southeast Asians’ appreciation of China’s significant influence in the region is accompanied by their profound anxiety over China’s ability to constrain their countries’ sovereignty and foreign policy choices.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “For India, Miles to Go to Reengage Southeast Asia” by Dhruva Jaishankar |
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“The latest State of Southeast Asia Survey presents a sobering picture for India. New Delhi has its work cut out for it if it wants to engage the region more.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “The End of Western Triumphalism and the Return of the Sovereign State” by Shaun Narine |
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“The limitations of Western political and economic models signal the resurgence of a pluralist international society of states.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN Enjoys Leadership Gains Amid the Coronavirus” by Melinda Martinus |
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“ASEAN has done pretty well in the regional leadership stakes, according to the 2021 State of Southeast Asia Survey.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Australia’s Gold, Silver and Bronze” by Malcolm Cook |
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“The latest State of Southeast Asia Survey should satiate Australia’s thirst for international recognition.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “America’s Soft Power in Vietnam: From Statecraft to Street Rap” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“A recent rap video dropped by the US envoy to Vietnam highlights the resilience of American soft power in Vietnam.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “A Year into the Pandemic, ASEAN Copes – And Hopes” by Choi Shing Kwok |
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“Still very much top of mind, a majority in the State of Southeast Asia 2021 survey think their governments have managed the pandemic well.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “Japan and Southeast Asia – Power and Propinquity” by Dr William Choong |
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“The latest State of Southeast Asia Survey is a ringing endorsement of Japan’s decades-long involvement and investment in the region.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “America is Back – For Now At Least” by Choi Shing Kwok |
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“The advent of the new Biden Administration has sparked high hopes for US engagement by Southeast Asians. Still, Uncle Sam has a mountain to climb.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Repositioning the ADMM-Plus in a Contested Region” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“The ADMM-Plus must be more strategic and less bureaucratic in the design of its agenda and activities. It needs to focus more on risk control at the policy dialogue and operational levels.”
Click here to read more. |
| Asia Society: “Strange Bedfellows: Crisis and Opportunity in ASEAN” by Sharon Li-Lian Seah |
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“Southeast Asia has been seized for most of the year with battling COVID-19 outbreaks and recession concerns. Although these issues took up much of ASEAN’s mind space in 2020, other long-standing political-security issues, as well as new and emerging concerns, such as the potential for a flareup in the South China Sea, major power rivalries, the upholding of the rule of law, peaceful settlement of disputes, green recovery and climate change will continue to feature on the ASEAN agenda in 2021.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Shaping Tomorrow’s International Order: Germany’s Policy Guidelines for the Indo-Pacific” by Jan Kliem |
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“Germany’s guidelines are good news for Southeast Asia and ASEAN. They foreshadow increasing cooperation and support by both Germany and the EU for ASEAN’s multilateral (security) architecture.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “State of Southeast Asia Survey: Hopes Brighten Over US Amid Covid-19 Gloom by Terence Chong |
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“Covid-19 is the biggest challenge facing Southeast Asia even as regional confidence in the new Biden Administration grows, according to the latest State of Southeast Asia Survey published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “The Coup in Myanmar: ASEAN Is Not Without Options” by Sharon Seah |
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“If ASEAN is serious about upholding the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter, there are ways to help guide Myanmar back toward the path of democratisation.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Business Times: “Measuring the impact of Covid-19 on economic growth in ASEAN” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“At present, real GDP growth in ASEAN is expected to hit the bottom in the second quarter of 2020 and would improve in the rest of 2020 and 2021. However, the revival of economic activities in 2021 can be interrupted by the on-going spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia and the Philippines, and most recently in Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand.”
Click here to read more. |
| Fulcrum: “ASEAN Sustainable Development Goals: Notable, But More Can Be Done” by Melinda Martinus |
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“ASEAN member states have made notable achievements in attaining their Sustainable Development Goals, but more needs to be done in areas such as environmental sustainability.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Flying the ASEAN Flag in a Pandemic Year: Vietnam’s 2020 Chairmanship” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“Vietnam’s success in pandemic control and smooth conduct of ASEAN Chairmanship this year have helped elevate its international standing and strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific.”
Click here to read more. |
| “The 35th ASEAN Roundtable: The COVID-19 Crisis: Impact on ASEAN and the Way Forward” from 21-23 October 2020 |
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The ASEAN Studies Centre of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute held its 35th ASEAN Roundtable, themed “The COVID-19 Crisis: Impact on ASEAN and the Way Forward”, on 21 to 23
October 2020.
Click here to view the event highlights and video recordings. |
| The Jakarta Post: “Does ASEAN have a zoonotic disease prevention and control plan?” by Sharon Seah |
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“Given the increasing frequency of transboundary animal diseases, it has become vitally important for ASEAN to push for a quick establishment of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Animal Health and Zoonoses (ACCAHZ).”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Act East or Acting? India and ASEAN” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“To paraphrase Singapore’s former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, the China wing of the Southeast Asian jumbo jet is soaring while the India wing has hardly taken off.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Jakarta Post: “Agrifood exports in ASEAN: Sanitary and phytosanitary measures” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Market access is primarily conceived in terms of the removal of tariff barriers to trade, and in that sense, ASEAN has been remarkably successful in negotiating tariffs downward over the past two decades. However, free flow in agrifood trade in ASEAN has not yet been achieved, with key obstacles being nontariff measures (NTMs), including regulatory instruments such as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measure as well as import licenses and testing and certification requirements.”
