By Jonathan London Vietnam retains a one-party political system in which basic freedoms are systematically curtailed. And yet politics in the country have suddenly become fluid, animated by the intensifying and unprecedentedly open competition that has emerged within and around…
By James Wallar Provisions on competition policy have increasingly been embedded in regional trade agreements. So it was no surprise last September when negotiators for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – a free trade agreement currently negotiated between ASEAN…
Myanmar hosted the 27th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) from December 11 to 22, marking the third time the country has hosted the games and its first time doing so in 44 years. The SEA games is a biennial multi-sport…
By Kyle Springer Reform-minded Vietnamese and foreign investors were disappointed when Vietnam’s National Assembly passed a new constitution in late November without making any changes on the dominant role of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the economy. The reaffirmation of the…
By Phoebe De Padua Malaysia has had few serious run-ins with China in its dispute in the South China Sea compared to its fellow ASEAN claimants, the Philippines and Vietnam. Malaysia has not seen the dispute as a major national…
Who is he? Nguyen Van Nen is the newly appointed head of Vietnam’s Government Office, a position with ministerial rank in Vietnam that is equivalent to chief of staff to the U.S. president. He previously held the position of deputy…
By Phuong Nguyen Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe paid a two-day visit to Cambodia and Laos on November 15-17, just weeks before Japan and ASEAN plan to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties. The deliverables were expected to be…
Who is he? Jacob “Jack” Lew serves as the current U.S. secretary of the Treasury. Prior to his confirmation in February 2013, Lew served as the White House chief of staff between 2012 and 2013, and directed the Office of…
Disputes over land tenure in Southeast Asia are a real threat to economic and political stability in countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Governments in these countries have reportedly seized millions of acres of land for purposes ranging from mining…
South Korea and the countries of ASEAN are important strategic partners with shared political, economic, and cultural interests. Relations between South Korea and ASEAN have seen significant growth and expansion, since the relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership at…
