Globalization and Openness: Lessons from the Recent Crisis in Southeast Asia

East-Asian crisis, Globalization, Lessons for other LDCs

Globalization and openness: Lessons from the recent crisis in Southeast Asia

Up until the recent crisis, the Southeast Asian region had been regarded as one of the most dynamic regions in the global economy. Their industrial structures have undergone a process of adjustment into more capital-intensive and technologically sophisticated manufacturing sectors. These adjustments created intra-regional flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) followed by the expansion of capital and intermediate goods intrafirm and intra-industry trade among regional economies. The paper argues that globalization and openness are not entirely responsible for the recent Asian crisis. It can be argued, however, that financial and capital-account liberalization was too rapid because domestic institutional capacities were inadequate and unable to cope with the influx of capital. The broader issues raised by the experience of Southeast Asia pertain to lessons for other countries, and this in turn centres on the fundamental question: has globalization and liberalization gone too far

Connecting South Asia to Southeast Asia: Cross-Border Infrastructure Investments

South Asia and Southeast Asia have been connected for many centuries, with the degree of connectivity varying over time. This paper explores strengthening connectivity between the two subregions by identifying the missing links in transport connectivity. The paper is specifically concerned with the role of cross-border transport infrastructure investments. To this end, the author reviews all possible road and rail land corridors that would help create seamless transport connectivity. Missing gaps and corresponding transport infrastructure projects are identified, and projects are screened and prioritized. For the selected critical projects, the study recommends phased investments

Multilateralizing Asian Regionalism

Motivated by the proliferation of free trade agreements (FTAs) in Asia over the last decade, this paper studies the challenges faced by the Asian "noodle bowl" - overlapping, multiple trade rules, regulations, and standards in Asia - in the process of regional and global trade integration. The paper first highlights the importance of trade and investment linkages among Asian economies that have formed Asian supply chains, called Factory Asia. It then considers ways and means of multilateralizing Asian trade regionalism by discussing the pros and cons of various approaches - such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-centered regional trade agreements, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, and cross-regional FTAs, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and a future Asia-European Union FTA. The paper emphasizes the promising role of inclusive Asian regionalism and the need to move to global integration

CT demonstration of dural metastases in neuroblastoma

Computed tomography provides a graphic picture of dural involvement due to metastatic neuroblastoma. These metastases occur along the external surface of the dura and cause further separation of the brain parenchyma from the bony calvarium. The dural metastases are continuous with subcutaneous deposits via the separated sutures. Sutural separation is nonuniform, and the sutural margins are indistinct due to bony involvement. The lytic bony metastases may produce localized calvarial thickening that may have a sunburst appearance