The Philippines is one of the many countries in Southeast Asia that have extensively pursued economic zone development. These zones have continuously evolved over time, with significant consequences.
The Special Economic Zone of Thilawa epitomizes the essence of Japan’s new ‘infrastructural means for strategic ends’ approach to ODA policy, inaugurated by Abe.
The Tatmadaw may still be satisfied enough with the semi-democratic regime it created and may want to return to it at some point – just after securing a suitable Commander-in-Chief and fixing some issues it is not entirely happy about.
“Il fatto che viviamo in un’epoca di nazionalismi esasperati porterà ahimè alla moltiplicazione di questi conflitti, come quello tra Thailandia e Cambogia, dovuti all’assenza di una prospettiva più ampia sulla governance internazionale. Uno dei problemi dell’ASEAN è che è sempre stato visto all’interno del sudest asiatico, tra le popolazioni, come un esercizio diplomatico elitario tra governi, che non ha costruito una comunanza di visione e appartenenza alla regione.”
Giuseppe Gabusi is Head of T.wai’s Indo-Pacific Program and an Associate Professor of International Political Economy and Political Economy of East Asia at the University of Turin.
Pietro Masina is a non-resident Research Fellow at T.wai and an Associate Professor of International Political Economy, History and Institutions of East Asia at the University of Naples “L'Orientale”.
Giorgio Prodi is the Vice President of the Torino World Affairs Institute and an Associate Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Ferrara.