Authors: Huiyao Wang, Centre for China and Globalisation, and Bijun Wang, Peking University

While it is well known that FDI has been one of the important factors contributing to the Chinese economic miracle, it is perhaps less well known that China is now an important player in the overseas direct investment (ODI) global scene as well.

From 2003 to 2009, Chinese ODI flows grew at 55 per cent annually on average. Read more…

Author: John Hemmings, CSIS, Honolulu

At both the APEC and ASEAN summits, attempts were made to deal with the building impasse over the South China Sea issue.

Tensions over the region have grown steadily since 2009, after China, Vietnam and Malaysia submitted their respective claims under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). China’s naval exercises in the region and apparent willingness to showcase its military capabilities in favour of its claims have also exacerbated these tensions. Read more…

Author: Benjamin Sims, PiPP and ANU

The South Pacific is in the world’s focus.

At the Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland, high-level delegates from countries as diverse as Russia and Bhutan convened to lobby Pacific leaders during the four-day September gathering. Read more…

Author: Stephen Grenville, Lowy Institute

Only a few years ago, the European common-currency arrangements were held up as a possible model for Asia.

With the euro under serious threat, we do not hear much about this now, but the current mess in Europe could well contain a number of lessons for Asia. Read more…

Author: Christopher Findlay, University of Adelaide

Australia benefits substantially from the growth of the Chinese economy at this stage of China’s development.

China is now Australia’s most important trading partner and is an important driver of the growth of Australian resources exports. Read more…

Author: Brad Glosserman, CSIS, Washington DC

‘No, thanks’.

That, in summary, is Hugh White’s response to the recent announcement that the US would be sending marines on permanent rotation to Darwin.

White is Professor of Strategic Studies at the ANU, one of Asia’s most distinguished strategists, and a former Australian deputy secretary of defence. And he has been making the case for strategic reorientation in Canberra for a couple of years now. Read more…

Author: Peter Drysdale, Editor, East Asia Forum

China’s spectacular industrial growth has been associated with equally spectacular growth in Chinese energy and resource consumption.

While Chinese energy efficiency (the amount of GDP produced per unit of energy consumed) has risen steadily, except for a few years early this decade, aggregate energy consumption has been lifted by a hugely energy-intensive phase of industrialisation and the spread of motorised transportation on a scale and at a speed that is unprecedented anywhere. Read more…

Author: Andrew Kennedy, ANU

If China’s rise is one of the most important stories of this century, China’s growing appetite for energy is one of its most striking subplots.

China’s energy consumption more than doubled between 2000 and 2009, and the country is now the world’s top energy consumer. Read more…

Author: Xin Frank He, City University of Hong Kong

In authoritarian regimes like China, courts and their judges decide legal cases behind closed doors.

How they do so is rarely examined — but is critically important in comparative judicial studies. Read more…

Author: Rajiv Kumar, FICCI

Pakistan’s decision to grant India most favoured nation (MFN) trading status opens up many potential benefits for both countries; existing trade arrangements will be improved and new opportunities will emerge as bilateral trade is normalised.

At present, a great deal of trade occurs via Dubai, a situation which is inefficient and fraught with illegalities effectively functioning as behind-the-border barriers to trade. Read more…

Authors: Yin-Wong Cheung, Guonan Ma and Robert N. McCauley

The global financial crisis and second round of quantitative easing served to highlight the international financial system’s dependence on the US dollar, a currency subject to national management.

Against this backdrop, a number of recent policy initiatives suggest the Chinese authorities have adopted a proactive strategy to promote the international use of the renminbi — referring to the use of a currency by non-residents to invoice trade, make payments and denominate assets and liabilities. Read more…

Author: Chayut Setboonsarng, GWU

After torrents of water broke through makeshift barriers around Bangkok in the nation’s worst flood in 50 years, the Yingluck administration was slammed for mismanagement, weak leadership and fragmented coordination in handling the monsoon.

And the credibility of the Flood Relief Operations Center (FROC), led by Police General Pracha Promnok, deteriorated due to its inexperience. Read more…

Author: Vikas Kumar, Bangalore

In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, commentators on East Asia Forum have highlighted the moderate character of Southeast Asian Islam.

Bahrawi argues that contested interpretations of Islam are democratising Islam in Southeast Asia — but similar contests seem to be ineffective in countries like Pakistan. And van Bruinessen argues that large, resilient Islamic organisations are stabilising Indonesian democracy — but comparable organisations are failing to play such a role in other Islamic countries. So are local factors playing a bigger role in Southeast Asia than is usually suspected?  Read more…

Author: Andrew Fragomeli, University of Western Australia

Barack Obama championed high-quality growth as a key focus of this year’s APEC Summit in Hawaii.

But this goal can only be realised if APEC members choose to jump the hurdle of behind-the-border barriers. Read more…