In this op-ed for the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Prof Shandre Thangavelu and Professor Christopher Findlay write about the role of ASEAN as the soft-landing option in response to Trump's tariffs.
"The best response to the US shock is to focus on drivers of competitiveness and productivity growth. In the Asia-Pacific region, which appreciates the value of integration, and understands the role of cross-border value chains, then forward-looking FTAs can contribute. But they must address the 21st Century issues such as those related to barriers to digital transformation and cross border trade, impediments to skills development and movement of people, and to the green economy. Progress demands strong leadership from within the region, to articulate why and how this can be done. ASEAN can provide that, given the scope of its membership, its credibility, its interests and capacities, and the institutional tools which it has at hand."
Read here:
