Expert Related Publication Feeds

U.S. Eases Myanmar Sanctions in Response to Reforms

sherry — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The Obama administration announced May 17 that it would ease sanctions against Myanmar in response to the government’s recent political and economic reforms. Sanctions were suspended, not revoked, and the move still holds back U.S. companies from moving forward in some key sectors in Myanmar.

From Strength to Empowerment

jdunton — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Relations between the United States and Malaysia are at an all-time high. Since President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Najib Razak entered office in 2009, both countries’ governments have committed to a new beginning and moved to establish closer ties through increased political, economic, and people-to-people cooperation.

The U.S.-ASEAN Relationship in 2030

sherry — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Thinking about the U.S.-ASEAN relationship in 2030 is a useful exercise for testing the tenets of U.S. strategy in the region and in Asia generally.

Southeast Asia from the Corner of 18th and K Streets: The U.S.-ASEAN Relationship in 2030

gpoling — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Thinking about the U.S.-ASEAN relationship in 2030 is a useful exercise for testing the tenets of U.S. strategy in the region and in Asia generally.

Implications and Results: United States–Philippines Ministerial Dialogue

sherry — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

As the United States refocuses on the Asia-Pacific region, strengthening and deepening ties with its treaty allies and expanding its partnership with other countries has become a priority. In that context, the first United States–Philippines Ministerial Dialogue was held April 30 in Washington, D.C. The fact that the meeting took place days after U.S.

Southeast Asia from the Corner of 18th and K Streets: Indonesia's Economic Inflection Point

gpoling — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Indonesia is at an economic inflection point, which was dramatically underlined this week as two stories broke on the same day. First, Indonesia reported that it set a historic record of $5.7 billion in foreign direct investment in the first quarter of 2012, an increase of 30 percent over the same period in 2011.

Indonesia’s Economic Inflection Point

sherry — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The Evolving Economic Picture in Asia

ian — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The following conversation derives from an on-line chat between Global Forecast editors and three CSIS scholars on opportunities inherent in the changing economic landscape in Asia.

When the next administration assesses the global economic picture on Day 1, what do you expect it will look like?

U.S. Strategic Alignment: Squaring Trade and Grand Strategy in Asia

sherry — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The United States has all the tools at hand to build an enduring and sustainable strategy for engagement in the Asia Pacific. But some careful work is needed to fit the key parts of this policy together. The most compelling requirement is to ensure that trade policy supports a comprehensive U.S. strategy.

Southeast Asia from the Corner of 18th and K Streets: U.S. Strategic Alignment: Squaring Trade and Grand Strategy in Asia

gpoling — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Gillard v. Rudd: The Fight to Lead a Tattered Labor Party

sherry — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

A stunned Australian electorate has looked on as long-simmering internal divisions surfaced between the leaders of the incumbent Labor Party, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former foreign minister Kevin Rudd. Rudd resigned as foreign minister during a 1:00 a.m. press conference in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

Southeast Asia from the Corner of 18th and K Streets: Who Is Xi?

gpoling — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Earlier this week, China’s vice president Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a high level visit. To some, Xi—and China—mean everything to the United States. These observers view Asia’s risks and opportunities through the China prism.

Who Is Xi?

sherry — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Evolving U.S. Footprint in Southeast Asia

kate — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Over the past two weeks, U.S. defense secretary Leon Panetta and his key officers, including Admiral Robert F. Willard, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, have actively explained details of President Barack Obama’s January 5 announcement about the new defense budget and its implications for the Asia Pacific. Southeast Asian counterparts want to clearly understand U.S.

Southeast Asia from the Corner of 18th and K Streets: The Evolving U.S. Footprint in Southeast Asia

gpoling — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Over the past two weeks, U.S. defense secretary Leon Panetta and his key officers, including Admiral Robert Willard, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, have actively explained details of President Barack Obama’s January 5 announcement about the new defense budget and its implications for the Asia Pacific.

