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This paper describes the growth of local-currency bond markets in Emerging Asia and the institutional and policy challenges facing the region's economies for their further development. It presents an empirical analysis of the relationship between local-currency government bond (LCGB) market development and the components of financial development, using panel data for selected Emerging Asian economies. The analysis seeks to identify the key determinants for the development of LCGB markets. The results show that the depth of and access to both financial markets and financial institutions have a significantly positive impact on LCGB market development. Critical factors associated with local-currency bond market depth include macroeconomic variables, the exchange-rate regime, capital account openness and creditor rights. Based on these results, the paper offers policy directions for fostering the development of local-currency bond markets in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) benefits significantly from investments in transport infrastructure such as road, railway and port, but not as much from investments in non-transport infrastructure such as real estate. However, using data collected from several sources, including secondary data on the number of infrastructure projects already invested and earmarked to be invested as well as China's direct foreign investment to Southeast Asia, this analysis shows that non-transport infrastructure constitutes a substantially higher proportion of the total infrastructure investments in Southeast Asia than transport infrastructure since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This points to a suboptimization polemic emanating from the mismatch between the injlows of the diferent types of infrastructure investments and ASEAN's need for these inputs for sustainable economic growth. Domestic disharmony, regional rivalry and political conflicts between China and ASEAN as well as other obstacles such as the debt-trap worries reduce the total investment flows to Southeast Asia, exacerbating the suboptimization problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few decades. agriculture in Southeast Asia has experienced robust growth and undergone a significant structural transformation, albeit at a different pace in different countries in the region. This paper aims to understand the process of agricultural transformation and growth in Southeast Asia. The findings of this study show that, driven by technological change, area expansion and diversification, agriculture has grown faster in low income countries in the region. In contrast. agricultural growth in high-income countries has been slow and driven by price increases. mainly of export-oriented commercial crops such. as oil palm, rubber and coconut-alongside expansion of cropped area under these crops. In view of the fixed supply of land and high volatility in global food prices, the area- and price-driven growth is not sustainable in the long run. For efficient, sustainable and inclusive growth, exploiting the potential of existing and frontier technologies and diversification of production portfolio holds greater promise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the topic of sea nomads in Southeast Asia, focusing on three distinct groups: the Moken/Moklen, the Orang Suku Laut, and the Sama-Bajau. It highlights the lack of extensive academic literature on the Moken and other sea-dependent peoples compared to the Sama-Bajau and Orang Suku Laut. The article delves into the linguistic, historical, and anthropological aspects of these communities and their interactions with land-based societies. It challenges the notion that physical mobility is the defining characteristic of nomadism and emphasizes the unique relationship sea nomads have with the sea. The article also discusses differences between the various sea nomadic groups and suggests the need for further comparative studies. [Extracted from the article]

In the mid-twentieth century, Chg Ldn was a powerhouse of Chinese newspaper publishing in Southeast Asia. A number of the major Chinese newspapers published there during that period are available in the Chinese Library of the National University of Singapore. The contents of these publications -- editorials, commercial advertisements, personal advertisements, serialized novels -- will be of interest to scholar's of Sinophone studies and of modem Vietnamese history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of currency appreciation and firm heterogeneity on exports from ASEAN, which appears to have the potential to replicate China's export-driven growth miracle. It tries to fill the gap in literature related to exchange rate fluctuations and firm heterogeneity in Southeast Asia, specifically focusing on the "zero-trade" problem. Four main findings emerge from this study. First, contrary to conventional wisdom, exchange rate appreciation does, in fact, discourage exports by ASEAN-based companies. Second, firm responses to currency appreciation vary significantly. While SMEs and first-time exporters are more sensitive to exchange rate movements, other exporters can mitigate these risks through foreign and domestic affiliations (although foreign ownership proves to be more helpful). Third, firms whose exports consist of foreign inputs are less affected by local currency appreciation. And fourth, companies in the services sector are more sensitive to currency appreciation than those in manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Australian Vision of the Indo-Pacific and What it Means Gillard's Labor government, identified the Indo-Pacific as Australia's region of Rory Medcalf, "Mapping Our Indo-Pacific Future: Towards an Indo-Pacific Strategy. [Extracted from the article]

