Coming up in August 2002
COMING UP IN AUGUST 2002 AT THE EAST-WEST CENTER
| Release Date: | 8/1/2002 |
|---|
- Diplomats to Analyze Political Dynamics
- Eliminating Transport System Barriers China, Japan and Korea
- News Source: Zhang on the Kyoto Protocol
- Two New Books: Asia Pacific Security Outlook 2002
The Future of Population in Asia - Exhibition: “The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan”
- Summer Programs, Students & Future Leaders
- Looking Ahead . . .
Wednesday, August 7
DIPLOMATS TO DISCUSS ASIA PACIFIC POLITICAL
DYNAMICS AT EAST-WEST CENTER LUNCHEON
Diplomats from four countries will provide perspectives on the political and strategic dynamics affecting the Asia Pacific region at the East-West Center’s annual “Diplomats Panel” luncheon on Wednesday, August 7. The event is open to the public. The speakers will be:
- Thomas C. Hubbard, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, former Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary for Eastern Asia and Pacific Affairs.
- Wiryono Sastrohandoyo, Senior Fellow, CSIS, Jakarta, and Indonesia’s chief negotiator in the peace talks with the Free Aceh Movement.
- Alok Prasad, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Washington, D.C., former Joint Secretary (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs in charge of all aspects of India-U.S. relations.
- Yue Xiaoyong, Counsellor and Head of Political Office, Embassy of the People's Republic of China, Washington, D.C.
The event will start at 12:00 Noon in the East-West Center’s Hawaii Imin International Conference Center at Jefferson Hall, garden level. The $20 fee includes lunch and parking. For information and registration, call 944-7111. The sponsors are the East-West Center, Friends of the East-West Center, and the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council.
Senior Policy Seminar
These diplomats are in Hawaii to participate in the Center’s Senior Policy Seminar 2002, a program that brings together senior and influential policy makers, defense officials and academic experts from the United States, Asia, and the Pacific for discussions on economic, social and strategic dynamics and the future of U.S. policy in the region.
Discussions during the August 4-7 seminar will focus on U.S. foreign and security policy in the region, terrorism and internal conflicts, rogue regimes, the U.S. and the Middle East, and implications for U.S. policy.
Seminar participation and attendance is by invitation.
Senior Policy Seminar 2001: Key Issues in Asia Pacific Security is available by contacting the East-West Center Publication Sales Office at ewcbooks@EastWestCenter.org
EWC CONTACT: Sheree Groves, Coordinator, East-West Seminars, (808) 944-7615. E-mail: grovess@EastWestCenter.org
ELIMINATING TRANSPORT SYSTEM BARRIERS IN N.E. ASIA
August 11-14 at the EWC. Continuation of three years of collaborative research by the East-West Center and the Korean Transport Institute (KOTI) on building an integrated logistics system in Northeast Asia. This phase addresses transport market integration in China, Japan and Korea, focusing on how to eliminate legal and institutional barriers to the free movement of people and goods and enable transport systems and networks to operate more efficiently and cooperatively.
“Although the three countries play an important role in Northeast Asia, they are currently at different levels of economic development and have been implementing transport market liberalization at different rates,” said Yoon Hyung Kim, EWC senior fellow and project coordinator.
“The air and maritime transport markets in Korea, China, and Japan are regulated by bilateral agreements between the countries. In many cases governments in these countries maintain rigid restrictions and intervene in the air and maritime transport markets. It has been proven that free trade in transport services will lead to greater economic prosperity overall. Thus the aim of this study is to identify the barriers in each of the countries and to provide measures for achieving free and efficient transport markets in these countries, much like the EU or NAFTA.”
Participating in the conference will be a task force of transportation experts from China, Japan and Korea as well as other countries in the region.
