• SUVANNABHUMI
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.57-90
• /
• 2023

China launched the Digital Silk Road (DSR) in 2015 as part of the existing Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to expand its influence in digital and technological development across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Southeast Asia is one of the key targets of the Digital Silk Road due to its geographical proximity to China and the rapid growth of the digital sphere. Although the DSR opens several potential opportunities for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to foster the digitalization process in the region, how each country reacts to projects under the DSR is varied. Secondly, Vietnam is the only ASEAN member state that has not signed any official agreement under the BRI framework, and thirdly, Vietnam opted out of Huawei technology. This paper aims to understand the perspective of Vietnam and how Vietnam has responded to the growing technological presence of China in Southeast Asia until 2021. By using qualitative methods, the author argues that the DSR has allowed Beijing to overcome the limitations of the original strategy, BRI, and strengthen its influence in the field of information and communication technologies, particularly fifth-generation (5G) telecommunications. Furthermore, the paper examines Vietnam's digital development and digital diplomacy and how the Vietnamese government has responded to DSR projects. In light of both the potential threats and economic benefits that the DSR has brought to Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries, in the last section, the policy implications for cooperation are discussed.

• Korea Trade Review
• /
• v.47 no.6
• /
• pp.269-289
• /
• 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted supply chains across the world. When the pandemic broke out, the disruptions were mainly due to the lockdowns imposed in various countries. The WTO has predicted that the pandemic might cause world trade to decline by 13 to 32 per cent in 2020. This paper will examine the implications of COVID-19 on digital trade, particularly the use of blockchain in the Asia Pacific. The Asia Pacific (particularly Singapore and Hong Kong) is a leader in the use of digital technologies. This paper will thus attempt to draw out lessons from the first movers for the rest of Asia. It will examine the bottlenecks in the application of this technology in the Asia Pacific countries, and the need for regulatory changes in the Asia-Pacific. It will trace the technology's barriers to adoption, both as regards interoperability, and regulatory framework. The advantages of blockchain technology in trade finance are clear; it can promote trade efficiency, mitigate risk and expand trade to other regions. However, earlier efforts to introduce digital technologies have failed. More collaborative efforts are required, so that networks can connect seamlessly on a single technology platform, and meet the demand for trade finance. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have provided an enabling environment for the intensification of digital efforts, increasing their urgency; should these measures indeed successfully occur, they will improve the resiliency of supply chains across the region.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.183-201
• /
• 2022

The purpose of this article is to provide preliminary findings on the state of digital technology applications of startups in Southeast Asia and to discuss issues related to digital health adoption in the region. This exploratory study is based on an empirical analysis of startups and digital technology applications information from various publicly available website databases. Public and private organizations would benefit from a better understanding of the current state of digital technology applications provided by startups and the challenges faced in digital health adoption. This article contributes to the existing literature by offering an overview of startups and digital technology applications in the digital health space in the fast-growing region of Southeast Asia. It offers advice to organizations intending to pursue healthtech initiatives on the types of health services provided by startups and issues that need to be addressed to increase the adoption rate.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.1-30
• /
• 2019

The advent of digitalisation has transformed economies into more integrated, but increasingly complex systems. This new trend has brought dynamic changes in the manufacturing sector through advanced ICT infrastructure, smart factories, digitally-controlled logistics, and skilled ICT-labour. The impacts of the digital economy on manufacturing could be best illustrated through "Industry 4.0." With this wave of technological advancement, countries aim to establish an industrial ecosystem where every manufacturing process and function is connected and interacts through digital networks. Industry 4.0 presents opportunities for Emerging Asia, as the region has emerged as a fast-growing manufacturing hub and particularly a production base for ICT goods. However, growing production capacity, increased exports, and increases in FDI in the field of ICT goods manufacturing have so far contributed little to the development and diffusion of ICT. A huge gap exists in the ICT uptake amongst countries and between small and large firms. This paper highlights the level of Industry 4.0 readiness of Emerging Asia and key factors that determine its enhancement.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.1436-1438
• /
• 2003

A prototype of OGC Web Map Service and Web Feature Service is developed by NEC Aerospace Systems, Ltd. under the contract from NASDA and RESTEC. The server provides satellite imagery data taken by JERS-1 and ADEOS satellite, via OGC interfaces to the client. The related features are also available to the client through the Internet with OGC interfaces. The imagery, map and feature data is handled layer by layer at the client. OGC Web Map Service and Web Feature Service interoperability capability and applicability to Digital Asia Network are demonstrated.

