Asian Development Blog

Economic activity is set to increase between Southeast Asia and the People’s Republic of China as a major trade deal is upgraded. Photo: ADB

Why It Matters That One of the Region’s Biggest Trade Deals is Being Upgraded

Important changes are underway for Southeast Asia’s relationship with its biggest trading partner, the People’s Republic of China.

Jayant Menon, Anna Cassandra Melendez

In Southeast Asia, skilled workers could one day become borderless. Photo: ADB

Promoting Skilled Labor Mobility and Migration in Southeast Asia

Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are working together to encourage the free flow of skilled labor within their countries.

Aiko Kikkawa, Eric Suan

In Southeast Asia, countries have more to gain than lose from increased mobility for workers. Photo: ADB

Why Southeast Asia Shouldn’t Worry About “Brain Drain”

Here’s why the perception that skilled migration damages the source country is wrong.

Elisabetta Gentile

The interconnected global manufacturing system has wide-ranging positive social impacts that are not yet fully understood.

Strengthening the Chains That Helped Pull Asia Out of Poverty

The global value chains that help drive Asia’s export-driven economic miracle have widespread development impacts. We need to understand them better to maximize the benefits.

Bambang Susantono

The WTO’s new Trade Finance Agreement could have significant impacts on regional and global trade.

Let’s Make It Easier For Countries to Trade

The World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement provides a roadmap for developing economies to increase trade while also increasing the benefits it provides to their citizens.

Utsav Kumar, Ben Shepherd

Easing the movement of skilled and semi-skilled labor across borders could have enormous benefits for Southeast Asia.

At Your Service: Trade Liberalization Could Bring Huge Benefits to Southeast Asia

Making it easier for workers to move between countries is key to liberalizing the trade in services and unleashing the benefits it will produce across national and regional economies.

Kakali Mukhopadhyay

The taxing of skilled and unskilled migrant workers could have a significant impact on labor exporting countries.

Is It Time for Some Countries to Implement a Brain Drain Tax?

A tax on migrating workers compensates the exporting country for loss of the human capital created by its education and skills development programs.

Saibal Kar

Clear benchmarks and performance indicators are helping governments in Southeast Asia serve their people better. Photo: Braden Jarvis

Helping Governments Improve Performance

Performance assessments help people in Southeast Asia determine how well their government is performing and how they can be improved.

Woochong Um, Marcos Bonturi

The Proliferation of FTDs: Free Trade Disagreements

Simmering trade disputes are decreasing the beneficial effects of free trade and could in the long-term damage the rules-based order upon which global commerce is based.

Jayant Menon