Palm-leaf manuscripts are important objects in Southeast Asia. Their value often goes beyond the meanings of the written texts. They also have historical, religious, literary, symbolic and ritual importance. This paper investigates textual materiality as it applies to a story about palm-leaf manuscripts owned by the ethnic Heuny (Nha Heun) group in Paksong District, Champasak Province, southern Laos. This story links material texts to oral history, rituals and efforts by the Nha Heun to legitimize their culture. It demonstrates how palm-leaf manuscripts can serve to legitimize claims handed down through oral traditions and ritual practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ten Southeast Asian economies will announce the formation of an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) on 31 December 2015. The AEC aspires to deliver an integrated market and production base with the free movement of goods, services, capital and skilled labour. However, member economies are still a long way from achieving an integrated production space as they have not yet fulfilled all the stipulated targets set in the 2007 AEC Blueprint. A possible explanation for the current state of economic integration is the presence of conflicting domestic economic interests in member countries. This paper reviews the literature on this issue and synthesizes main observations from selected country studies examining the nature o f these conflicting interests. It concludes by providing key policy recommendations for fostering domestic consensus in the respective countries studied in this special issue so that they may support the implementation of their respective commitments as well as deeper ASEAN economic integration beyond 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on data for actual and approved Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from 1989-2011, this paper explores the major trends in FDI in Myanmar, focusing on changes over time in the source and sector of investment. It argues that over the last decade Myanmar's inward FDI has become heavily concentrated in the extractive and power sectors, while investment in manufacturing, services and other secondary and tertiary sectors has been almost non-existent. This is mostly the result of a poor investment climate, including import and export regulations, a weak judicial system, currency controls and weak property rights. The paper shows that China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Thailand have been the main investors in Myanmar, while Singapore, India and Western countries invested little in the 2000s. This divergence is driven partly by the differing investment patterns of the source countries, yet also reflects commercial and geopolitical realities, sanctions and concerns over energy security. The paper then examines whether and how FDI can lead to economic development in Myanmar, and, closes by discussing the importance of recent political and economic reforms for rebalancing Myanmar's FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the adaptation strategies of developing countries and the possible adaptation options available for Southeast Asia. Adaptation refers to the actions taken by individuals, communities, or governments in response to climate change, to reduce the adverse impacts or to take advantage of opportunities offered by such changes. Adaptation strategies have hardly been considered by many Southeast Asian countries in as recently as two or three years ago. The cost of adaptation and the funding available is also discussed, with the possibility of using institutions for risk sharing (disaster management) and risk transfer (insurance and derivatives) as measures to adapt. A regional outlook for adaptation for Southeast Asia concludes the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four regional trading agreements have now set a goal of a "single market". These are the EU, CARICOM, ASEAN, and CER agreements. However, in none of them is the goal well defined. This paper defines a single market in terms of the concepts of economic integration. An area is completely integrated if the Law of One Price holds for all commodity and factor markets. The paper examines the conditions which are necessary for the Law to hold. It then measures the progress towards this goal in seven regional trading agreements. It examines the steps ASEAN needs to take if it is to be a single market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a combination of economic reasoning with empirical evidence to review the fertility decline experienced in South, Southeast, and East Asia. The fertility transition in this region has roughly coincided with a period of rapid economic growth. There has also been an increase in urbanization levels, greater female education and labour force participation, and demand for skilled labour. The paper focuses on the manner in which these macro-level changes have raised the production cost of children as assets and changed parental perception of children from being economic assets to liabilities. Where these factors have not come into play, such as in India, demographic change has not materialized, at least not to the extent of the other countries in this sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main focus of this paper is the regional impact of U.S.-ASEAN investment relations: Does U.S. investment complement ASEAN's regional industrial cooperation? Generally, the relationship is asymmetrical since U.S. investment is important for ASEAN countries, but ASEAN is not as important for U.S. investors. Further, Japan's role as a market and host/source of investment places the United States and ASEAN in a triangular relationship. The paper also looks at existing patterns of U.S. investment in five ASEAN countries. Finally, there is analysis of U.S investors' role in three techniques of ASEAN co-operation: ASEAN Industrial Projects (AIP), ASEAN Industrial Complementation (AIC), and ASEAN Industrial Joint Ventures (AHV). The paper concludes that past experience and an international environment of continued economic friction and uncertainty are likely to make ASEAN industrial co-operation of less importance than other U.S.