Asia Competitiveness Institute

Chinese investment into ASEAN is rising as trade tensions and export controls push firms to rethink how they manufacture, source inputs, and organise supply chains. This seminar asks whether Chinese firms are simply rerouting trade through ASEAN, or actually shifting production into the region. It examines whether this investment is being matched by real changes in local production, industry trade profiles, and regional supply chains.

Join us on Friday, 19 June 2026 | 2:00pm – 3:00pm (GMT+8) and register now by scanning the QR code or via the link: https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/aci/events/details/aci-seminar-series-on-asean-economic-linkages-impact-of-china-s-offshoring-on-asean-supply-chains

How can Indonesia’s maritime network better support industrial upgrading in resource-rich provinces? Using West Kalimantan as a case study, this article examines the role of regional shipping routes, Port of Tanjungpura, midstream aluminium processing, and vocational training in supporting a phased pathway for deeper industrial participation and greater local value capture. Find out more here: https://aciperspectives.com/2026/06/03/indonesias-shipping-network-linking-ports-skills-and-industry/

The future of Singapore-Vietnam ties may lie in strategic complementarity: leveraging distinct strengths to create shared value. If done well, this partnership could drive higher-value cooperation in trade, innovation, supply-chain resilience, and offer a practical template for Asean.

Read our full op-ed published in The Business Times :https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/docs/default-source/aci/the-business-times-26-may-2026-how-singapore-and-vietnam-should-build-strategic-complementarity.pdf

Singapore is the world’s pioneer in developing Digital Economy Agreements (DEAs), with one of the most extensive DEA networks globally. DEAs are trade agreements designed for the digital economy, filling a gap that traditional trade agreements were not built to address.

This webinar examines Singapore’s role in shaping digital trade governance through DEAs, and whether these agreements have translated into measurable gains in digital and services trade.

Join us on Thursday, 11 June 2026 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm (GMT+8) and register now by scanning the QR code or via the link: https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/aci/events/details/aci-seminar-series-on-asian-digital-economy-assessing-the-impact-of-singapore-s-digital-economy-agreements

Coming up soon! As Johor and Singapore deepen economic ties through the Special Economic Zone and RTS Link, what happens beyond the corridor? Join us on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, from 12:00pm to 1:15pm SGT (GMT+8), as we explore the effects on neighbouring states and the wider Malaysian peninsula.

Register now by scanning the QR code or via the link: https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/aci/events/details/aci-seminar-series-on-asean-economic-linkages-beyond-the-causeway-spatial-impacts-of-the-johor-singapore-economic-zone-and-rail-link

Intra-RCEP exports of digitally-deliverable services (DDS) are led by business services and telecommunication, computer, and information services, from 2017 to 2024. Together, the two sectors account for 71% of intra-bloc DDS exports in 2024. These services are traded primarily between Singapore, China, and Japan. Read more here: https://aciperspectives.com/2026/05/20/intra-rcep-digitally-deliverable-service-exports-are-led-by-business-and-ict-services/

The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone and Rapid Transit System Link mark a new phase in cross-border integration between Singapore and Johor, by lowering barriers for firms and making movement across the border faster and more predictable. The bigger question is what this means beyond the corridor itself: will the gains be shared more widely, or will more activity become concentrated around the border? In this webinar, ACI researchers present new simulation evidence on how these policies could affect where people live and work, where production grows, and how wages may change across Johor, neighbouring states, and the wider Malaysian peninsula.

Join us on Tuesday, 26 May 2026 | 12:00pm – 1:15pm (GMT+8) and register now by scanning the QR code or via the link: https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/aci/events/details/aci-seminar-series-on-asean-economic-linkages-beyond-the-causeway-spatial-impacts-of-the-johor-singapore-economic-zone-and-rail-link

A key challenge for Nepal now is implementation. The NCI 2026 shows that provincial competitiveness will increasingly depend on stronger fiscal ex*****on, institutional capacity, and implementation discipline as the country approaches LDC graduation. This year’s findings highlight both persistent structural gaps and clear opportunities for targeted reform.

Read the Nepal Competitiveness Index (NCI) 2026 here: https://aciperspectives.com/2026/05/06/book-launch%e2%94%82nepal-competitiveness-index-2026-supporting-nepals-journey-towards-effective-planning/