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on South East Asia |
| By: | Sibhatu, Kibrom T.; Steinhübel, Linda; Siregar, Hermanto; Qaim, Matin; Wollni, Meike |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2021–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae21:315222&r= |
| By: | Liaqat, Sundas; Donald, Aletheia; Jarvis, Forest; Perova, Elizaveta; Johnson, Hillary C. |
| Keywords: | Consumer/Household Economics, Labor and Human Capital |
| Date: | 2021–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae21:315395&r= |
| By: | Jang, Yungshin (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)); Kang, Gu Sang (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)) |
| Abstract: | In 2018, the largest yet cross-border M&A deal between digital platforms in Southeast Asia was reached, namely the Grab-Uber M&A case. The local digital platform Grab consolidated the regional operations of San Francisco, California-based Uber, a development which had significant effects on competition and consumer welfares in the Southeast Asia digital market. The competition authorities in the region independently initiated their investigation and started to deliberate the merger case to determine the anti-competitive effects on their domestic market, and to decide whether this transaction should be restricted or approved. Even though the two merging and merged firms completed their transactions, each authority applied different logic and imposed different remedies in deciding the case. Authorities in some member states such as Singapore and the Philippines decided that the Grab-Uber merger was anti-competitive, while others such as Indonesia and Viet Nam considered the merger not anti-competitive. Upon this backdrop, this article reviews the competition policies and laws of four major ASEAN countries – Indonesia, Singapore, Viet Nam, and the Philippines – from institutional and legal perspectives, focusing on M&A review regimes. Then, we briefly introduce how these com-petition authorities decided on the Grab-Uber merger case, also analyzing the competition effects of the case on the ride-hailing market in the countries. Based on the analysis results, we propose overseas competition policies for Korea. |
| Keywords: | ASEAN; Grab-Uber; merger; M&A; Southeast Asia; Indonesia; Singapore; Viet Nam; the Philippines |
| Date: | 2021–09–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:kiepwe:2021_039&r= |
| By: | Jang, Yungshin (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)) |
| Abstract: | The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has been promoting digital transformation as a key mean for regional economic growth and economic integration. The digitalization agenda within APEC is further accelerating since the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently at the APEC Leaders' Meeting in November 2020, the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 was adopted, which includes "Innovation and Digitalization" addressing inclusive economic participation through digital economy and technology as a focus area for the next 20 years. However, it is still difficult to expect visible outcomes in the field of digital inclusion within APEC. Upon this backdrop, this article examines the progress of digitalization in the Asia-Pacific region, compares and analyzes the digital transformation policies of major economies in the region, demonstrates the effect of the digital gap on economic performance in the region, and goes on to produce policy implications. |
| Keywords: | Asia-Pacific; digitalization; APEC; economic participation; policy |
| Date: | 2021–06–14 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:kiepwe:2021_032&r= |
| By: | Michelle Escobar Carias; David Johnston; Rachel Knott; Rohan Sweeney |
| Abstract: | Billions of people live in urban poverty, with many forced to reside in disaster-prone areas. Research suggests that such disasters harm child nutrition and increase adult morbidity. However, little is known about impacts on mental health, particularly of people living in slums. In this paper we estimate the effects of flood disasters on the mental and physical health of poor adults and children in urban Indonesia. Our data come from the Indonesia Family Life Survey and new surveys of informal settlement residents. We find that urban poor populations experience increases in acute morbidities and depressive symptoms following floods, that the negative mental health effects last longer, and that the urban wealthy show no health effects from flood exposure. Further analysis suggests that worse economic outcomes may be partly responsible. Overall, the results provide a more nuanced understanding of the morbidities experienced by populations most vulnerable to increased disaster occurrence. |
| Date: | 2021–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2111.05455&r= |
| By: | Musakwa, Mercy T; Odhiambo , Nicholas M |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the impact of foreign capital inflows on poverty in Vietnam, using annual time series data from 1990 to 2018. The study was motivated by the need to establish if burgeoning foreign capital inflows in Vietnam can support the poverty alleviation agenda. Foreign direct investment (FDI) and external debt were used as proxies for foreign capital inflows; and infant mortality rate, Human Development Index (HDI) and household consumption expenditure were used as poverty proxies. Using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach, the study found foreign direct investment to reduce poverty in the short run and long run when household consumption expenditure was used as a poverty measure. However, the study found FDI to worsen poverty in the short run when infant mortality rate and HDI were used as poverty proxies. The study found external debt to have poverty mitigating effect in the short run regardless of the poverty measure used and in the long run only when household consumption expenditure was used as a poverty measure. |
| Keywords: | autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL), external debt, foreign direct investment, poverty, Vietnam. |
| Date: | 2021–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uza:wpaper:28232&r= |
| By: | Fatima Farakhdust (National Research University Higher School of Economics) |
| Abstract: | The Asian region has become inhabited by few rising powers since late 20th century, triggering the debate on multipolarity and power transition in the region. On the one hand, shared historical past and sociocultural background may provide point of convergence and strengthen the existing stable state of affairs. On the other, comparable development challenges produce similar aims and strategies, fostering competition for scarce resources and leading to a regional zero-sum game. It ought to be especially true in the face of the rising China. Contemporary regional agenda of East and Southeast Asia, hence, is claimed to be substantially affected by Chinese power politics and ambitions, especially regarding mutually beneficial cooperation on development. Thus, discourse analysis of the respective context and agenda should be applied in order to study compatibility of national and regional goals. To do this, the author studies dominant approaches to Chinese regionalism and outcomes of economic policy focusing on the case of development finance. The analysis is performed using mixed research methods, including Foucauldian discourse, content analyses, descriptive statistics, and geographic mapping. The distribution of development aid and investments has highlighted that financial assistance might be politicized and used as a tool for subtle promotion of Chinese policy objectives, rather than as a driving force of collective regional development. |
