May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a celebration of the history, contributions, and culture of Americans from Asia and the Pacific Islands. As we reported earlier, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up 5.6% of the American population – 17.3 million – and grew by 46% in the last ten years, faster [...]
US states exported $413 billion worth of merchandise to Asia in 2011, according to preliminary data released by the Commerce Department. We broke down the exports to four major Asian destinations – Japan, Korea, Australia and the ten countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – to show which states are gaining the [...]
US has lost over one quarter of high-tech manufacturing jobs in past decade For the first time in history, the Asian region in 2009 spent as much on research and development in science and technology (S&T) fields as the United States, the traditional leader in high technology investment. The spending has cost American jobs because [...]
It has been an eventful year for US-Asia relations. Here is a recap of the most popular posts from across the Asia Matters for America initiative, including the ASEAN, Japan, Korea, and Australia subsites. 1. Pakistan to replace Indonesia as country with largest Muslim population by 2030 The world’s Muslim population is projected to grow [...]
As part of the East-West Center’s ongoing collaboration with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore, please see a new workshop report entitled Southeast Asia’s Place in Asia: Perceptions, Realities and Aspirations. This brief report reflects discussions at a meeting held in Singapore in October, and has been drafted by Bronson Percival, Visiting [...]
The world’s Muslim population is projected to grow at twice the rate of non-Muslims over the next 20 years, increasing by 35% to 2.2 billion people in 2030, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center. However, the growth rate for Muslim populations over the next 20 years, projected at 1.5% annually, is [...]
International student enrollment in the United States in the 2009-10 academic year increased by a modest 3% from the previous year according to the Open Doors report by the Institute of International Education. The number of students from China increased by an impressive 30% from the previous year, surpassing India as the top source of [...]
US Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton called ASEAN a “fulcrum for the region’s emerging regional architecture” and declared US intentions to “sustain and strengthen America’s leadership in the Asia-Pacific region” in a speech co-hosted by the East-West Center on October 28 in Hawaii. Full video of the speech is available. One main theme of [...]
East-West Center releases new Asia Pacific Bulletin In a new Asia Pacific Bulletin, Vannarith Chheang explains that the Asia Pacific region remains vulnerable to possible conflicts deriving mainly from historical antagonism, extremism, and unresolved sovereignty issues, although regional economic interdependence does help reduce the likelihood of open hostilities. However, as security issues get more transnational, [...]
ASEAN’s manufacturing exports have grown in recent years, due to increased productivity, proximity to large Asian markets, and recently implemented free trade agreements, according to a US International Trade Commission report issued in August. But challenges remain for future growth, including a shortage of skilled labor, an inefficient system of standards and assessment, and inadequate [...]