Click here to read more. |
| ThinkChina: “Apart from ASEAN and China, international community and law are part of South China Sea discourse” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“The COVID-19-induced pause has given ASEAN an opportunity to reflect on the COC process, especially how to reconcile two opposing concepts: China’s proposition for a COC with “regional characteristics”, and ASEAN’s preference for international law’s universal character, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN and the South China Sea Code of Conduct: Raising the Aegis of International Law” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“With Vietnam at the helm of ASEAN this year, the grouping has wielded the aegis of international law to ensure that international and regional concerns about the South China Sea are respected in Code of Conduct negotiations.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Promoting Regulatory Convergence for Agri-food Trade in ASEAN” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy and Pham Thi Phuong Thao |
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“[F]ree flow in agri-food #trade in ASEAN has not yet been achieved, with key obstacles being non-tariff measures (NTMs), including regulatory instruments such as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures as well as import licenses and testing and certification requirements.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “A Review of the ASEAN Charter: In the Fullness of Time” by Sharon Seah |
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“The anticipated complete review of the ASEAN Charter will likely never happen. ASEAN’s stifling bureaucratic process is likely to bring about “death by committee” where even the best intentioned initiatives may not see light of day.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Digital Payments Can Accelerate Master Plan for ASEAN Connectivity” by Melinda Martinus |
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“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.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Non-tariff Barriers to Agri-trade in ASEAN: Taking Down Walls” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Securing market access for agri-food trade in ASEAN has become a challenge. Non-tariff measures (NTMs) have emerged as one of the key obstacles to trade. Given trade costs associated with such measures, ASEAN should focus on harmonising rules and standards surrounding aimed at protecting humans and animals, in order to reduce non-tariff barriers to trade.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Are ASEAN Stimulus Dollars Going towards Sustainability?” by Melinda Martinus and Sharon Seah |
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“Beyond the immediate responses, one also needs to ask whether these economic recovery plans are setting the region back or advancing its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) commitments? Will the region recover better and greener, or not?”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Global Value Chains in ASEAN: With Pandemic Comes Opportunity” by Gloria O. Pasadilla |
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“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.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Formal and Flexible: ASEAN and the New Strategic Disorder” by Malcolm Cook and Hoang Thi Ha |
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“A more aggressive China, a more unpredictable USA, deepening US-China rivalry, and the COVID-19 pandemic each has deepened worries about ASEAN’s continued relevance and ability to respond to rapidly changing circumstances.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Finding ASEAN’s Voice Amid the Din of Geopolitics” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“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.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “The Race for Global Value Chains: Return to RCEP, India?” by Tham Siew Yean |
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“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.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “Pompeo on South China Sea: The ball is now in ASEAN’s court” by Ian Storey and Hoang Thi Ha |
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“South-east Asian countries should make it clear that in endorsing international law, they are not acting at America’s behest but are protecting their legitimate rights and maritime entitlements.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN Single Window: Time to Enlarge the Aperture” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“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.”
Click here to read more. |
| South China Morning Post: “Coronavirus response gives Asean cities a chance to embrace a greener, healthier future” by Melinda Martinus |
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“As cities across the region gradually reopen, people do not want to return to a congested and polluted urban life. Conversations on how to build green cities with good air quality have intensified as people demand healthier, cleaner urban living in the post-pandemic era.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “The Hosting of International Production in ASEAN, Post-Pandemic” by Tham Siew Yean |
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“Regional collaborations will greatly enhance ASEAN as a region to stake an earlymover claim on FDI and NEM activities.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN Cities: Putting the Smarts into the Fight Against Covid-19” by Melinda Martinus |
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“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.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “The RCEP in 2020: Covid-19 and Another Casualty?” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“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.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Tackling COVID-19 in ASEAN: Sustain an Open Trade Policy on Personal Protective Equipment” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Policies to improve the effectiveness of government interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic should aim at stimulating domestic production and facilitating international trade of PPE products, rather than restricting them.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “ASEAN’s Covid-19 Pandemic Response: Practical Next Steps” by Sharon Seah Li-Lian |
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“ASEAN member states should consider institutional reforms to streamline coordination for more effective regional pandemic responses and capacity-building activities in the future.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Business Times: “How effective are the implemented stimulus packages in ASEAN?” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“[T]he public health containment measures can cause a recession, but the lost economic growth can be recovered by the sufficiently large stimulus package for public spending.”
Click here to read more. |
| Bangkok Post: “Shielding ASEAN migrant workers” by Melinda Martinus |
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“COVID-19 has exposed migrant workers to the double whammy of deficiencies in social protections and future uncertainties in a time of crisis. Given these challenges, the COVID-19 crisis should inspire us to develop better ways to improve migrant workers’ social protections.”
Click here to read more. |
| East Asia Forum: “PPE and free trade to better tackle COVID-19 in ASEAN” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“As ASEAN member states deploy all possible instruments to combat the pandemic, trade can serve as a powerful, low-cost tool to improve access to personal protective equipment (PPE) needed by healthcare workers.”
Click here to read more. |
| ASEAN Today: “ASEAN could bring climate transformation to Southeast Asia” by Melinda Martinus |
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“As people across Southeast Asia are increasingly concerned about climate change, ASEAN could use the opportunity to take the lead and make significant impacts to promote deeper regional cooperation.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Jakarta Post: “COVID-19: Who supplies protective equipment in ASEAN?” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Eliminating tariffs on imports of PPE products from non-FTA partners could reduce the costs of healthcare interventions and improve access to PPE products in ASEAN.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN in the RCEP: Diversions and Reversions” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“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.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN and Covid-19: Sandwiched Between Two Giants” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“ASEAN is actively engaging both Beijing and Washington to secure their support for the region in coping with COVID-19, in the absence of collective US-China global response to the ongoing pandemic.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN Cities: The Rise of Paradiplomacy” by Melinda Martinus |
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“The rising participation of Southeast Asian cities in international diplomacy indicates that Southeast Asian communities urgently need to see concrete solutions to tackle global issues locally. ASEAN, however, is still nascent when it comes to implementing projects at the local level. Yet, collaboration between the private sector and pilot cities in the ASCN have been fruitful so far.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “ASEAN Smart Cities Network: A Catalyst for Partnerships” by Melinda Martinus |
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“Compared to the ASEAN cooperation and partnerships that have been established before, the ASCN is a new and innovative approach, focusing on city-level and targeted solutions. Generally, external partners provide support and facilitation to the ASEAN-led initiatives at the regional or state level. However, ASCN is working in the city level to achieve a targeted impact with solutions provided by regional networks, stakeholders, and partnerships. So far, the network has been fruitful in fostering collaboration and building strategic work plan for each pilot cities.”
Click here to read more. |
| South China Morning Post: “COVID-19 pandemic is a call to arms for ASEAN to do more, not a death knell of regional unity” by Glenn Ong |
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“The spike of COVID-19 infections and fatalities in the region is a failure of some national governments towards their own citizens rather than a dereliction of duty by ASEAN. As an intergovernmental organisation, ASEAN can only act decisively and meaningfully when its constituent members display consistent commitment across the board.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Diplomat: “The Coronavirus Could Be Vietnam’s Biggest Stress Test in its ASEAN Chairmanship” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“However, once the pandemic has subsided and economic recovery is back on top of every nation’s agenda, Vietnam’s efforts to maintain ASEAN’s internal unity and dynamic equilibrium amid great power contestations would become more difficult.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Jakarta Post: “ASEAN catches up with COVID-19 pandemic” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“Yet, the experience in the past two months suggests that teleconferencing can be both cost-effective and effective, especially for technical meetings or in emergency situations. As the Chair of ASEAN and in the face of the COVID-19 disruptions, Vietnam should make full use of VCF to keep ASEAN cohesive and responsive, in line with its Chairmanship theme. Things are changing fast with this pandemic, and ASEAN’s response must be nimble and timely.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Business Times: “How can tariff reduction under RCEP reduce ASEAN’s exports?” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“The erosion of ASEAN’s trade preferences occurs when ASEAN countries face declines in the competitive advantage that some exporters enjoy in foreign markets as a result of preferential trade treatment provided by FTAs among ASEAN members and between ASEAN as a group and their dialogue partners. But ASEAN exporters will see the benefits of these FTAs reduced by the expansion of preferences to include the additional countries of the RCEP.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Tariff Reductions In RCEP: They Still Matter for ASEAN Trade” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“Addressing the issues such as non-tariff barriers, intellectual property rights and e-commerce, among others, will enhance trade competitiveness and stimulate innovation of ASEAN firms, the benefits of which are likely to be greater than potential export losses of tariff cuts.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “COVID-19 challenges ASEAN to act as one” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“ASEAN should rise to the challenge and show critics that it has both the resolve and instruments to help its people in this pandemic. The unfolding COVID-19 crisis is a test of ASEAN’s resilience and credibility.”
