CHAPTER 120 ASEAN Stimulus1
Over the past two weeks, I have had the opportunity to make brief study trips to the other main countries in ASEAN (Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam), and more recently, ASEAN+3 (Japan, China, and South Korea) to update (and learn first hand) the impact of the ongoing global financial crisis and the attendant global recession.
I also participated in the Asian Economic Forum in Jakarta (March 22–24, 2009) organized by the Indonesian Ministry of Trade; Universiti Indonesia and Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia; Columbia University; Keio University; Korea Institute of International Economic Policy; and University of California, Davis. The broad range of contributors came mainly from the principal ASEAN+3 nations, comprising academics, economists, and practitioners, including the Ministers of Finance and Trade, Indonesia. The theme was “The World in Crisis: National Strategies in an Interdependent World,” with a one-day session on East Asia’s response to the global economic crisis.
In addition, while visiting these countries, I also tapped on the Harvard alumni Asia-network comprising academics, professionals, entrepreneurs, and graduate students, who are well informed, well connected, but a rather random group. They provided me with a valuable second opinion, embracing an all-round cross-sectional “feel” of the current state of the political economy in ASEAN+3, which I so very badly needed.
My position ...