| Keywords: | Chinese foreign policy, development, development finance, East and Southeast Asia, regionalism |
| JEL: | Z |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hig:wpaper:41/ir/2021&r= |
| By: | Kim, Jeong Gon (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)); Na, Seung Kwon (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)); Lee, Jaeho (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)); Yun, ChiHyun (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)); Kim, Eunmi (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)) |
| Abstract: | The growth of digital platform markets in ASEAN and India is prominent. With COVID-19, demands for economic and social activities centered on digital platforms are expected to rise further; especially five sectors (e-commerce, sharing economy, education, healthcare and fintech) are fast growing seectors. Korean is a potential partner of ASEAN countries and India. Korea's Digital New Deal policy now stresses tasks such as sharing and utilizing data, convergence of 5G and artificial intelligence across whole industries, spreading digital education, digital healthcare, etc., which are closely related to the economic and social needs of ASEAN countries and India. In order to promote regulatory harmonization and cooperation with ASEAN and India, it is necessary for Korea to promote digital economy and trade agreements. |
| Keywords: | ASEAN; India; Korea; digital platform; Digital New Deal policy |
| Date: | 2021–06–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:kiepwe:2021_033&r= |
| By: | Joon Nak Choi (Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Management; The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) |
| Date: | 2021–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hku:briefs:202159&r= |
| By: | Suh, Jin Kyo (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)); Lee, Cheon-Kee (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)); Lee, Jukwan (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)); Kim, Jihyeon (KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)); Jung, Myeonghwa (Korea Maritime Institute (KMI)) |
| Abstract: | The WTO is facing a historical crisis. Its main functions ‒ namely, providing a negotiating forum, administrating WTO trade agreements and monitoring national trade policies, and resolving trade disputes ‒ have been significantly paralyzed. Although the cause of the crisis is partly institutional, higher uncertainty is also a considerable problem aggravating the fate of the multilateral trading system. Such uncertainty comes from two factors: rising protectionism, and trade frictions between developed and developing countries including those between the United States and China. Meanwhile, the WTO also needs to respond to rapid structural changes in global trade. The center of the world’s trade is shifting towards trade in services. The development and spread of information and communication technology (ICT) are making it easier to supply services across borders. The regionalization or localization of global value chains (GVCs) continues and GVCs are shifting towards knowledge-based goods. Therefore, the WTO faces a historical challenge it is highly unlikely to survive without proper reflection on the new trends of global trade. With Korea no longer claiming for preferential treatments as a developing country, it could take relatively firm negotiating positions at the WTO concerning market expansion and improved access towards foreign markets. Moreover, Korea could contribute as a mediator to speak for balancing the interests of both developed and developing countries on conflicting issues, such as the developing country status. Korea also needs to establish a more precise give-and-take negotiation strategy in future WTO negotiations on agriculture, non-agriculture, and service sectors to maximize its national interests. In particular, Korea should put stress on services and TRIPs negotiations to ensure its international competitiveness on those sectors. Trade in services and IP will dominate trade in goods. Korea also should focus on how to raise the efficiency and stability of the East-Asian regional value chains by strengthening its co-operation with China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. At the same time, Korea needs to consider ways to become the bridgehead connecting East Asia's value chains to either North America's value chains or the EU's value chains utilizing given FTAs with those economies. Finally, Korea should prepare for the emergence of various forms of plurilateral negotiations and where appropriate, take lead and reflect its national interests on the final outcome. |
| Keywords: | WTO; Korea; negotiation; global trade; service; ICT; GVCs; TRIPs; value chain |
| Date: | 2021–06–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:kiepwe:2021_030&r= |
| By: | Wanetha Sudswong; Anon Plangprasopchok; Chainarong Amornbunchornvej |
| Abstract: | Income inequality is an important issue that has to be solved in order to make progress in our society. The study of income inequality is well received through the Gini coefficient, which is used to measure degrees of inequality in general. While this method is effective in several aspects, the Gini coefficient alone inevitably overlooks minority subpopulations (e.g. occupations) which results in missing undetected patterns of inequality in minority. In this study, the surveys of incomes and occupations from more than 12 millions households across Thailand have been analyzed by using both Gini coefficient and network densities of income domination networks to get insight regarding the degrees of general and occupational income inequality issues. The results show that, in agricultural provinces, there are less issues in both types of inequality (low Gini coefficients and network densities), while some non-agricultural provinces face an issue of occupational income inequality (high network densities) without any symptom of general income inequality (low Gini coefficients). Moreover, the results also illustrate the gaps of income inequality using estimation statistics, which not only support whether income inequality exists, but that we are also able to tell the magnitudes of income gaps among occupations. These results cannot be obtained via Gini coefficients alone. This work serves as a use case of analyzing income inequality from both general population and subpopulations perspectives that can be utilized in studies of other countries. |
| Date: | 2021–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2111.06224&r= |