EWC CONTACT: Yoon Hyung Kim (808) 944-7435. E-mail: kimy@EastWestCenter.org
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NEWS SOURCE: ZhongXiang Zhang
- TOPIC: The Kyoto Protocol: Implications of the U.S. repudiation and subsequent deals in Bonn and Marrakech
- BACKGROUND: The U.S. decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol in March 2001 and the subsequent deals struck in Bonn (July 2001) and Marrakech (November 2001) have significant implications for both the environmental effectiveness of the Protocol and the compliance costs of the remaining industrialized countries, such as Japan and the European Union. Dr. Zhang is the author of the first comprehensive study to examine these implications taking into account the non-competitive supply behavior on the international market of tradable permits. It is available at Social Science Research Network website at SSRN
www.papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm>
- CONTACT: ZhongXiang Zhang, fellow, EWC research program, (808) 944-7265. E-mail: ZhangZ@EastWestCenter.org
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New Publications:
‘ASIA PACIFIC SECURITY OUTLOOK 2002’
SEES OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE TENSIONS
In the wake of September 11, an opportunity exists to fundamentally transform long-term security tensions in the Asia Pacific region, especially those clustered around Sino-U.S. and U.S.-Russian relations, according to editors of the newly published Asia Pacific Security Outlook 2002.
Editors Christopher A. McNally and Charles E. Morrison of the East-West Center note that at a minimum, increased sharing of intelligence information on terrorist activities, diplomatic efforts to coordinate security activities against terrorist networks, and financial cooperation against illicit money flows are fostering greater understanding and collaboration among the security and military forces of Asia Pacific countries.
“These developments might even open up new avenues to establish a more standing and effective consultative mechanism for security cooperation in the region,” they said.
This is the sixth annual edition of the book, sponsored by the ASEAN Institutes for Strategic and International Studies, the East-West Center and the Japan Center for International Exchange.
The book presents the national perceptions of regional security, key defense issues, and the contributions to regional and global security of 20 of the 23 member countries of the ASEAN Regional Forum. It is unique in utilizing a multinational team of security specialists to provide individual country reports, enabling comparison of the views and defense policies of each country.
In addition to dealing with issues pertaining to terrorism, the 2002 edition analyzes previous “watch list” issues considered to be of major importance to regional stability. They are the Korean peninsula, large power relations, arms acquisitions, territorial disputes, the region’s economic outlook, and instability in Indonesia.
The editors note that the 2002 team’s assessment of the watch list issues differs in several important respects from the previous year:
- The general optimism over prospects for inter-Korean relations has faded, providing decidedly mixed current views for the outlook for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.
- By contrast, the 2002 team is more positive on the state of major power relations, with a strong majority seeing an improved outlook.
- The most negative finding for 2002 is the assessment of the economic outlook, now almost unanimously regarded as having worsened.
- The appraisal of prospects for peaceful settlement of territorial disputes is essentially the same, and concerns over arms acquisitions have not dissipated.
- Views on Indonesian stability are divided between those who see the outlook as unchanged and those who believe it has worsened. No analyst sees improvement.
The Security Outlook’s project directors were Charles E. Morrison, president of the East-West Center; Nishihara Masashi, president, National Defense Academy, Japan; and Jusuf Wanandi, chairman of the Supervisory Board, Center for Strategic and International Studies. Indonesia. Co-editor Christopher A. McNally is a fellow in the East-West Center Research Program.
Reports are included for Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, United States and Vietnam.
EWC CONTACTS: Charles E. Morrison (808) 944-7103.
E-mail: MorrisoC@EastWestCenter.org
Christopher McNally (808) 944-7239.
E-mail: McNallyC@EastWestCenter.org
Critical Population Issues Analyzed in
‘The Future of Population in Asia’
Slowing down population growth – “as soon as possible” – will be a key component of any effort to protect Asia’s natural resources and environment, according to authors of “The Future of Population in Asia,” a new book from the East-West Center.
“When looking at current and future environmental concerns in Asia, the number of people to be fed, clothed, housed, transported, educated and employed may not be the only issue, but it is an issue that can’t be ignored,” they said, noting that population growth continues for many years even after fertility reaches replacement level.
The authors also focus on issues of tradition and change in marriage and family life, the changing status of women, Asia’s changing youth population, HIV/AIDS, Asia’s aging population, and economic development. Discussion of policy implications or recommendations are included at the end of each chapter. The book contains dozens of tables and color illustrations.
A grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded the book project. Sidney B. Westley, EWC communications specialist, coordinated the project, in collaboration with Robert D. Retherford, EWC senior fellow and coordinator of Population and Health Studies. They and several other EWC researchers are the book’s authors.
A sampling of the book’s observations:
- Although the one-child policy continues in China, enforcement is gradually weakening. Today there is concern that if the policy is continued for another generation it will cause a future crisis in care of the elderly as a consequence of extreme population aging.
- For decades, the family welfare program in India has been dominated by female sterilization, resulting in a considerable fertility reduction. But it may be difficult to achieve further reductions by heavy reliance on sterilization alone. Because sterilization is irreversible, women are unlikely to be sterilized until they are certain they do not want any more children.
- The Japanese government has been increasingly concerned about the trends toward decisions to marry at later ages or not to marry at all, as this contributes to Japan’s very low fertility. In Japan, 20 percent of never-married women and men aged 20 to 27 said they were uncertain whether they ever wanted to marry.
- Thailand and Cambodia represent two of the world’s few HIV-prevention success stories. Under very different resource constraints but using similar combinations of focused prevention and broad-based social involvement, both countries have managed to reverse the course of the epidemic.
- Population aging is much more advanced in Japan than in other Asian countries. Elsewhere, the temptation might be to dismiss aging as an issue that need not be considered until some point in the future. This would be a mistake. Changes that occurred over 50 years in the West are being compressed into 20 to 30 years in Asia. Not only will Asians have less time to prepare for aging, but most will have to meet the challenges of aging at much lower levels of development than in Japan or the West.
- The traditional Asian family support system is under pressure from demographic, social and economic change. In countries where fertility has been low, the elderly have few adult children to provide support, and many of these children have moved from the family home. Women are entering the work force at increasing numbers, and middle-aged women, the traditional care-givers, are likely to have less time to care for elderly family members. Increasing exposure to the West may also be introducing ideas that clash with the traditional sense of responsibility for the elderly.
- Youth surveys in several Asian countries show significant levels of smoking and drinking. Drug use is much less common, but it is not negligible. Parents in Asia tend to be much more permissive with their sons than with their daughters, which no doubt helps explains why risk behavior is so much more common among boys than among girls.
- Lingering problems of son preference and the advent of sex-selective abortion pose a dilemma for Asian policymakers. Evidence suggests that social and economic development alone may not fully counteract these manifestations of women’s low status in a patriarchal society – at least not right away. EWC CONTACTS: Sidney Westley, (808) 944-7480. E-mail: westleys@EastWestCenter.org
Robert Retherford, (808) 944-7403. E-mail: retherfr@EastWestCenter.org
The book, 150 pages softcover, is available by contacting the EWC Publication Sales Office, (808) 944-7145, E-mail: ewcbooks@EastWestCenter.org
Journalists: Contact John H. Williams, EWC External Affairs, (808) 944-7204.
E-Mail: williamj@EastWestCenter.org
“The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan”
Exhibition August 6 to September 25 featuring photos of Bhutan people, their daily activities, and spectacular scenery, taken by John Wehrheim of Kaua’i. The exhibition will be augmented by fabrics and other material culture.- August 25 - “Life in Bhutan,” a slide presentation by photographer John Wehrheim in connection with the Bhutan Exhibition. EWC Gallery, free admission, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
EWC ARTS CONTACTS: William Feltz or Pattie Dunn (808) 944-7584.
E-mail: feltzb@EastWestCenter.org
Advancement Opportunities Attract
Professionals from 30 States & 16 Nations
Educators and other specialists from 30 U.S. states and 16 countries traveled to the East-West Center this summer for a variety of three- and four-week professional advancement programs. The international participants were from throughout Asia and the Pacific, although the EWC’s annual population seminar also attracted a university president from Kyrgystan and a health research officer from Ghana. The programs were:- Teaching About China and the United States
- Infusing Southeast Asian Studies
- The 33rd EWC Summer Institute on Population
- Institute on Korean Culture and Society
- Ways of Authority in Japanese Culture
The Asia Pacific Leadership Program is an innovative certificate program designed to meet new educational and human resource needs during a time of increasing regional interdependence. The goal is to create a network of leaders from the United States, Asia, and the Pacific who are familiar with the issues and cultures of the region and trained to exercise leadership toward the well-being of the countries and peoples of the region. The program was established through generous funding support from the Freeman Foundation.