Click here to read more. |
| The ASEAN Post: “Multiplicative effects of RCEP on ASEAN trade” by Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy |
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“The conclusion of text-based negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in November 2019 paves the way for the economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to strengthen their economic integration with five of its dialogue partners, namely Australia, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and New Zealand. The economic integration of ASEAN into its dialogue partners is a major milestone in the realisation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) that aims to integrate ASEAN into the global economy.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “The Rise of “Murky” Protectionism: Standard-Like Non-Tariff Measures in ASEAN” by Evelyn S. Devadason |
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“Non-tariff measures (NTMs) (and non-tariff barrier or NTB) have now emerged in the policy space of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agenda in recognition of the trade
distorting, and even discriminatory and harmful effects, of some measures. ASEAN has set a target to reduce the transaction costs incurred by these NTMs by 10 percent by 2020.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Surveying ASEAN’s Horizons: The State of Southeast Asia’s 2020 Key Takeaways” by Hoang Thi Ha and Glenn Ong |
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“The State of Southeast Asia 2020 survey report by ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute’s ASEAN Studies Centre confirms that ASEAN member states remain preoccupied with domestic issues, which could limit their capacity to think and act regionally. ASEAN must do more to deliver tangible results to the region’s people, increase its
publicity efforts, and be more visible in managing regional issues, such as the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Southeast Asia’s Hopes and Fears about China” by Choi Shing Kwok |
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“China is overwhelmingly seen by Southeast Asian elites to have the biggest economic influence in the region, according to the results of the latest version of the State of Southeast Asia survey by ISEAS released in January this year.
However, a high percentage of the respondents who recognise China’s economic importance feel uneasy about it. Even recipient countries of China’s signature Belt and Road Initiative in the region are unsure if it will be a fair deal for them.” Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “China and the US in South-east Asian eyes” by Choi Shing Kwok |
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“South-east Asia has become a focus of attention in the last decade for both enviable and unenviable reasons.
Being recognised as one of the fastest growing and economically dynamic regions in the world, that global investors and businesses want a piece of, is clearly positive. At the same time, rising competition for regional influence between China and the United States has become a matter of serious concern.” A survey of regional elites sheds new and unexpected insights on how they view the two big powers. ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute director Choi Shing Kwok discusses how the rivals fare in the contest for influence. Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Assessing the ROK’s New Southern Policy towards ASEAN” by Hoang Thi Ha and Glenn Ong |
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“The ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan, ROK, held on 25-26 November 2019, and the two-year mark of the NSP, present a timely opportunity to review the NSP’s progress and limitations, focusing on the two pillars of “Prosperity” and “Peace”. This article argues that the “Prosperity” pillar has been moderately successful in meeting both the ROK’s and ASEAN’s interests. However, concerning the “Peace” pillar – which encompasses diplomatic engagement and defence cooperation, among others – the ROK’s overriding interests to (i) expand its defence exports, and (ii) secure international support for its Korean Peninsula peace agenda, have overshadowed ASEAN’s inherent strategic importance. Against this backdrop, the Busan summit should not be seen as a culmination of ASEAN-ROK relations, but a starting point for a more balanced and equitable partnership.”
Click here to read more. |
| Launch of The State of Southeast Asia: 2020 Survey Report |
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The State of Southeast Asia: 2020 Survey Report presents the findings of a region-wide online survey conducted among the policy, research, business, civil society, and media communities. A total of 1,308 respondents from the ten ASEAN member states participated in the 2020 edition of the survey, which seeks to understand the perceptions of Southeast Asians on regional affairs and ASEAN’s engagements with its Dialogue Partners, especially the major powers.
The full survey report can be downloaded here. Click here for a list of press reports referencing the survey findings. |
| The Jakarta Post: “Can Vietnam rise to leadership challenge?” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“As disruptions and uncertainties become a new norm, a “cohesive and responsive ASEAN” is a timely and relevant theme for Vietnam’s ASEAN chairmanship this year. It singles out “cohesiveness” as the most important element for ASEAN to deal with the many problems facing the region.”
Click here to read more. |
| South China Morning Post: “China can boost Asean’s smart-city dreams but, first, it needs to earn some trust in Southeast Asia” by Melinda Martinus |
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“China, for its impressive achievements and willingness to share its expertise in smart urbanisation, may face challenges as anti-China sentiment in ASEAN grows.”
Click here to read more. |
| Launch and Discussion of “the State of Southeast Asia: 2020” Survey on 16 January 2020 |
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The geo-economic and geo-strategic spheres in Southeast Asia and the wider region are undergoing fundamental shifts. Yet, there is little understanding – and even less agreement – on their implications and the region’s response to these new dynamics. Against this backdrop, the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute conducted the 2020 edition of the “State of Southeast Asia” survey to seek the views of Southeast Asian opinion leaders on regional affairs. The survey canvassed the views of 1,308 respondents who are regional experts and stakeholders from the policy, research, business, civil society, and media communities. Among the questions explored in the survey are the top security challenges facing Southeast Asia, the region’s views and levels of trust regarding the major powers, ASEAN’s role and relevance, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the politics of the 5G infrastructure, the Rakhine issue, and soft power. The launch event will present some of the major survey findings, which will be highlighted for discussion and analysis by a distinguished panel of speakers.
The Launch and Discussion of “the State of Southeast Asia: 2020” Survey will be held on Thursday, 16 January 2020 from 10am to 12.00pm at Tower Ballroom, Shangri-La Hotel Singapore, 22 Orange Grove Road. Click here for more information and to register. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Trump’s Absence at ASEAN Summits Undermines US Regional Strategic Engagement” by Tang Siew Mun and Glenn Ong |
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“The US continues to give unclear signals about its commitment to the ASEAN process despite its longstanding relations with East Asia. This position was exacerbated recently by President Donald Trump’s decision to skip the ASEAN-US Summit and the 14th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok, held on 3-4 November 2019.
