Today Trends

Author: Albert J Rapha, KU Leuven Artificial intelligence (AI) is considered critical by Southeast Asians, reflected in a study  that showed that 70 per cent of Southeast Asian respondents saw AI as vital to their future and called for an acceleration in the development of AI in the region. One of the most significant potential impacts of AI is its ability to accelerate economic growth, with the potential for Southeast Asia to reap up to US$950 billion by 2030, resulting in a 10 to 18 per cent uplift in GDP. But there are still several barriers to developing this cutting-edge technology and making Southeast Asia globally competitive. A study by the Asia Society Policy Institute  highlights the imperative of ensuring that the adoption of AI is mindful of risks including inclusivity, cyber resilience and labour market disruption. AI inclusivity refers to the urgency of  pushing for more public engagement , promoting citizen-centric design and reducing governments’  centralised appr

Author: Hiroshi Matsushima, NYU The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a milestone on the path towards the electric vehicle (EV) era — a monumental shift with the potential to remodel not just the US automotive industry, but the global landscape. Washington is working to establish alternatives to China’s control over critical mineral resources within the Asia-Pacific region, potentially recalibrating the global EV industry. With its targeted incentives, including a battery production tax credit and purchase incentives for EVs assembled in the United States, the IRA underscores President Joe Biden’s administration’s commitment to stimulating sustainable growth and bolstering its domestic manufacturing. But the IRA will also have far-reaching global effects, as evidenced by the US–Japan agreement in March 2023. This accord, which allows metals sourced or processed in Japan to qualify for IRA subsidies, is a strategic manoeuvre and a signal flare. It could mark the initiation of a

Authors: Xunpeng Shi and Edward Sung, UTS On 30 March 2023, Australian Minister for Resources, Madeleine King, announced sweeping reforms to the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism ( ADGSM ). First implemented in July 2017, the ADGSM allows the minister to regulate liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in response to domestic shortages. The revised policy empowers the government to make the decision to activate the ADGSM on a quarterly basis, departing from the previous annual intervention. While the reforms aim to strike a delicate balance between maintaining domestic supply and safeguarding Australia’s global reputation as a reliable energy supplier, it may also prompt concerns among international LNG buyers. Australia exported 78.5 million tonnes of LNG in 2021, accounting for one-fifth of the global LNG trade. The nations that are most likely to be impacted by the changes are Japan, South Korea and China — the world’s top three LNG importers, accounting for 21.3 per cen

Author: Jinsung Kim, UBC On 15 March 2023, the South Korean government announced its plan to strike a ‘ deal ’ with the Japanese government regarding forced labour during Japan’s colonial period (1910–1945). Under the proposed arrangement, South Korean companies as the third party that benefited from Japanese economic cooperation in the past would provide compensation to the victims of forced labour. As of 7 May 2023, 10 bereaved families of the labourers and one forced labourer have accepted the proposal. It is anticipated that this number will continue to rise. The announcement stirred various responses, with some scholars criticising the plan for leaving many questions unresolved . But both the South Korean and Japanese governments anticipate that this plan will improve bilateral relations and help resolve some diplomatic conflicts . Still, the deal faces historical challenges from its inception, bolstering South Korean opposition. The plan may reinforce Japanese politicians’

Author: Athaulla A Rasheed, ANU In September 2023, the Maldives will hold its next presidential election. Irrespective of the outcome, the Maldives is likely to pursue a foreign policy that supports stronger Indo-Pacific partnerships . It is not inaccurate to say that Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is likely to uphold Indo-Pacific partnerships because of his government’s close relationship with Delhi. But such an assessment is incomplete without considering what drives the Maldives’ interests and its recent regional security diplomacy. The Maldives’ political environment creates opportunities for Indo-Pacific partners, including India , the United States and Australia , to enhance development and security partnerships that will support cooperation in governance, education, health, climate change and maritime security. But this must be done with an understanding of the Maldives’ role in the Indo-Pacific, given the island nation’s ability to foster geopolitical and ge

Author: Thursica Kovinthan Levi, University of Toronto Sri Lanka hangs on the precipice of losing its much-lauded educational achievements after two and half years of interrupted learning from COVID-19 and now an economic collapse. Often viewed as a model of post-colonial success, with a long history of free and compulsory education and high literacy rates, Sri Lanka’s education system and children face an uncertain future. Sri Lankan families are not only unable to afford to send their children to school, they can barely afford to feed them . How the Sri Lankan government responds and whether civil society will hold their government accountable will largely determine whether this crisis will be a catalyst for the transformation of an obsolete education system or a future in which Sri Lanka loses its educational gains and possibly its middle-income status. COVID-19, poor economic and agricultural decisions, a corrupt government and the Ukraine war have resulted in an acute economic

Author: Jennifer Hsu, University of New South Wales Since the Lowy Institute’s first Being Chinese in Australia: Public Opinion in Chinese Communities survey was published in 2021, Australia’s relations with China have undergone significant upheaval. The COVID-19 pandemic, the rupture in Australia–China relations, the election of a Labor government and the turbulence in both countries accompanying their re-openings after their COVID-19 lockdowns has placed Chinese Australian communities in the public spotlight. Chinese Australians and their association with Beijing have come under the microscope from the Australian government, media and the public — often in intensely political circumstances. While the Labor government has eschewed megaphone diplomacy with China — an approach favoured by the former Coalition government — certain parameters have been set for the way Australia views and engages with China. Still, Chinese Australians have welcomed the political re-engagement betwe

Author: Sae Shimauchi, Tokyo Metropolitan University Despite its low birth rates, Japan is struggling with a shortage of teachers. In Japan, a ‘teacher shortage’ is a situation in which the number of teachers assigned to schools does not meet local quotas. Vacancies occur because it is not possible to secure teachers, even temporarily assigned teachers. According to this definition, the teacher shortage at the beginning of 2021 was 0.26 per cent in primary schools, 0.33 per cent in middle schools and 0.1 per cent in senior high schools . The problem of middle and high schools not having teachers for some subjects was resolved by the middle of the 2021 school year. The causes of this teacher shortage include macro aspects — such as policy and human-made trends — as well as micro aspects related to the way teachers work and the social recognition they receive. Japan’s first policy change was the decentralisation reforms initiated in the 2000s under former prime minister Junichiro K