-ASEAN economic relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When ASEAN celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, it was asked if an organization founded on principles appropriate for the 1960s remains relevant today. Its critics point to the organization's recent failures to indicate that continued reliance on the "ASEAN Way" puts it on the road to irrelevance. Its defenders argue that the peace and stability that ensued since the Association's formation are testimony that the ASEAN formula works. Both conclusions are based on what commentators on either side of the debate believe ASEAN's role should be. This paper argues that an assessment should, instead, be based on what its members want it to do, expressed through policy announcements and documents like the ASEAN Charter. It should also consider the totality of its mandate from diplomacy to economics. Viewed in this way, the grouping has accomplishments to be proud of, but also some failures to regret. The 'ASEAN Way', upheld steadfastly by its member countries' leadership, has been instrumental to both its successes and failures. Overall, while ASEAN may not live up to the expectations of its critics, its achievements in some areas do suggest its continued relevance even under vastly changed circumstances, both domestic and external. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the deadline for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) approaches, the Philippines has yet to complete the implementation of its commitments in the AEC Blueprint. While it is true that the government has implemented most of them, these policy reforms have yet to make an impact on the economy. This paper examines the country's performance in terms of its commitments in the AEC by identifying the gaps between those commitments and actual implementation. It also examines the domestic economic conflicts that have hampered Philippine policy reform efforts, focusing on the automobile industry. The conflicts may be due to a lack of common economic interests among firms in the industry as well as because of the lack of coherence of domestic policies that have limited, if not negated, progress towards economic integration. Domestic conflicts have created an industry that has failed to develop as a major exporter as well as a source of employment and income for the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the end of 2015 draws nearer, the prospect of meeting all the goals of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint appears dimmer by the day. The literature identifies two prominent gaps in ASEAN's journey towards an economic community as defined by its own vision. First, the extensive literature on the AEC, and this includes the scorecard designed to monitor the implementation of its goals, suggests that there appears to be a gap between commitments and the achievements of the AEC Blueprint targets. Second, attaining a "free flow of services" as stated in the AEC goals, is also hampered by a gap between commitments in liberalization and actual practice. The objectives of this paper are twofold. First, it seeks to review the gap between commitments and practice in Malaysia. Second, it aims to examine domestic conflicts that may constrain Malaysia's services liberalization efforts in ASEAN. A key question considered in the analysis is the source or sources of these conflicts. Is the conflict confined to the private sector or is the government conflicted from within in terms of services liberalization? In other words, are there certain policies that may negate or off-set liberalization efforts? The key finding in this paper shows conflicting objectives in government policies to be the main reason for the slow pace of liberalization thus far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strategic competition between the United States and China is often seen as a rivalry confined to the two great powers alone, in which secondary states such as those in Southeast Asia have little influence and will inevitably end up “choosing sides”. However, this assumption overlooks how the domestic politics of Southeast Asian states shape their foreign policies. Furthermore, if the United States or China is to attain a leadership role and legitimacy in the region, it requires the validation, support, and deference of smaller states, none of which can be achieved without consideration of domestic politics. Thus, this Special Issue—including case studies of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Thailand and the Philippines—underscores the domestic determinants of the foreign policy of Southeast Asian states, identifying how their concerns about economic security, political legitimacy and regional stability mediate their engagement with the United States and China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, ASEAN has implemented numerous organizational reforms that are designed to rejuvenate its institutional structures and international reputation. Among these reforms has been the introduction of the ASEAN Intergovermental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). This body is meant to monitor and promote human rights norms and practices among the ASEAN states. It has been criticized, however, as lacking the power to force state compliance. This paper argues that ASEAN's apparent willingness to entertain a more robust institutional human rights regime is properly understood as part of its effort to rehabilitate the organization's international credibility as opposed to an indication of a substantive normative shift in the outlook of key ASEAN members. The paper examines the circumtances around the creation of the AICHR and considers the ongoing state-building problems faced by most ASEAN states. It argues that the AICHR is the product of an inadequate planning process and that the international human rights environment is changing in ways that will relieve the pressure on ASEAN to reform in a manner that reflects the rhetorical preferences of the Western world on the issue of human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the status of contemporary civil society in Vietnam from a process-oriented perspective. It considers civil society in light of its actions and processes rather than by its political and structural affiliations. The analysis takes as a case study the bauxite mines in the