This article is a rejoinder to assertions advanced by ASEAN sceptics that the regional organisation had placed exceedingly high and unreasonable expectations on the US president to attend ASEAN summits and the EAS without offering tangible payoffs to the US. In fact, understanding diplomacy as being in this transactional mode is counterproductive to the US and only serves to undermine US standing and credibility in the region at a time when the region’s suspicion of American disinterest is mounting.” Click here to read more. |
| “The 21st ASEAN Lecture – Viet Nam’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2020: Cohesive and Responsive” on 17 December 2019 |
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The year 2020 marks an important milestone as Viet Nam assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship and celebrates 25 years of its admission to ASEAN. Along with the ASEAN Chair tenure in 2020, Viet Nam also serves as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 period. The 21st ASEAN Lecture by His Excellency Nguyen Quoc Dzung, Deputy Foreign Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam highlights rapid and complex changes in the regional and global landscape, and identifies key challenges that merit ASEAN’s focused attention in the community building process. Against this backdrop, the Lecture elaborates on the theme “Cohesive and Responsive” and priorities that Viet Nam will put forward under the ASEAN Chairmanship 2020.
The 21st ASEAN Lecture will be held on Tuesday, 17 December 2019 from 10am to 11.30am at ISEAS Seminar Rooms 1 & 2. Click here for more information and to register. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Korea Finds in ASEAN a Like-Minded Partner on the Indo-Pacific” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“The AOIP therefore ticks all the right boxes as a multilateral platform from which the ROK could tiptoe towards the Indo-Pacific while avoiding to be caught in the US-China rivalry minefield. Apart from that, both ASEAN and Seoul share the strategic imperative to diversify partnerships so as to hedge against uncertainties and vulnerabilities in their respective relations with the two major powers, to expand the menu of choice rather than to see it be reduced to a binary choice.”
Click here to read more. |
| “34th ASEAN Roundtable: Opportunities and Challenges in Uncertainty” on 9 December 2019 |
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This one-day event will explore the fluid geoeconomic and geopolitical dynamics in the region as ASEAN seeks to construct a resilient and dynamic community and features panelists who will share their expert views on key topics including the South China Sea, RCEP, the US-China trade war, and ASEAN’s position vis-à-vis Sino-American rivalry.
The 34th ASEAN Roundtable is supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS). It will be held on Monday, 9 December 2019 from 9am to 5pm at ISEAS Seminar Rooms 1 & 2. Click here for more information and to register. |
| “Facilitation of Investment for ASEAN Participation in Global Value Chains (GVCs)” on 27 November 2019 |
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Over the last two decades, several ASEAN countries have been increasingly integrated into global production networks based on their comparative advantages. The integration into GVCs and establishment of regional production networks has contributed to economic prosperity in the subregion. How relevant is this model for the future, considering the aspirations of ASEAN Vision 2040 and achievement of the sustainable development goals for ASEAN Member States (AMS)? This talk will address the question by considering the impact of several ongoing developments for AMS, such as: (1) trajectory of traditional GVC growth; (2) technological drivers of changes in division of labour for value chains; and (3) role of policy uncertainty in short and long run. The role of facilitation of investment will be zoomed in, with a special focus on the service sector in strengthening production hubs within seemingly more predictable mega-regional trade and partnership agreements, such as CPTPP, RCEP and others. In this context, attention is drawn to facilitation of investment into strengthening intra-SME trade within the production hubs, as well as to the sustainability principles of investment for the accelerated progress towards sustainable development goals. ASEAN centrality and its role in global trade and investment governance plays an important role in ensuring a smooth and just transition of AMS into their next phase of sustainable development.
This seminar will be held on Wednesday, 27 November 2019 from 10.30am to 12pm at ISEAS Seminar Room 2. Click here for more information and to register. |
| The Straits Times: “South China Sea spat a big test for Vietnam as new ASEAN chair” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“In theory, as ASEAN chair, Hanoi is well positioned to assert its influence in setting the agenda and shaping the outcome of ASEAN cooperation. But in practice, it is constrained by greater scrutiny at home and abroad and competing pressures from the major powers. Above all, it has to find a way to advance national interests without jeopardising ASEAN unity.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Jakarta Post: “Should ASEAN bid for the World Cup?” by Melinda Martinus and Anuthida Saelaow Qian |
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“ASEAN’s joint bid to host the World Cup will invigorate a critical momentum for ASEAN member states to shape a stronger identity. It also provides the regional bloc with an important opportunity to solidify its commitment to fostering an inclusive, people-oriented, and people-centered community.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “What India’s Withdrawal from RCEP Means for ASEAN, India and the Indo-Pacific Concept” by Tang Siew Mun |
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“With the India “question” now clear, the path is cleared for RCEP-15 to work towards a speedy conclusion of the regional trade pact. RCEP-15 changes the spirit and form of ASEAN-led regionalism, and India’s absence will be deeply felt and missed. It would be a mistake for ASEAN to treat India’s withdrawal from RCEP as a “terminal separation.” Instead both sides must redouble their efforts to build strategic bridges to ensure that the ASEAN-India Dialogue Partner relations are unaffected.”
Click here to read more. |
| Channel NewsAsia: “Commentary: Trump skips ASEAN-related summits again. It’s déjà vu for Asia” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“The downgrade of representation of the US delegation this year drives home the fact that when it comes to the attention and time of the US president, ASEAN, as a representation of multilateralism, and Southeast Asia, as a region, traditionally take a back seat to more pressing domestic preoccupations or external priorities.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “US Downgrading of Summit Representations Sets Worrying Precedent for ASEAN” by Tang Siew Mun and Glenn Ong |
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“The White House’s announcement on 29 October 2019 of newly-minted National Security Advisor, Robert O’Brien, as the Special Envoy to the upcoming EAS and US-ASEAN Summit is likely to be met with deep disappointment by Southeast Asian officials, who have already been unimpressed by America’s lacklustre engagement with ASEAN in past two years.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific – time for action” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“In essence, the AOIP should not be dismissed as just another Asean aspirational document, nor should Asean rush to fix an institutional home for its Indo-Pacific discourse.
Instead, Asean and its member states should bolster the AOIP’s normative ballast for a rules-based regional order by harnessing the collective courage to call out transgressions against international law while staying nimble and innovative in all cooperative avenues that advance their national interest and regional autonomy at the same time.” Click here to read more. |
| “The Jeju Forum – ISEAS Conference: Partnership for Peace and Prosperity” on 30 October 2019 |
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ASEAN and the Republic of Korea will celebrate 30 years of dialogue partnership with a Commemorative Summit in Busan in November 2019. Both partners have cultivated warm, robust, and mutually beneficial ties over the preceding decades. Indeed, regional cooperation between the two has been crucial for peaceful and prosperous development in East and Southeast Asia. The occasion presents a timely opportunity to take stock of ties between the two partners, as well as consider new avenues for cooperation. Changing strategic dynamics and intensifying major-power competition, moreover, complicate attempts to forge regional cooperation and build resilience. What role does resilience play in sustaining peace and prosperity in the region? How can regional stakeholders make sense of competing narratives of regionalisation and interconnectedness? What does President Moon Jae-in’s New Southern Policy herald for the future of ASEAN-ROK relations, and indeed, for ASEAN’s ties with other external partners?