Southeast Asia from the Corner of 18th and K Streets: The Year of the Dragon

gpoling — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

As the year of the dragon approaches, ASEAN must ask and answer existential questions about itself and the great powers around it.

The Year of the Dragon: ASEAN's Existential Questions

gpoling — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

As the year of the dragon approaches, ASEAN must ask and answer existential questions about itself and the great powers around it.

Developing an Enduring Strategy for ASEAN

jdunton — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The U.S.-ASEAN Strategy Commission was organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to provide useful and practical recommendations to American policymakers with the objective of developing a long-term U.S. strategy to deal with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and the ASEAN organization.

Critical Questions for 2012

ian — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

From international security and regional study to global challenges, CSIS experts will address many of the world's most difficult policy concerns and critical questions in 2012. To kick off the new year, we asked 25 of our scholars to identity what worries them most and what are the biggest opportunities in their respective areas of study.

Southeast Asia from the Corner of 18th and K Streets: The Republic and the Kingdom: Time for Mutual Respect and Continuity

gpoling — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Sometimes the closest relationships are the hardest to manage. Thailand is the United States’ longest-standing ally in Asia, yet relationships with this ally will be among the hardest to handle as U.S. foreign-policy makers look ahead to 2012 and beyond.

The Republic and the Kingdom: Time for Mutual Respect and Continuity

gpoling — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

PacNet #68 - Why go to Myanmar?

bMizuno — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Why should Hillary Clinton go to Myanmar? The short answer is to encourage the best chance at real political change in a country that effectively cloistered itself under harsh military rule for nearly five decades. Myanmar, or Burma, has been the virtual political ball and chain of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which it joined in 1997.

Why Go to Myanmar?

gpoling — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Why Go to Myanmar?

ian — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The Sixth East Asia Summit and Third U.S.-ASEAN Leaders Meeting in Bali, Indonesia

ian — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

President Barack Obama and the leaders of 17 other countries will meet this weekend, November 19–20, at the sixth East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bali, Indonesia. In addition, President Obama and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will meet for the third U.S.-ASEAN Leaders Meeting.

EAST ASIA SUMMIT: Next Step is Structure

ian — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Leaders of 18 nations from the Asia-Pacific region will meet in Bali, Indonesia, this week for the East Asia Summit (EAS) in recognition that new regional architecture is required to ensure peace and prosperity in a region that now accounts for over half of world economic activity and will be the center of twenty-first-century security concerns.

Two Models for Integrating Asia: A Must Win for President Obama

gpoling — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Asia is now home to more than 50 percent of the world’s economic activity, a long-anticipated benchmark vastly accelerated by China’s stunning, swift economic growth and its overtaking Japan as the planet’s second-largest economy. Asia’s dynamism is transforming the world, its institutions, and U.S. strategy.

Two Models for Integrating Asia: A Must Win for President Obama

gpoling — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Developing an Enduring Strategy for Southeast Asia

jdunton — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

A Defining November: Litmus Test for President Obama

gpoling — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

President Obama and his national security and economic teams have done a good job in the past several months focusing on U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific region and taking the case for engagement in this dynamic region to Americans. Investing political capital by explaining that promoting U.S.

A Defining November: Litmus Test for President Obama

gpoling — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Governance: The Blind Spot in China's Narrative

gpoling — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Australian political scientist Hugh White’s argument that the coming century will be dominated by China and that, therefore, the most rational foreign policy course for Australia and others to follow would be to recognize China’s dominance and align their countries accordingly has a gaping blind spot.

Australia-U.S. Ministerial (AUSMIN)

ian — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

AUSMIN is the annual ministerial meeting between Australia and the United States. It is the core meeting underpinning the 60-year-old alliance and is held annually alternating between Australia and the United States. The meeting is attended by the Australian ministers of defence and foreign affairs and U.S.

