![[CSA series] Can the AEC Succeed in a Two-Tier ASEAN? @LKYSchool](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qBzesa3vLdg/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
ASEAN aims to realise the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2025. This ambitious project would require a high degree of economic integration among its member states. However, there appears to be a “two-tier ASEAN” in which there exists a wide economic divide between the original and more developed member states of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand (ASEAN-6) and the newer transitional economies of Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao PDR and Viet Nam (CLMV). The Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) was launched in 2000 to narrow this economic development gap and the deadline of its most recent work plan coincides with the realisation of the AEC by 2025. How effective has the IAI been in achieving some level of economic convergence? Has the recent Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated this economic division? Given the significant challenges in narrowing the development gap, can the AEC succeed in a two-tier ASEAN?
In our 7th Counterpoint Southeast Asia public webinar, we ask: “Can the AEC Succeed in a Two-Tier ASEAN?” and invite three Southeast Asian analysts to provide their unique perspectives.
Counterpoint Southeast Asia is a webinar and policy brief series that tackles strategic and complex questions facing Southeast Asia by presenting the perspectives of regional academics and policy experts. It is organised by the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
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Speakers:
## Jayant Menon, Senior Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
## Kaewkamol Pitakdumrongkit, Head and Assistant Professor, Centre for Multilateralism Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University
## Quynh Huong Nguyen, Economic Affairs Consultant, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Chairperson:
Denis Hew, Senior Research Fellow, Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
#CounterpointSEA #ASEAN #AEC #CAG_LKYSPP
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ASEAN aims to realise the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2025. This ambitious project would require a high degree of economic integration among its member states. However, there appears to be a “two-tier ASEAN” in which there exists a wide economic divide between the original and more developed member states of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand (ASEAN-6) and the newer transitional economies of Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao PDR and Viet Nam (CLMV). The Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) was launched in 2000 to narrow this economic development gap and the deadline of its most recent work plan coincides with the realisation of the AEC by 2025. How effective has the IAI been in achieving some level of economic convergence? Has the recent Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated this economic division? Given the significant challenges in narrowing the development gap, can the AEC succeed in a two-tier ASEAN?
In our 7th Counterpoint Southeast Asia public webinar, we ask: “Can the AEC Succeed in a Two-Tier ASEAN?” and invite three Southeast Asian analysts to provide their unique perspectives.
Counterpoint Southeast Asia is a webinar and policy brief series that tackles strategic and complex questions facing Southeast Asia by presenting the perspectives of regional academics and policy experts. It is organised by the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
================================================
Speakers:
## Jayant Menon, Senior Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
## Kaewkamol Pitakdumrongkit, Head and Assistant Professor, Centre for Multilateralism Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University
## Quynh Huong Nguyen, Economic Affairs Consultant, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Chairperson:
Denis Hew, Senior Research Fellow, Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
#CounterpointSEA #ASEAN #AEC #CAG_LKYSPP
CSA Landing Page
cag-lkyspp.com/csa-page
CSA YouTube Channel
cag-lkyspp.com/csa-youtube
CSA Subscribe
cag-lkyspp.com/csa-subscribe
#GovernancefortheFuture #publicpolicy #policymatters
================================================
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![[CSA series] Can the AEC Succeed in a Two-Tier ASEAN?](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qBzesa3vLdg/mqdefault.jpg "[CSA series] Can the AEC Succeed in a Two-Tier ASEAN?
ASEAN aims to realise the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2025. This ambitious project would require a high degree of economic integration among its member states. However, there appears to be a “two-tier ASEAN” in which there exists a wide economic divide between the original and more developed member states of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand (ASEAN-6) and the newer transitional economies of Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao PDR and Viet Nam (CLMV). The Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) was launched in 2000 to narrow this economic development gap and the deadline of its most recent work plan coincides with the realisation of the AEC by 2025. How effective has the IAI been in achieving some level of economic convergence? Has the recent Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated this economic division? Given the significant challenges in narrowing the development gap, can the AEC succeed in a two-tier ASEAN?
In our 7th Counterpoint Southeast Asia public webinar, we ask: “Can the AEC Succeed in a Two-Tier ASEAN?” and invite three Southeast Asian analysts to provide their unique perspectives.
Counterpoint Southeast Asia is a webinar and policy brief series that tackles strategic and complex questions facing Southeast Asia by presenting the perspectives of regional academics and policy experts. It is organised by the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
Speakers:
## Jayant Menon, Senior Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
## Kaewkamol Pitakdumrongkit, Head and Assistant Professor, Centre for Multilateralism Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University
## Quynh Huong Nguyen, Economic Affairs Consultant, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Chairperson:
Denis Hew, Senior Research Fellow, Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
#CounterpointSEA #ASEAN #AEC #CAG_LKYSPP
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CSA Subscribe
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#GovernancefortheFuture #publicpolicy #policymatters
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![[LKYSPP Alumni] Switching to a Rewarding Public Policy Career](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/r_9g5oREHwA/mqdefault.jpg "[LKYSPP Alumni] Switching to a Rewarding Public Policy Career
Have you been thinking about going back to school to develop and hone your skillset for a different career trajectory?