To address these probing questions, the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and the Jeju Peace Institute is privileged to organise The Jeju Forum – ISEAS Conference: Partnership for Peace and Prosperity. The event will feature seasoned practitioners and eminent scholars from within and beyond the region as they offer insights into the most pressing questions of contemporary East and Southeast Asian relations from policymaking and academic perspectives. Given the contested but vibrant environment that ASEAN and Korea inhabit, these questions will hold enduring importance in the years to come. This conference is co-organised by the Jeju Peace Institute and ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. It will be held on Wednesday, 30 October 2019 from 10.00am to 5pm at ISEAS Seminar Rooms 1 & 2. Click here for more information and to register. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Takeaways from the Inaugural ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise (AUMX)” by Tang Siew Mun and Glenn Ong |
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“Along with other past and future multilateral exercises, the AUMX illustrates the desire of external powers to cooperate with ASEAN, and is a testament that external powers recognise, both ASEAN’s relevance and its claims to centrality in the region.”
Click here to read more. |
| “European Business Sentiments and Viewpoints on Regional Trade, Investment Opportunities and EU-ASEAN Relations” on 17 September 2019 |
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With ASEAN developing its economic integration programme further, increasing discussions of Industry 4.0 and digitisation, and the growth of economic headwinds driven by the ongoing US-China trade war, this Seminar will look at the perspective that European industry has towards Southeast Asia. Covering attitudes towards trade and investment in the region, viewpoints on the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and developments with various trade deals, as well as the EU-ASEAN relationship, the Seminar will provide further insight into the EU-ASEAN Business Sentiment Study, concerns that industry has on the AEC’s progress, and how the EU-ASEAN relations could be improved going forward. How do European businesses see the prospects for ASEAN? Can Southeast Asia maintain its attractiveness as the investment destination of choice? What is the sense from European industry on how the AEC is developing? Can and should Europe do more with ASEAN? And what is holding the relations back?
This seminar will be held on Tuesday, 17 September 2019 from 3.00pm to 4.30pm at ISEAS Seminar Room 2. Click here for more information and to register. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Prospects for ASEAN after New US Defence Secretary’s Maiden Pacific Tour” by Glenn Ong and Hoang Thi Ha |
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“As ASEAN recovers from the high of its 52nd anniversary celebrations and while Mark Esper warms up to the hot seat, both parties have much work ahead as they brace themselves for the potential eruption of flashpoints on the Korean peninsula and in the South China Sea. The US could risk being exposed on both fronts if it fails to strike a balance between the two. Indeed, the very definition of a “networked region” that the US seeks to promote through its Indo-Pacific strategy necessarily entails an interconnected space. ASEAN, on its part, will need to muster more than just repeated exhortations of ASEAN centrality.”
Click here to read more. |
| “Non-Tariff Measures in ASEAN: Is Protectionism on the Rise?” on 27 August 2019 |
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The 21st century suggests a somewhat vexing scenario of ‘new protectionism’, especially with the rise of restrictive non-tariff measures or NTMs. This largely refers to standard-like NTMs with a dual purpose of non-trade policy objectives and (hidden/concealed) protectionism. Since ASEAN is a high user of standard-like NTMs relative to other measures, this raises the question if there is an intentional shift towards murky protectionism in the region. Grounded on a few criteria to establish potential protectionism, the research presented in this seminar discusses the plausibility of “hidden” barriers in the standard-like NTMs based on related secondary data, and specific illustrative cases of harmful and burdensome NTMs in the individual ASEAN countries. From the narrative experiences of ASEAN, it is inferred that procedural obstacles directly associated with reported standard-like NTMs, instead of the NTMs themselves, account for the “hidden” barriers in ASEAN. The research concludes that regardless of the motivation for the barriers, whether unintentional or intentional with a protectionist agenda, procedural obstacles deserve attention in their own right as potential barriers to trade in ASEAN.
This seminar will be held on Tuesday, 27 August 2019 from 10.00am to 11.30am at ISEAS Seminar Room 2. Click here for more information and to register. |
| “The 20th ASEAN Lecture: How to Think about the Indo-Pacific?” on 16 August 2019 |
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The Indo-Pacific is a concept that holds multiple meanings. These uncertainties have not prevented Indo-Pacific from progressively becoming part of the regional discourse. ASEAN has also proclaimed its Outlook on Indo-Pacific at the 34th ASEAN Summit, a document which is read by many as differentiating the regional organisation’s position from those of the major Indo-Pacific proponents. Mr. Bilahari Kausikan will share his perspective on why this new concept developed, how ASEAN ought to view the Indo-Pacific, and how ASEAN should position itself in this nascent strategic concept.
This seminar will be held on Friday, 16 August 2019 from 10.00am to 11.30am at ISEAS Seminar Rooms 1 & 2. Click here for more information and to register. |
| The East-West Center: “ASEAN Matters for America/America Matters for ASEAN” (30 August 2021) |
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The East-West Center (EWC), in collaboration with the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, released the 4th edition of the ASEAN Matters for America/America Matters for ASEAN publication on 23 July 2019. The latest ASEAN Matters publication highlights the increasing ties between the United States and ASEAN.
Click here to access the press release. To download the publication, click here. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “Pitfalls for ASEAN in Negotiating a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea” by Hoang Thi Ha |
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“Over the past two decades, developing a code of conduct (COC) for the parties in the South China Sea (SCS) appears to be the end-goal of the longstanding ASEAN-China discourse on the SCS. It was the original objective of ASEAN’s engagement with China on the SCS in the late 1990s, which led to the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in 2002.
This article examines some potential pitfalls for ASEAN in the COC negotiations, and argues that the diplomatic progress in the COC process should not distract and divert ASEAN’s attention from the continuing problems at sea.” Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement (ATISA): Advancing Services Liberalization for ASEAN?” by Tham Siew Yean |
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“The arrival of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 and numerous assessments on the achievements of the AEC Blueprint that was used to guide the development of the AEC, led to negotiations to upgrade the services agreement from a framework agreement to a full-fledged agreement, namely the ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement (ATISA). Negotiations on the ATISA were concluded in November 2018. This article examines the potential of the ATISA to accelerate services liberalization in the region, and the key challenges involved.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “ASEAN has spoken on the Indo-Pacific – now it must act on it” by Tang Siew Mun |
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“The Outlook is a declaration that ASEAN will be the master of its own destiny. While it is not resistant to working with external parties, it will always privilege ASEAN’s interests above others.