The program seeks outstanding, young professionals and students from the United States and countries of the Asia Pacific region. For current and recently enrolled graduate students, the program complements their studies by providing them with Asia Pacific colleagues and faculty typically unavailable at their home institutions.
“The program's graduates will leave the Center with a broad, regional perspective, knowledgeable about the societies and issues of the region, and trained to exercise leadership toward promoting cooperation,” said Terance W. Bigalke, EWC Dean of Academic Programs. “ It is expected that graduates will seek or return to positions in business, government, non-governmental organizations and universities.”
This session will run from August 12 to May 23, 2003.
EWC CONTACT: Terance Bigalke (808) 944-7323. E-mail: bigalket@EastWestCenter.org
APLP website: Go to www.eastwestcenter.org/edu-ov.asp and click on "Asia Pacific Leadership Program."
E-mail inquiries to APLP@EastWestCenter.org
L o o k i n g A h e a d . . .
September 1-15: 12th New Generation Seminar.
September 9: Third Meeting of the Congressional Study Group on Asian Security in Washington, D.C.
September 12–13: 2002 New Generation Seminar Participants visit to Washington DC.
September 12-19: Lifou Island Dance Company. Performances and educational demonstrations on Oahu and Maui by a 16-member ensemble from New Caledonia in Melanesia.
September 9-17: Women in Leadership Seminar.
September 27-29: Exhibition: “Korean Dress,” EWC Gallery. A mini-exhibition of contemporary Korean designs, some using exquisite traditional Korean silk fabrics. The event will kick off EWC’s participation in the centennial celebrations of Korean immigration to Hawaii in 2003.
Sept. 30- Oct. 4: The Dynamics and Management of Internal Conflicts in Asia, First Study Group Meeting in Washington, D.C.
October 1: Asia Pacific Executive Forum Workshop in Dallas, Texas, with the Greater Dallas Council on World Affairs.
October 2: Asia Pacific Executive Forum Workshop in Houston, Texas, with the Asia Society-Houston.
October 6-9: Chaplin Fellow in Distinguished Journalism.
October 6-9: 35th Anniversary Jefferson Fellowship Program Alumni Conference.
October 6: Fall Jefferson Fellowships. Through November 2.
October 9: Exhibition: “Ramayana in the Arts of Asia.” Through January 3, 2003.
October 15 –18: Fall 2002 Jefferson Fellows visit to Washington DC.
October 23-27: NEH Regional Workshop on Authoring Community and State in Asian Contexts.
October 24: 3rd Annual Hawaii International Education Week: "Responsible Global Citizenship" for K-12. EWC Imin Center.
October 24-27: Civil Society and Political Change in Asia project, second workshop meeting, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
November 2-6: “Cuarteto Xallapan,” a guitar quartet from Veracruz, Mexico, under the direction of EWC/UHM alumnus Randall Kohn, performing at the EWC Imin Center and other educational venues.
November 11-13: "Private Sector Talanoa on Transportation Issues in the Pacific Islands." US/Pacific Island Nations Joint Commercial Commission Workshop.
November 13-15: Globalization Conference on Trafficking in Women and Children.
November 15-17: “Mahabharata: Shadow Puppet Theatre of Central Indonesia.” A presentation of Javanese wayang kulit puppetry depicting the other great Hindu epic, Mahabharata; featuring six visiting artists from Yogyakarta and the UHM Gamelan Ensemble. EWC Imin Center.
2003
1st quarter: 3rd Asia Pacific Conference on E-Commerce.
2nd quarter: 3rd Asia Pacific Executive Forum.
February 20-22: A Sense of Place in the Pacific and Asia: Socioeconomic, Cultural, Political and Environmental Identities, the 2003 East-West Center International Graduate Student Conference. A call for papers is currently ongoing; deadline for submission is November 1, 2002. Please see our website: 2003 EWC International Graduate Student Conference
March 5: “An International Affair," EWC Foundation annual dinner, Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom.
April 9-13: Regional Workshop on Traditions of Dissent in Asian Societies. National Endowment for the Humanities.
June 1: 10th Workshop on Community-based Management of Forest Lands.
June 20-23: ASPAC Regional Asian Studies Conference hosted by EWCA, EWC, and UH.
October: Reunion for Alumni who were at the EWC from 1960 to 1965.