Here, we asked our LKYSPP our Master in Public Policy Alumni members: James Tay (MPP 2018) who is now Operations Officer, The World Bank and Saravanan Sugumaran (MPP 2018) who is now Senior Assistant Director, Centre for Liveable Cities to share their stories on why they picked Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy to pursue their postgraduate degree.
#GovernancefortheFuture #publicpolicy #policymatters
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![[CSA series] How Should Southeast Asia Strengthen Economic Security?](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rk9XEEYh-d0/mqdefault.jpg "[CSA series] How Should Southeast Asia Strengthen Economic Security?
The geopolitical landscape in Southeast Asia has undergone significant transformation, challenging the region’s traditional approaches to economic security. The heightened US-China rivalry has created an environment of geo-economic fragmentation, forcing ASEAN and its member states to reconsider their strategic approaches. This rivalry has led to reconfigurations in global supply chains, resulting in trade diversion and fragmented production networks that threaten ASEAN’s longstanding emphasis on economic interdependence and cooperation.
Economic security in Southeast Asia has historically been framed within the concept of “comprehensive security,” focusing on economic development and integration as strategic approaches to achieve regional security. ASEAN has implemented various initiatives like the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA), and broader frameworks such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to foster closer economic integration and ensure security.
However, emerging challenges – including digital transformation accelerated by the pandemic, and demographic trends like aging populations – require rethinking traditional security paradigms. Climate change further complicates the region’s economic security landscape by affecting food production and commodity price stability. The return of Donald Trump to the US presidency, with his emphasis on reshoring and protectionist policies, poses additional challenges to the region’s export-oriented economies.
As ASEAN navigates this complex environment, several questions emerge: How should Southeast Asia strengthen economic security in the face of current geopolitical challenges? Should the concept of economic security be redefined to align with today’s geoeconomic realities? Can ASEAN maintain its relevance as a champion of regional economic security? What role can other actors and institutions play in complementing ASEAN’s efforts to manage external shocks and promote economic resilience?
Counterpoint Southeast Asia (CSA) is a policy brief series that tackles strategic and complex questions facing Southeast Asia by presenting the perspectives of regional academics and policy experts. It is organised by the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
Speakers:
Dr Denis Hew, Senior Research Fellow, Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
Ms Joanne Lin, Senior Fellow and Co-Coordinator of the ASEAN Studies Centre, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore
Ms Catharine Kho, Senior Economist, ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO)
Dr Pasha L. Hsieh, Jean Monnet Chair Professor, Yong Pung How School of Law, Singapore Management University
Moderator:
Dr Barbora Valockova, Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre on Asia and Globalisation (CAG), Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
3. Hashtags: #SoutheastAsia #EconomicSecurity #CounterpointSEA #CAG_LKYSPP
4. Website hyperlinks:
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![[Foreseeable Podcast] The socio-economic impact of mobile banking on developing economies](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tLnQqHCjyfU/mqdefault.jpg "[Foreseeable Podcast] The socio-economic impact of mobile banking on developing economies
Access to mobile banking can have a profound impact on people in developing economies. The impact of mobile banking extends beyond individual lives – it ripples through entire communities, affecting aspects such as migration and inequality.
Dr Saravana Ravindran, Assistant Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, joins us to explore the socio-economic impact of mobile banking on communities.
#GovernancefortheFuture #publicpolicy #policymatters
*Grab an exclusive case study for free here: https://lkyspp.sg/3DWVLid.*
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![[Foreseeable Podcast] Macroeconomic and financial management in emerging Asian economies](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/u_tOWA7z6B4/mqdefault.jpg "[Foreseeable Podcast] Macroeconomic and financial management in emerging Asian economies
From booming GDP growth and low interest rates to raging inflation and a shrinking economy, most of us have a sense of how the macroeconomic ups and downs can affect our lives. But have you ever considered what it takes to keep an economy healthy?
Our guest certainly has. Ramkishen S. Rajan is Yong Pung How Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He has been a Visiting Fellow at various regional research institutes, including the Asia Competitiveness Institute, the Institute of Policy Studies as well as the Asian Development Bank Institute.
Professor Rajan specialises in Asian monetary and financial regionalism, exchange rate regimes and effects, monetary policy and financial development in emerging economies and currency crises just to name a few. Tune in to the podcast as he discusses these topics.
#financialregulation #monetarypolicy #GovernancefortheFuture #publicpolicy #policymatters
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