ASEAN has found its voice. Now it must work harder on delivering a clear and consistent message. ASEAN should be working towards “taking positions”, not sides.” Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Revised Title ‘ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific’ Hints at Ambivalence” by Hoang Thi Ha and Glenn Ong |
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“The original title of ASEAN’s official response on the Indo-Pacific was reportedly the “ASEAN Indo-Pacific Outlook”, which was revised at the eleventh hour to the “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific” (AOIP). This modification appears ordinary at first glance, but a closer look at the wording reveals the underlying ambivalence that ASEAN and some of its member states might still have with embracing the concept.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN, Myanmar, and the Rohingya Issue” by Moe Thuzar |
|
“Myanmar continues to shoulder the main responsibility for implementing the repatriation and ensuring safe and conducive conditions for lives and livelihoods of the Rohingya. But ASEAN’s long experience in dealing with Myanmar caution that no aspect of this issue can be satisfactorily resolved in the short-term.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific: Old Wine in New Bottle?” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“At the initiative and urging of Indonesia, ASEAN had held internal discussions to formulate a common ASEAN position on this issue. As a result, the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in June 2019 adopted the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). This article examines the content of the AOIP and analyses what it may mean for ASEAN and its member states.”
Click here to read more. |
| South China Morning Post: “ASEAN found its voice with the Indo-Pacific concept. Now it has to use it or risk losing out” by Tang Siew Mun |
|
“ASEAN has to rethink its game plan to maintain and solidify its centrality. It will require members to be proactive about creating and managing a new order, rather than fixate on their sole preoccupation of “regional cooperation”. Still, it is doubtful if members have the political will and drive to move away from the safe familiarity of ASEAN-led processes that centre almost exclusively on functional cooperation.”
Click here to read more. |
| “’Indo-Pacific’: Opportunities and Challenges for ASEAN” on 1 July 2019 |
|
The ASEAN Leaders are expected to issue the “ASEAN Indo-Pacific Outlook” at the conclusion of the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand on 23 June 2019. Heretofore, ASEAN has neither endorsed nor rejected the “Indo-Pacific” while its member states have held rounds of consultation towards forging a regional consensus on this new concept. The concern over ASEAN being bypassed and its centrality undermined was at the forefront of ASEAN’s deliberations, as the proponents of the concept – Australia, India, Japan and most recently, the US – aspire towards a broader regional order, combining the vast expanse of diverse political entities from the Pacific to the Indian oceans. What should ASEAN do to avoid being sidelined in this new construct? Conversely, could the “Indo-Pacific” provide added impetus – and urgency – for ASEAN to live up to its potential as the bedrock of the new broader regional order? This seminar brings together three prominent Track 1.5 experts from Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam to discuss ASEAN’s views and responses to the Indo-Pacific concept.
This seminar will be held on Monday, 1 July 2019 from 10.00am to 11.30am. Click here for more information and to register. |
| The Straits Times: “The economics-security disconnect in America’s Indo-Pacific strategy” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“Despite US heightened awareness of the economics-security nexus, the economic component remains the strategy’s weakest link, especially in juxtaposition with the development-based narrative that China is promoting far and wide . . . US economic relations with Southeast Asia, although still having a strong foundation, have shown signs of saturation or slowing growth in contrast to a consistently upward trend in ASEAN-China economic engagement.”
Click here to read more. |
| Soha.vn: “Đối đầu Trung – Mỹ: “Cuộc đối thoại của người điếc” tiết lộ sóng ngầm dữ dội ở Biển Đông” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“ASEAN’s traditional bridging role is under great pressure as the US and China are marching far down the road towards parting ways. It is uncertain whether its usual talking points – building an open and inclusive regional order, making no binary choice and being a friend to all – would be able to arrest the headwinds facing the region, especially the reallocation of the global supply chains as the world economy and technology are on the cusp of bifurcating into two separate systems.”
Click here to read the article (in Vietnamese). English translation available here. |
| South China Morning Post: “In South China Sea, Asean has a choice: ‘Asian values’ or rule of law?” by Dr Tang Siew Mun and Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“In negotiating the code of conduct, Asean must not become overly ambitious. The code is not meant to create a new body of law. Rather, it is a confidence-building mechanism to codify a set of dos and don’ts to minimise and prevent escalation of conflict. Asean should be vigilant against efforts to prejudice the legitimate interests of the international community on freedom of navigation at sea and overflight.”
Click here to read more. |
| Channel NewsAsia: “Commentary: Myanmar on the cusp of opening up to mediation on Rakhine crisis” by Moe Thuzar |
|
“With violent extremism, climate change, humanitarian emergencies and mass displacement now emerging as drivers of conflict, and posing a challenge to regional integration, the current political moment impels greater ASEAN-led efforts in preventive diplomacy, promotion of conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and recovery in member states still afflicted by conflict and tensions.”
Click here to read more. |
| The State of Southeast Asia: 2019 Survey Report |
|
The ASEAN Studies Centre published “The State of Southeast Asia: 2019 Survey Report” on 29 January 2019, presenting the findings of a regionwide online survey conducted among policy, business, research, media and civil society communities in Southeast Asian countries on their views towards the state of the region amidst regional and global changes and uncertainties.
A summary of the survey findings was first published in ASEANFocus Issue 1/2019, accessible at this link. The full survey report can be downloaded here. Click here for a list of press reports referencing the survey findings. |
| Channel NewsAsia: “Commentary: The rebirth of the ASEAN miracle growth model” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“ASEAN’s efforts at strengthening cooperation both across the traditional and digital economies can help boost ASEAN’s competitiveness and growth in a way that is sustainable. And this new vision of enhanced connectivity will support greater trade, investment and innovation needed to ensure the region remains a vibrant and resilient region going forward.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “ASEAN-India Economic Relations: Low Base, Large Potential” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“ASEAN-India’s economic relations have significant room to grow in light of the global trade turmoil, services sector potential and people-to-people contacts. The domestic reforms undertaken by India in recent years reflect the country’s wish to build a modern and competitive economy that has the capacity to integrate better with regional and global economies going forward.”
