Author: Pradumna B. Rana, RSIS, Singapore

The G20 summit is a process that is evolving and no one can predict exactly where it will end up. The group was self appointed the ‘premier forum for international economic cooperation’ and there remain important questions related to membership and agenda that need to be addressed. In Pittsburgh, US President Barack Obama announced that the G20 would replace the G8. Two G20 summits are planned for this year — in Toronto and Seoul in November. While the Toronto summit will take stock of the implementation of exit strategies from the expansionary macroeconomic policies, the Seoul summit has selected two additional longer term issues for discussion — financial safety nets to better insulate emerging markets from systemic instability, and actions to close the development gap, especially for the poorest. Issues related to climate change could also be addressed at the G20 summit.

So how should Asia respond? Read more…

Author: Pradumna B. Rana, National University of Singapore

Much has been written on the economic rise of China and India and the deepening of integration between these two Asian giants and the rest of Asia more generally. Asia’s emergence and integration is, no doubt, of contemporary interest. However, Asian integration is not without historical precedent and it would be more appropriate to refer to Asia’s ‘re-emergence’ and ‘re-integration’.

During the first eighteen centuries after the birth of Christ, Asia (mainly China and India) accounted for the largest share of world output. Read more…