Enter the Cambodians

gpoling — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

ENTER THE CAMBODIANS

By Ernie Bower, Senior Advisor & Director, Southeast Asia Program, CSIS

September 14, 2011

It is time American senior officials got to know their way around Phnom Penh.

Enter the Cambodians

sherry — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

It is time American senior officials got to know their way around Phnom Penh.

Time to Focus on the Pacific

gpoling — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

September is a fitting month for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to inaugurate Pacific Partners Update, the monthly newsletter for its new program, the Pacific Partners Initiative (PPI).

Thailand’s New Government

sherry — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Thailand’s new 35-member cabinet was sworn in on August 9. The team is led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the country’s first female leader. Twenty-nine members of the cabinet are members of Yingluck’s victorious Puea Thai Party. Four belong to political parties that joined the prime minister’s coalition, and two are outsiders.

Mr. Dung's Team: Vietnam's New Cabinet

sherry — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The world is about to meet the real Nguyen Tan Dung. The prime minister of Vietnam was formally elected to his second term last week by the country’s legislative branch, the National Assembly. His new cabinet was elected this week. It is a lineup that looks substantially loyal to its boss, strong on continuity, and focused on making existing policies work.

Governance in ASEAN: The Next Generation

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

This week in Hanoi, the former head of Vietnam’s state audit agency, Vu Dinh Hue, will be named the country’s new finance minister. The message to Vietnam’s state-owned enterprises and ministries with bloated budgets is clear: there is a new sheriff in town, and he has access to all the numbers.

18th ASEAN Regional Forum in Bali, Indonesia

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the foreign ministers and senior officials from 27 countries met in Bali, Indonesia, from July 16 to 28 for the 18th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and Post-Ministerial meetings.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino’s State of the Nation Address

ian — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Investors, foreign policy analysts, and defense planners joined Philippine citizens in listening carefully to President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25 in Manila.

Vietnam's New Leadership

sherry — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Vietnam’s 500-member National Assembly convened on July 21 to formally select the country’s new leadership team for the next five years. The National Assembly’s role has largely been ceremonial because the country’s leadership was already determined behind closed doors at the Communist Party Congress in January.

Hillary Clinton's Asia Sojourn

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Like the character in novelist Elizabeth Gilbert’s best seller “Eat, Pray, Love,” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel this week from Europe (though Greece will have to stand in for Italy in this narrative) through India to Bali. But Clinton is not traveling to find herself.

Hillary Clinton's Asia Sojourn

ian — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

PacNet #33 - Thailand’s July 3 Elections: Have the Thais Empowered ASEAN Anew?

bMizuno — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Elections around Southeast Asia have assumed a new and empowering role in defining the region’s political outlook. Beginning with Indonesia’s historic transition from autocracy to nascent if chaotic democracy, the people of ASEAN are using the ballot box to send strong messages.

Thailand's July 3 Election: Have the Thais Empowered ASEAN Anew?

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Thailand’s July 3 Elections

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Elections around Southeast Asia have assumed a new and empowering role in defining the region’s political outlook. Emanating from Indonesia’s historic transition from autocracy to nascent if chaotic democracy, the people of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are using the ballot box to send strong messages.

The Quintessential Test of ASEAN Centrality: Changing the Paradigm in the South China Sea

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Ironically, the South China Sea physically connects a majority of the nations in East Asia and at the same time divides them.

The Quintessential Test of ASEAN Centrality: Changing the Paradigm in the South China Sea

ian — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Ironically, the South China Sea physically connects a majority of the nations in East Asia and at the same time divides them. No country concerned with promoting peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region has the luxury of turning away from this riddle.

Great, But Unfocused: Indonesian Assessments of U.S. Power

ian — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Indonesians, like citizens of other Southeast Asian nations, perceive American power to be in decline relative to a rising China, yet they generally believe the United States will retain its role as the world’s preeminent power for the next several decades. More salient are Indonesian concerns about U.S. engagement—that is, that the U.S.