Click here to read more. |
| Associated Press: “Southeast Asian navies to hold drills with China next week” |
|
“Strategically, it signals ASEAN’s current and future advances in security cooperation with China will not come at the expense of its good and long-standing ties with the U.S.” – Dr Tang Siew Mun
Click here to read more. |
| Asian Correspondent: “Trump’s lack of attention” |
|
“US supremacy is a thing of the past… America is a big factor in the region, but it is far from the only factor. China is gaining traction, pouring money into ASEAN and supplying the majority of tourists to the region. And the largest investor of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is the European Union… There are many other players in the region. There’s no one single actor… You see multiple leaderships in multiple different areas. There’s no one single party that stands out.” – Dr Tang Siew Mun
Click here to read more. |
| Free Malaysia Today: “Expert calls for code of conduct in South China Sea” |
|
“I am not singling out anybody. But the moment you balance against someone, for instance China, ASEAN would have lost its rationale… ASEAN is about inclusiveness and being open. It should be a safe platform for powers, big and small, to trade, engage and be friends. It should not be a great power kind of politics.” – Dr Tang Siew Mun
Click here to read more. |
| Channel NewsAsia: “A piece of Southeast Asia in a Singapore dish” by Cheryl Teh |
|
“When it comes to food, ASEAN is ever present in our home as much as we have always been right at home in the ASEAN region. These culinary connections highlight the intimate ties that bind Singapore to and with ASEAN.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Business Times: “ASEAN Economic Community: Looking back to move forward” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“AEC will remain the main vehicle to entrench the regional supply-chains and to ensure countries’ growth prospects. While there could be phases of uncertainty in the global economy, a more integrated ASEAN is inevitable to address vulnerabilities going into the future.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: 2018/32 “Do the Economic Ties between ASEAN and China Affect Their Strategic Partnership?” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“There are trust issues between the two. ASEAN countries worry that the growing trade deficit and the excessive dependence on China in trade and infrastructure financing will affect their domestic economy and foreign policy autonomy.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “How ASEAN Supports the Korean Peninsula Peace Process” by Dr Tang Siew Mun |
|
“Although ASEAN had consistently stood with the United Nations against DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, it also kept the channel of communication and dialogue with Pyongyang open through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which DPRK joined in 2000. Pyongyang’s participation in the ARF is even more important in the wake of the Trump-Kim Summit as it seeks to normalise ties with the region.”
Click here to read more |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Consensus by Accommodation” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“The alternative to consultation and consensus which is voting will end up with “winners” and “losers” within ASEAN. This will engender unhappiness and distrust among members. Certainty of outcome of voting can be counter-productive, ending with a divided ASEAN. Where the SCS issue is concerned, there is no quick fix or a perfect formula for ASEAN. ASEAN common position on the SCS must be attained by diligently bridging the gap and building consensus among its member states time and again.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Strategic Imperatives for India and Australia to Conclude RCEP Negotiation in 2018” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“So while ASEAN wants to have an all-inclusive 16 party RCEP, under the circumstances, it might have to explore other alternatives, including a smaller grouping. Prime Minister Lee hinted at this when he stated that there is no guarantee that ‘if there is no RCEP, no smaller groupings will emerge’.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “The ASEAN Way on the South China Sea Speaks Volumes” by Dr Tang Siew Mun |
|
“Far from being a weakness, the consensus approach to define ASEAN’s position which has stood the test of time ensures that all views are taken into account to serve the regional and collective interest while affirming ASEAN’s resilience. The consolidated South China Sea paragraph in the final outcome document exemplifies the true sense of ASEAN-ness in respecting each other’s views and upholding the spirit of compromise, while holding on to ASEAN’s principled position. “
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN Smart Cities Network: Preparing For the Future” by Moe Thuzar |
|
“ASEAN’s smart city network should thus be viewed beyond its encapsulation of the 2018 ASEAN theme: “Resilient and Innovative” It is one of the first steps by ASEAN to prepare for the future of regional cooperation in a global environment where digital technology informs and influences in the way people live, work, and conduct their daily transactions socially, economically, and professionally.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN Resilience: Continuity and Change” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“More than ever before, ASEAN resilience is grounded in the cohesion among its member states, especially “vis-à-vis external divisive forces” as noted in the Vision – a very blunt statement by ASEAN standards. It is by no coincidence that ASEAN unity and centrality is the first principle in the Vision, a reminder that as the member states link their fates together through ASEAN, they should get their act together for a resilient ASEAN.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Seamless ASEAN Sky: Policymakers need to look beyond Obstacles” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“An integrated ASEAN airspace will enhance growth in many economic sectors. But ASEAN policymakers need to look beyond existing obstacles and undertake reforms. A Seamless ASEAN Sky can then contribute to overall economic integration and strengthen infrastructure, institutional and people-to-people connectivity in the region. “
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “ASEAN businesses will do better without barriers to cross-border data flow” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“Indeed, if ASEAN members work together, there is much to be gained – a US$88 billion e-commerce market by 2025, according to one estimate by Google and Temasek Holdings. The embrace of opportunities offered by new technology – rather than erecting new barriers – will help ASEAN become more resilient against potential disruptive effects.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “ASEAN in Australia’s Indo-Pacific Outlook” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“The ASEAN-Australia Special Summit on 17-18 March 2018 demonstrates Australia’s support of ASEAN centrality in the defense of the region’s rules-based order, and open and free trade… Australia’s embrace of the Indo-Pacific and ASEAN’s reluctance to do the same should not be a barrier to the strengthening of ASEAN-Australia ties, which are based on aligned interests and shared vulnerabilities in the face of shifting power balances and transnational challenges in the region.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “ASEAN 2018: More work to be done on labour migration” by Moe Thuzar |
|
“The sheer fact that labour-sending and labour-receiving countries in ASEAN have managed to reach a compromise on a divisive issue after nearly eight years of negotiation is something of a relief.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: ASEAN 2018: Reconciling consensus with new realities by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“A hallmark of the ASEAN Way, consensus guarantees that all member states, big or small, are equal in ASEAN’s decision-making. It is credited for bringing ASEAN members together and keeping them united.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Australia in ASEAN: Vision or Fantasy?” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
To be an ASEAN member, one must agree to respect and abide by the ASEAN Charter, including the non-interference principle and decision-making by consensus. As a champion for liberal and democratic values, will Australia refrain from expressing its views on domestic politics of other ASEAN member states as it is doing today? Will Australia be comfortable with the ASEAN Way which Canberra and many Australian commentators have often lamented as “slow and ineffective”?
Click here to read more. |
Click here for a list of press reports referencing the survey findings.
| Channel NewsAsia: “Commentary: The rebirth of the ASEAN miracle growth model” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“ASEAN’s efforts at strengthening cooperation both across the traditional and digital economies can help boost ASEAN’s competitiveness and growth in a way that is sustainable. And this new vision of enhanced connectivity will support greater trade, investment and innovation needed to ensure the region remains a vibrant and resilient region going forward.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “ASEAN-India Economic Relations: Low Base, Large Potential” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“ASEAN-India’s economic relations have significant room to grow in light of the global trade turmoil, services sector potential and people-to-people contacts. The domestic reforms undertaken by India in recent years reflect the country’s wish to build a modern and competitive economy that has the capacity to integrate better with regional and global economies going forward.”
