Corruption: The Unrecognized Threat to International Security
Systemic corruption has an unrecognized bearing on international security. Policymakers and private companies often pay insufficient attention to corruption when deciding what foreign and defense policies to pursue or where to invest. Greater understanding of the nature of acute corruption and its impact on global security would contribute to a better assessment of costs and benefits and therefore to improved policy and practice.
ASEAN as a Model for Central Asia
Synopsis
Central Asia remains the only region in the world that does not have a regional organisation. Efforts by external actors at fostering regionalism have so far had limited success. Can ASEAN be a model for the Central Asian region?
Dubious Deterrence in the East China Sea
Synopsis
During his recent visit to Tokyo, President Obama declared that the US-Japan alliance covers the contested Senkaku/Diaoyu islands. Unfortunately, the president's deterrent strategy towards Beijing will place the US in a nightmarish predicament should either Japan or China initiate hostilities against the other.
Banking on Myanmar: A Strategy for Financial Sector Reform
Once the envy of Asia, Myanmar’s financial sector is now a shadow of its former self. After decades of misguided junta-led strategies, state ownership, and policy shocks, confidence in cash as a safe asset and banks as trustworthy institutions has evaporated. Finance is a binding constraint on Myanmar’s future development. The government needs a reform strategy that supports the financial sector’s rapid development while ensuring its stability, efficiency, and accessibility.
Bakrie Graduate Fellowship
Indonesia-Philippines Agreement: Lessons for South China Sea Claimants
Synopsis
The successful conclusion of long-dormant negotiations between Indonesia and the Philippines over maritime boundaries holds key lessons for claimant states of disputed waters in the South China Sea.
Managing South China Sea Disputes: The Legal Basis for Cooperation
Synopsis
Recent exchanges over South China Sea issues continue to focus primarily on sovereignty over islands and jurisdiction over adjacent marine areas. But coastal state rights are balanced by obligations, such as to protect the marine biosphere, especially in a semi-enclosed sea.