Central Highlands. The Chinese-Vietnamese joint venture between two respective state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is seeking $15 billion in investment by 2025 to take advantage of Vietnam's huge bauxite reserves in order to process aluminum. The project has fomented unprecendented criticism from individuals within the mainstream elite of the Party, as well as environmental scientists, prominent lawyers and citizen bloggers in Vietnam. After a series of contentious policy debates and high-level reviews by various government ministries concerning the project's sustainability, environmental as well as social impact, the Vietnamese government approved and initiated mining in early 2012. By looking at the various sites of contention, National Assembly debates, and public outcry concerning the case, this paper advances a new conceptual framework for analysing civil society in Vietnam. The bauxite controversy explictly showcases the form that civil society is taking in contemporary Vietnam. I will argue that interactions among the vacillating civil society network that encompasses both grassroots activists and reformist political leaders will guide elite-level policy in Vietnam in such a way that does not pose a direct challenge to the Party's central authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to examine if push or pull factors are driving capital inflows into Southeast Asia. Using factor analysis, we find that there is one common factor that is driving capital flows into the region. This common factor, which can be interpreted as a push factor , accounts for 35 per cent of the variance of capital inflows into the region. Regression analysis shows that the push factor is strongly influenced by investors' risk perception and, to a lesser extent, by business cycle in the United States. This is worrying as risk perception can change quickly during periods of crisis and the capital inflows could suddenly turn into outflows, as seen during the recent global financial crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) is one of a number of sub-regional "growth polygons" in Southeast Asia that was established in the early 1990s to help accelerate the process of regional integration among the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). However, these sub-regional zones include the less developed parts of Southeast Asia, and therefore face significant developmental challenges. This paper seeks to understand how BIMP-EAGA has addressed these challenges in accordance with the principles of developmental regionalism; that is, activities that are particularly oriented to enhancing the economic capacity and prospects of lesser-developed countries with a view to strengthening their integration into the regional economy, and thereby bringing greater coherence to overall regional community building. This article examines how BIMP-EAGA has pursued developmental regionalism through various initiatives and measures aimed at enhancing inter-related development capacities: technocratic, institutional, industrial, infrastructural, human and sustainable development. There have been successes but also failures in BIMP-EAGA, as evidenced by the persistent lack of progress in achieving substantial sub-regional development cooperation. This paper discusses the reasons for these outcomes, and makes a number of recommendations to give BIMP-EAGA new direction and purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is aimed at providing a better understanding of FDI determinants in the main ASEAN countries through new developments in FDI theories. This paper simultaneously explores bilateral, third-country as well as regional integration as determinants for FDI. As an extension to the exisiting literature, it first proposes a theoretical framework which builds on and extends the work of Baltagi, Egger, and Pfaffermayr (2007) by including the impact of regional integration. The theoretical model is then tested empirically for FDI flows from the United States to five ASEAN countries, i.e., Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines, over the period 1995-2007 for fifteen industries. Alternative panel data models are considered, especially models with spatially correlated residuals. The results show that third-country effects and regional integration are significant determinants of FDI in ASEAN countries, especially for vertical and complex vertical FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses trade policies in Southeast Asian countries in their wider Asian and global contexts. It not only compares and contrasts trade policies in individual Southeast Asian countries, but also analyses these policies in the context of regional and global economic integration, as well as the economic emergence of two other major Asian economies, China and India. The paper summarizes key trade policy features in ASEAN countries, especially to get a sense of policy variety in the region and to see how policies have changed since the 1997-98 Asian economic crisis. The paper concludes that ASEAN countries cannot rely on external tracks "from above" for meaningful trade policy reform. Rather they have to rely on themselves "from below" as it were. The engine of liberalization and regulatory reform has to be home-driven, with governments taking unilateral measures in response to internal and external conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the impact of rising human resource ( HR ) endowments on the relative factor intensity and composition of manufactured exports of Singapore and Malaysia. Following the traditional approach, relative factor intensities are approximated by wage and non-wage value added per employee. The findings show that the manufacturing activities in both countries have become more HR intensive. While in Singapore, the HR upgrading has accompanied substantial upgrading of capital equipment, a wedge between the skill and capital upgrading appears to have developed in Malaysia. This seemingly peculiar phenomenon in Malaysia may have been due to the dominance of electronics assembling which is very capital intensive but requires