Click here to read more. |
| Associated Press: “Southeast Asian navies to hold drills with China next week” |
|
“Strategically, it signals ASEAN’s current and future advances in security cooperation with China will not come at the expense of its good and long-standing ties with the U.S.” – Dr Tang Siew Mun
Click here to read more. |
| Asian Correspondent: “Trump’s lack of attention” |
|
“US supremacy is a thing of the past… America is a big factor in the region, but it is far from the only factor. China is gaining traction, pouring money into ASEAN and supplying the majority of tourists to the region. And the largest investor of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is the European Union… There are many other players in the region. There’s no one single actor… You see multiple leaderships in multiple different areas. There’s no one single party that stands out.” – Dr Tang Siew Mun
Click here to read more. |
| Free Malaysia Today: “Expert calls for code of conduct in South China Sea” |
|
“I am not singling out anybody. But the moment you balance against someone, for instance China, ASEAN would have lost its rationale… ASEAN is about inclusiveness and being open. It should be a safe platform for powers, big and small, to trade, engage and be friends. It should not be a great power kind of politics.” – Dr Tang Siew Mun
Click here to read more. |
| Channel NewsAsia: “A piece of Southeast Asia in a Singapore dish” by Cheryl Teh |
|
“When it comes to food, ASEAN is ever present in our home as much as we have always been right at home in the ASEAN region. These culinary connections highlight the intimate ties that bind Singapore to and with ASEAN.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Business Times: “ASEAN Economic Community: Looking back to move forward” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“AEC will remain the main vehicle to entrench the regional supply-chains and to ensure countries’ growth prospects. While there could be phases of uncertainty in the global economy, a more integrated ASEAN is inevitable to address vulnerabilities going into the future.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: 2018/32 “Do the Economic Ties between ASEAN and China Affect Their Strategic Partnership?” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“There are trust issues between the two. ASEAN countries worry that the growing trade deficit and the excessive dependence on China in trade and infrastructure financing will affect their domestic economy and foreign policy autonomy.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “How ASEAN Supports the Korean Peninsula Peace Process” by Dr Tang Siew Mun |
|
“Although ASEAN had consistently stood with the United Nations against DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, it also kept the channel of communication and dialogue with Pyongyang open through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which DPRK joined in 2000. Pyongyang’s participation in the ARF is even more important in the wake of the Trump-Kim Summit as it seeks to normalise ties with the region.”
Click here to read more |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Consensus by Accommodation” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“The alternative to consultation and consensus which is voting will end up with “winners” and “losers” within ASEAN. This will engender unhappiness and distrust among members. Certainty of outcome of voting can be counter-productive, ending with a divided ASEAN. Where the SCS issue is concerned, there is no quick fix or a perfect formula for ASEAN. ASEAN common position on the SCS must be attained by diligently bridging the gap and building consensus among its member states time and again.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Strategic Imperatives for India and Australia to Conclude RCEP Negotiation in 2018” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“So while ASEAN wants to have an all-inclusive 16 party RCEP, under the circumstances, it might have to explore other alternatives, including a smaller grouping. Prime Minister Lee hinted at this when he stated that there is no guarantee that ‘if there is no RCEP, no smaller groupings will emerge’.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “The ASEAN Way on the South China Sea Speaks Volumes” by Dr Tang Siew Mun |
|
“Far from being a weakness, the consensus approach to define ASEAN’s position which has stood the test of time ensures that all views are taken into account to serve the regional and collective interest while affirming ASEAN’s resilience. The consolidated South China Sea paragraph in the final outcome document exemplifies the true sense of ASEAN-ness in respecting each other’s views and upholding the spirit of compromise, while holding on to ASEAN’s principled position. “
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN Smart Cities Network: Preparing For the Future” by Moe Thuzar |
|
“ASEAN’s smart city network should thus be viewed beyond its encapsulation of the 2018 ASEAN theme: “Resilient and Innovative” It is one of the first steps by ASEAN to prepare for the future of regional cooperation in a global environment where digital technology informs and influences in the way people live, work, and conduct their daily transactions socially, economically, and professionally.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “ASEAN Resilience: Continuity and Change” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“More than ever before, ASEAN resilience is grounded in the cohesion among its member states, especially “vis-à-vis external divisive forces” as noted in the Vision – a very blunt statement by ASEAN standards. It is by no coincidence that ASEAN unity and centrality is the first principle in the Vision, a reminder that as the member states link their fates together through ASEAN, they should get their act together for a resilient ASEAN.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Seamless ASEAN Sky: Policymakers need to look beyond Obstacles” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“An integrated ASEAN airspace will enhance growth in many economic sectors. But ASEAN policymakers need to look beyond existing obstacles and undertake reforms. A Seamless ASEAN Sky can then contribute to overall economic integration and strengthen infrastructure, institutional and people-to-people connectivity in the region. “
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “ASEAN businesses will do better without barriers to cross-border data flow” by Dr Sanchita Basu Das |
|
“Indeed, if ASEAN members work together, there is much to be gained – a US$88 billion e-commerce market by 2025, according to one estimate by Google and Temasek Holdings. The embrace of opportunities offered by new technology – rather than erecting new barriers – will help ASEAN become more resilient against potential disruptive effects.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Perspective: “ASEAN in Australia’s Indo-Pacific Outlook” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“The ASEAN-Australia Special Summit on 17-18 March 2018 demonstrates Australia’s support of ASEAN centrality in the defense of the region’s rules-based order, and open and free trade… Australia’s embrace of the Indo-Pacific and ASEAN’s reluctance to do the same should not be a barrier to the strengthening of ASEAN-Australia ties, which are based on aligned interests and shared vulnerabilities in the face of shifting power balances and transnational challenges in the region.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: “ASEAN 2018: More work to be done on labour migration” by Moe Thuzar |
|
“The sheer fact that labour-sending and labour-receiving countries in ASEAN have managed to reach a compromise on a divisive issue after nearly eight years of negotiation is something of a relief.”
Click here to read more. |
| The Straits Times: ASEAN 2018: Reconciling consensus with new realities by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
“A hallmark of the ASEAN Way, consensus guarantees that all member states, big or small, are equal in ASEAN’s decision-making. It is credited for bringing ASEAN members together and keeping them united.”
Click here to read more. |
| ISEAS Commentary: “Australia in ASEAN: Vision or Fantasy?” by Hoang Thi Ha |
|
To be an ASEAN member, one must agree to respect and abide by the ASEAN Charter, including the non-interference principle and decision-making by consensus. As a champion for liberal and democratic values, will Australia refrain from expressing its views on domestic politics of other ASEAN member states as it is doing today? Will Australia be comfortable with the ASEAN Way which Canberra and many Australian commentators have often lamented as “slow and ineffective”?
Click here to read more. |
