The Khmer Rouge communists continued to wage a protracted low-intensity battle by targeting lines of communication and other economic targets as a tactic to terrorize the people and undermine any faith they might have in the ability of the PRK regime to protect them. They also employed a combination of tactics such as propaganda, bribery, intimidation, torture and outright execution of PRK officials.
Read moreWeekly round-up: Laos
Not the busiest week up in the PDR, but we did note a few things.
Read moreThe Political Economy of Repression: How to Create Comparative Dis-Advantages
Image: National Assembly Building opposite the HCM mausoleum; shankar s., CC BY 2.0
When we examine the Beijing Consensus approach, we see deep problems for other states seeking to implement it or a variant thereof, and do not see it as replicable for states other than China in that those other states simply do not have the unique advantages that supported China's early and medium term growth.
Read moreWeekly Round-up: Vietnam
Image: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Hieucd, Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 4.0 International
It has been an eventful week in Vietnam.
Read moreSpecial Economic Zones in Cambodia
Image: Sihanoukville's Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) as seen from National Highway No. 4 near Ream commune; Wikirictor, Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 3.0
I have discussed broadly the impact that increased trade and investment has had on Cambodia’s development. One of the most concrete policy examples of this being the case is in Cambodia’s Special Economic Zones (SEZ).
Read moreChina Round-Up: Zhejiang, Trade Fairs, and Loans - Oh My!
SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia (May 1, 2012) U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) anchors off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Blue Ridge is on patrol in the Asia-Pacific and in Sihanoukville for a port visit. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Sarah A. Stancati/Released); CC BY-NC
This week's round up of China-Cambodia related news.
Read moreWeekly Round-up: Laos
Rather busy week in Lao - as no doubt everyone has been following the military events along the border with the Cambodia
Read moreFDI in Contemporary Vietnam: Status Quo and Next Steps
Saigon's motorbike craze is one of the heralds of Vietnam's cultural and economic rejuvenation. Traffic congestion is a new phenomenon for Saigon, which has been dubbed "Scooter City" (1994).
Image: Saigon on Wheels, 1994 - by Ed Kashi; mannhai; CC BY 2.0
It should not catch anyone by surprise that Vietnam is becoming a tiger in the Southeast region of Asia. With its growing openness to global markets and willingness to comply with international standards, Vietnam continues to be a strong, key player in the economy of the region.
Read moreVietnam: Weekly Round-up
Image: Aftab Uzzaman; CC BY-NC 2.0
News coming out of the country this week has been dominated by a diplomatic spat between Germany and Vietnam over the alleged disappearance and abduction of Trinh Xuan Thanh, a Vietnamese politician and businessman, by Vietnamese intelligence operatives in Berlin.
Read moreThe Basics of Cambodia’s Export Market: Moving Beyond the Garment Sector
Image: Factory Assessment in Cambodia, International Labour Organisation, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
So, what is the breakdown of Cambodian exports? MIT breaks down Cambodia’s exports by specific product, and the results are not surprising to anyone who has driven around the outskirts of Phnom Penh: knit sweaters, knit women’s suits, and non-knit women’s suits. Garments continue to dominate in Cambodia
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