little skill. As far as export composition is concerned, it has become more HR oriented in Singapore as a result of the rise in the export shares (export structure effect) of those activities which have become more HR intensive (industry effect). But in the case of Malaysia, the export structure is dominated by electronics whose assembly is not HR intensive. As a result, Malaysia's manufactured exports have remained less HR oriented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the rapid industrialization of the ASEAN states in the past few decades, primary commodities retain a crucial role in external trade and economic development. This paper presents a typology of coalition strategies for development through the process of economic integration. It is concluded that in light of an imperfect world, the most robust strategy for many Third World nations may be a mixed one, incorporating, with the pursuit of global free trade, complementary strategic coalitions despite the inherent efficiency-reducing effects of many of these alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Orang Suku Laut in the Riau Archipelago, who are under Indonesian jurisdiction presently, were once highly esteemed for their nomadic lifestyle, which helped open new areas to generate wealth for sedentary populations; today they are held in disdain by policymakers, who apply pressure through the state apparatus to change their lifestyle. Some Orang Suku Laut remain fully nomadic, others have resorted to limited seasonal residence on their boats and yet others have chosen or been forced to be completely sedentarized in coastal settlements. Although they have not been able to ward off state control completely, their continued widespread presence in Southeast Asia bears testament to their resilience in maintaining their cultural identity. This article discusses the strategies developed by the Orang Suku Laut to maintain their identity and assesses their capacity for resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever since the policy of economic renovation (Doi Moi) was initiated in 1986, comprehensive domestic reforms and proactive economic integration have been major pillars of Vietnam's economy. Deepening cooperation and integration through the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) framework lies at the centre of Vietnam's trade and investment liberalization agenda. Any domestic reforms undertaken in the lead up to the announcement of the AEC by the end of 2015 should engage the ongoing economic restructuring process as well as the country's growth paradigm. Reforms will also entail narrowing the development gap between Vietnam and more advanced ASEAN economies. The Vietnamese government has to weigh adjustment costs from reforms and greater liberalization as well as ensure that benefits are distributed among a diverse set of stakeholders in the domestic economy. Past experiences have shown that stakeholders can be sensitive to adjustment costs and accompanying uncertainties. This paper focuses on three key issues related to managing consensus during the community-building process: (i) increasing consultation with stakeholders during reforms; (ii) building community awareness of potential changes; and (iii) mitigating adverse impacts of reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses Singapore's progress in implementing the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and tries to explore whether the city-state has encountered any domestic conflict whilst doing so. It concludes that being a highly trade- and FDI-dependent economy, it is in Singapore's national interest to be a part of the AEC. It is one of the leading ASEAN countries to implement the AEC initiatives. When examining domestic conflicts, Singapore presents a unique case as the city-state has long been exposed to the competitive forces of globalization, well before the development of the AEC. The country adopts non-protectionist measures to manage competitive pressures from the global economy. Almost full employment and a low incidence of poverty also minimize the negative impacts of liberalization. Case studies of the electronics and aviation sectors highlight how these two sectors are adjusting to liberalization and competition from the global economy, including the AEC. With respect to the electronics sector, which is an integral part of regional production networks, Singapore is continually progressing up the value chain. In the case of the aviation sector, the city-state continues to meet global and regional challenges through cooperative arrangements with the aviation industries of other countries and by upgrading and expanding its air services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is Thailand' s current priority and the AEC Blueprint is being progressively implemented in the country. However, different domestic economic interests have contributed to the slow pace of implementation. Three case studies--the agricultural sector, the logistics industry, and the mobility of medical professionals--are used to illustrate this. To move the AEC beyond 2015 and to enhance consensus-building during the community-building process, this paper puts forth the following policy recommendations: (i) the Thai government should enhance awareness of the community-building process and convey more details about the AEC to stakeholders and the general public; (ii) closer consultation and more integrated relationships between the government and stakeholders should be fostered; (iii) the government should formulate policies to improve the competitiveness of the affected stakeholders and industries to reduce the adverse impact from the AEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at a workshop on Southeast Asian lifestyling is presented. One of the presenters discussed the fundamental aspects of lifestyling which she applied in her studies on the new Indonesian middle class and argues that the bureaucratic middle class in Indonesia is involved in symbolic consumption as a way of life. The workshop featured several anthropologists including Solvay Gerke, Mark Hobart and Alexander Horstmann.

