The 1990s saw East Asia becoming more integrated as trade barriers fell, trade intensity and intra-industry trade increased, and production networks formed. This greater integration has resulted in changing patterns of trade specialization in the region, as different economies adjust. Some...

This paper reviews some literatures on the mechanisms available for the poor in managing risk. Lacking access to formal mechanisms of risk management, the poor rely on informal mechanisms, which are built based on the existing social networks and trust. But when the shocks are big or affecting...

This paper focuses on Indonesia's trade policies after the economic crisis. It examines the trend towards protection and addresses the issues of competitiveness. The concluding part briefly discusses Indonesia's policies on and involvement in free trade agreements (FTAs), which have recently...

Progress and realisation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) can only be achieved if there is a clear blueprint, which identifies the end goal, the process to reach the end goal and a framework for proper assessment of the costs and benefits of an ASEAN Economic Community. AEC should not be...

This paper examines the developments of three separate FTAs between ASEAN and the +3 countries. It is still unclear how these separate FTAs will be amalgamated into an EAFTA, and whether that can happen before 2020. This paper argues that much will depend on the pace of ASEAN's own economic...

An overview of the direction of financial cooperation in relation to international trade cooperation, and its relevance to Indonesia

This essay examines the question of whether Canada should also form an FTA with ASEAN. The first section will provide an update on the status of the various FTA agreements that ASEAN has signed since 2002. This will be followed by an examination of these FTA agreements in relation to the ASEAN...

The existing economic incentive regime was one main factor behind high deforestation rates in Indonesia. Government intervention to push for the expansion wood processing industries resulted in unsustainable resource use patterns. Uncertain tenurial arrangements and property rights,...

This paper, as its title suggests, discusses policy and regulatory development in the forestry sector in Indonesia for a period of more than 30 years. During this period the forestry sector has experienced a lot of changes. It has contributed significantly to the country's economic development,...

This paper looks into Indonesia's recent experience with the decentralization process and assesses opportunities and challenges for the forestry sector. Despite its brief existence since only 2001 and the limited data available, decentralization in the forestry sector has shown some significant...