Tag: East Asia Forum

Can Duterte’s diplomacy have it all?

By Anthony V. Rinna, Analyst on Russian foreign policy, Sino-NK (Courtesy East Asia Forum) — Less than six months into his tenure as President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte has embarked on what even he considers to be risky foreign policy moves. In September 2016, he declared that he is about to ‘cross the Rubicon’ in the Philippines’ relationship with the United States. The ‘crossing’ Duterte refers to is his plan to enhance the Philippines’ […]

Moving too slowly towards an ASEAN Economic Community

Author: Jayant Menon, Asian Development Bank (Courtesy East Asia Forum) — Launched as a political bloc and security pact in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, ASEAN has evolved to embrace an ambitious economic agenda. Its latest project is to establish the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 31 December 2015. But is this likely? The blueprint for achieving the goal envisages the AEC standing on four pillars and meeting the deadline depends on progress on each of them. […]

China and India’s growing strategic weight

By Peter Drysdale Editor, East Asia Forum The visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India this week, so early in the term of India’s new prime minister, Narendra Modi, underlines the growing strategic weight of the relationship between the two countries. Modi’s prime ministership, with its ambition to re-invigorate India’s stalled economic reform and growth, more than any other single factor, promises to accelerate its potential growth radically. Modi has runs on the board […]

Is bigger better for ASEAN in a mega-regional world?

Author: Razeen Sally, NUS (Courtesy East Asia Forum) Sept. 10, 1014 — Big-block trade agreements or ‘mega-regionals’, revolving around one or more major powers, are the latest trend in trade policy negotiations. ASEAN is involved in two: the American-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Chinese-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). But are mega-regionals good for trade and economic growth? Will they spur regional and global economic integration? And where does ASEAN stand?As of 2013, there were […]