Poverty remains a continuing crisis in Southeast Asia, regardless of the timing and severity of the global economic crisis. Moreover, being poor and falling into poverty is often beyond an individual's capacity to avoid. Who should help these individuals and how much help should be given -- the individuals themselves, their families, their friends, their communities, and/or their governments? A just and financially sustainable social protection system is perhaps an answer to those questions. This paper provides an analytical background for the five articles in this special issue of ASEAN Economic Bulletin, dealing with issues on social protection in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It discusses what social protection is, reviews an analytical framework of a continuum pioneered by Esping-Anderson (1990), and attempts to locate where the five Southeast Asian countries are in the continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of the global financial crisis on Southeast Asia, focusing especially on the policy responses of the various governments. In spite of seeing OECD asset markets crumble and financial credit freeze, Southeast Asia was slow to fully mobilize to reduce the impact of the crisis. Monetary policy-makers did rise to the challenge, but the tools of fiscal expenditure were slow to be used. The impact of fiscal policy was too late to stimulate domestic demand and mitigate the impact on the poor. This review of policy responses could yield policy lessons for sustaining growth and cushioning the poor in the face of future crises. The discussion is on the larger, more populous and more globalized countries of Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. These countries have the resources to address the impact of the global economy through individual and collective actions and policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of its 40th anniversary, this article analyses how the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has sought to deal with the problem of drug production, trafficking and consumption in Southeast Asia. Reviewing more than three decades of cooperation, it asks whether an international regime against the illicit trafficking and abuse of drugs has been established in the region under the auspices of ASEAN. In particular, the paper discusses the ASEAN and China Cooperative Operations in Response to Dangerous Drugs (ACCORD) as an attempt to create a framework of multilateral cooperation. It argues however that it is still premature today to characterise existing regional consultations as a working anti-drug regime. The existing cooperative structure has remained a loose forum for information sharing despite the strong Chinese involvement that has deepened consultations since the late 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent decades, most countries of Southeast Asia achieved reductions in absolute poverty incidence, but these reductions varied in magnitude between countries and over time. This paper shows that differences in the rate and sectoral composition of economic growth explain part, but not all, of these differences. It describes outcomes on poverty incidence in Southeast Asia and relates them to the growth of output in the agricultural, industrial, and services sectors. This analysis uses data from the 1970s to the most recent available for Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines to analyse the economic determinants of changes in poverty incidence in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the evolution of the American-led global campaign against international terrorism in Southeast Asia. During the initial stage of the campaign, the United States was pragmatic and circumspect as it cooperated with its Asian allies in neutralizing terrorist groups and other transnational criminals. The campaign generated a positive trend towards cooperative security as Washington provided military and intelligence assistance to several countries threatened by homegrown and international terrorist movements. However, this paper contends that the Bush administration's 2002 national security strategy has radically transformed the war on terror in Southeast Asia and might create a major problem in America's efforts to foster cooperative security since states in the region seem averse to the strategy of pre-emptive defence. The article concludes that the best way to counter terrorist organizations is through the cooperative security or functionalist approach rather than the strategic/military mode, which tends to generate conflict among state actors who are faced with a common security challenge -- international terrorism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the position of the United States as de facto global hegemon, China is a rising power in the world. As Chinese power grows, the projection of Chinese influence will be felt most acutely in Southeast Asia. Whether to accommodate, contain or resist China will depend on future developments that none can foresee, including Chinese ambitions, the policies of other international players (the U.S., Japan), and the cohesion or fragility of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN). This paper argues that in deciding how best to deal with China, two factors that will influence the countries of Southeast Asia are their own long histories of bilateral relations with China and their own differing conceptions of how foreign relations should be conducted. This is to argue that history and culture are central to any understanding of the likely future shape of China-Southeast Asia relations. Only by taking history and culture into account will analysts be in a position to predict how the mainland and maritime states of Southeast Asia are likely to respond to a more powerful, confident and assertive China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looks into the issues concerning the activities of terrorists in Southeast Asia. Tactics of suicide bombings in the Middle East; Operations of the Al-Qaeda organization; Impact of terrorism on the overall economy in the region.

