Economics, Politics and Public Policy in East Asia and the Pacific
Author: Kyle Ferrier, KEI
As the dust settles on Donald Trump’s far-reaching campaign promises, one thing is clear: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is effectively dead. What replaces it will be of the utmost importance to Asia’s future. Read more…
Author: Lex Rieffel, The Brookings Institution
Since becoming the leader of Myanmar’s government in April, Aung San Suu Kyi has often said that her top priority is achieving peace — ending the civil war that has raged in her country since independence in 1948. Read more…
Author: Kevin Carrico, Macquarie University
A cycle of provocation and retaliation is shaping relations between Beijing and Hong Kong. In an unprecedented show of defiance at the oath taking ceremony for Hong Kong’s Legislative Council in October 2016, Youngspiration legislators Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching deviated from the official script Read more…
Author: Toshiya Takahashi, ANU
A fundamental revision of Japan’s pacifist constitution has become possible for the first time since it was promulgated in 1947. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe now has the opportunity to pursue his long-held desire for constitutional revision Read more…
Author: Editors, East Asia Forum
When Ezra Vogel’s Japan as Number One hit bookshelves in 1979, the Japanese economy (in PPP terms) was a third of the size of the United States. Despite being a US ally, Japan was viewed by many as an economic threat, and was strategically derided for ‘free riding’ on the United States’ security order, a criticism that has re-emerged during the recent US presidential elections. Read more…
Author: He Fan, Renmin University
As Warren Buffett said, when the tide goes out, you can see who’s been swimming naked. As China’s growth slows, an army of zombie enterprises has emerged. These zombie companies are heavily indebted, kept afloat only by continuous support from government and banks. Read more…
Author: Ajai Sahni, ICM
The Indian government has framed the acquisition of 36 French Rafale Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a major event. It comes as part of a purported military build-up and wildfire expansion of military spending by the world’s largest importer of arms. But the acquisition represents an abject failure of India’s strategic planning—yet another worrying instance of India’s deficiencies in defence acquisitions. Read more…