• Korea Trade Review
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.39-60
• /
• 2021

Despite the fast growth and rising importance of digital trade, there still exists no multilateral agreement governing digital trade. Significant differences in policy directions regarding key digital trade issues among the U.S., EU and China are the main stumbling blocks for reaching agreement on the multilateral front. To overcome this deficiency in digital trade rules, there has been active movement among mainly countries in the Asia-Pacific region for rule-making on digital trade. Starting with the CPTPP chapter on E-Commerce in 2018, there has been a series of digital trade rules agreed in bilateral or plurilateral formats, such as the USMCA, USJDTA, DEPA, DEA and RCEP. Korea is currently only member of RCEP, which contains an e-commerce chapter with lower levels of commitment as compared to other digital trade agreements. This paper provides a broad analysis of the recently concluded digital trade agreements, comparing the different coverage of rules, levels of commitment, and rules templates. The analysis aims to provide implications for the desirable direction of rule-making on digital trade and Korea's digital trade strategy.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.293-306
• /
• 2005

In order to bridge the digital divide issues in the Asia Pacific region, Japan initiated the Asia Broadband Program, during implementing E-Japan and U-Japan Plans with collaboration among Asia Pacific Counties. This paper describes first joint experiments that were undertaken in Japan, Singapore and China. Then this paper also describes Japanese efforts to build space infrastructure for development of ICT Society in the Asia Pacific region for further international cooperation to bridge the digital divide Article 1, para. 1, of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, calls for exploration and use of outer space to be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development. The augmentation of common benefit from space communication could contribute to bridge the digital divide issues in developing countries in Asia Pacific region. Accordingly, space- infrastructure building would be very important to implement common benefit among countries concerned through international cooperation and collaboration

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2019

During the Obama administration, America made a shift in its foreign policies to re-focus on Asia. The strategy, known as 'Pivot to Asia', was used to contain a rising China. In this editorial note, I appropriate the geopolitical term to call for a scholarly refocus on Asia (and the broader Asia Pacific region). JCEA started as an area journal. While it has become more technology-focused and less geographically-bounded in its coverage of topics, the journal recognizes the centrality of the region's political economy and technological forces in setting (and upsetting) global norms and rules. The Asia Pacific contains the world's freest economies as well as the most oppressive regimes. It breeds both technology giants and laggards. As new geopolitical tensions loom, it is where the digital iron curtain is drawn, and where the vice and virtue of innovations debated. Social scientists in the English world, who lend extensively on European and American cases, can benefit from studying the Asia Pacific by testing whether and how local experience conforms to or confronts with universal theories. Very likely, western-centric norms and models become morphed and entangled in the grounded local particularity, reflecting many shades of this diverse place. In my arguments below, I highlight the Asia Pacific as a site of contradiction, as well as a site of contention and negotiation. My emphasis is that regional particularity holds the key to answer concurrent debates in the West concerning governance and accountability in the digital age.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.35-39
• /
• 2021

This article discusses the importance of investigating risk and crisis communication in the context of Asian digital societies. It introduces the remaining articles in this special issue.

• SUVANNABHUMI
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.215-228
• /
• 2018

The paper provides an appreciation and critical commentary on Stephen Keck's fictional product, the SEABOT. It examines the problems of regional definition, given Southeast Asia's diversity, and provides a positive gloss on this diversity. It also considers certain conceptual and methodological issues raised by SEABOT, and the advantages and disadvantages of this online platform.