This article examines China and India's status-seeking efforts in Southeast Asia through the lens of disaster relief cooperation. It explores status-seeking processes and the region's responses, as well as how these shape the regional security order in the Asia-Pacific. We argue that the outcomes of China and India's status-seeking are determined by their own behaviours and the region's interpretations of them. Our analysis reveals that China seeks to elevate its status to become a leading security partner of Southeast Asia, which has only been partially accepted by the region, as demonstrated by its active and institutionalized cooperation with ASEAN but its haphazard bilateral HADR engagement with individual Southeast Asian countries. Meanwhile, India has gone from a low-key player to an important partner, primarily in military terms, as shown by its membership in regional multilateral institutions, the holding of regular bilateral exercises and an acceptance by Southeast Asian states of the deployment of its military for HADR missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the current and future dynamics of Southeast Asia's maritime cooperation with China and India. Southeast Asian states do not only have diverse agendas when it comes to non-traditional and traditional maritime security issues, but their prioritization of these threats also vary. Those variations primarily define Southeast Asian interests for partnerships with actors such as India and China. Given China's geographical centrality, its strong economic relationship with countries in the region and the proximity of its military power, Southeast Asia states will remain far more invested in maritime security cooperation with China than India. Yet, China's territorial and maritime jurisdictional disputes in the South China Sea, and its overpowering shadow on the region, have contributed to anxiety among Southeast Asian states and their search for other security partners. The evolving threat of China's rise and polarization within the region gives New Delhi opportunities to engage. India-China rivalry is also a significant motivation for New Delhi to engage in Southeast Asia's maritime security. Two avenues for this include naval arms transfers and training for sea denial missions to claimant countries in the South China Sea, and cooperation in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeast Asian states face numerous security challenges that require the assistance of external partners. China and India, two Indo-Pacific powerhouses, could offer potential solutions but their relations with Southeast Asian states vary considerably. At the same time, escalating tensions between China and India increase the risks of their engagement with Southeast Asian states leading to greater polarization in the region. By utilizing the "4-C Calculus", which comprises cost, complexity, credibility and capacity, this special issue seeks to understand how Southeast Asian states evaluate China and India as potential security cooperation partners, and whether cooperation with both--together or individually--can help address the region's security needs. The articles in this special issue employ the 4-C framework to analyse five key security concerns: defence modernization; health security; the post-coup crisis in Myanmar; humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; and maritime security. They contribute to the literature on security partnerships by providing fresh insights into our understanding of why and how smaller states partner with larger powers over shared security challenges, as well as by illustrating how certain policy considerations can influence the direction and quality of security partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the policy implications of the current regional economic crisis to labour migration in Southeast Asia. It begins with an important description of the Asian "miracle", followed by an examination of the critical, but underemphasized, role of labour migrants especially to the high-performing Asian economies (HPAEs). Thereafter, some initial policy implications of the regional crisis are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This overview paper gives a bird's eye view of privatization and deregulation in the ASEAN economies. It begins by reviewing the raison d'être for the proliferation of state-owned enterprises in the region. The case for privatization in A SEA N is presented, followed by a discussion of the privatization efforts thus far undertaken and the results hitherto attained. The problems of privatization in ASEAN such as management resistance, trade union objections, the limited aborptive capacity of the region capital markets and the impact on income and wealth distribution are also examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textiles and garments (T&G) and electronics are two major industrial activities in the member countries of ASEAN. As the advanced East Asian newly industrializing countries (NICs), which include Singapore, are phasing out their labour-intensive operations, the second-tier NICs in ASEAN are expected to find comparative advantage in T&G and electronics assembly. Hence, these two industrial activities are the focus of the industrial programmes in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. This paper provides a profile of T&G and electronics industries in the ASEAN countries. The discussion focuses on the following aspects of these two industries: (i) the position within the industrial structure: (ii) the pattern of development; and (iii) factor intensity. The discussion on factor intensity is intended to shed some light on the implications for manpower policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the impact of exchange rate changes, changes in domestic and worm prices and tariff reductions on the change of positive tariff redundancy, that is, legal protection through nominal tariffs exceeding the difference between domestic and worm prices. The analysis undertaken for consumer goods supplied in four ASEAN countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore) finds domestic inflation and exchange rate changes to be more important determinants of changes in tariff redundancy than tariff cuts. This especially holds true for ASEAN countries with relatively high inflation rates, i.e., the Philippines and Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]