BORDER BARRIERS IN AGRICULTURAL TRADE AND THE IMPACT OF THEIR ELIMINATION: EVIDENCE FROM EAST ASIA

We investigate the impact of the elimination of import tariffs and nontariff policy barriers (NTPBs) on agricultural trade in a notional East Asian Free Trade Agreement using a Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP)-based computable general equilibrium model. The investigation is divided into two parts. We first measure the NTPBs by employing a widely used method derived from the literature on border effects. Then, by adding into the GTAP database our estimates on the NTPBs, which the original GTAP database by its nature does incorporate, we compute the impact of the entire elimination of policy barriers (the complete reduction of import tariffs and NTPBs) on GDP. The result shows that there are remarkable differences between the effect of abolition of import tariffs and that of entire elimination of all import barriers.     

INDONESIA'S CHANGING ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY

Indonesia's regional socio-economic data base extends over 30 years, so it is now possible to draw conclusions about regional development dynamics since the 1970s. We examine economic growth, inequality, convergence, structural change, demographic dynamics and social indicators over this period. There continues to be great diversity in economic and social outcomes, but growth and social progress have been remarkably even: the poorest regions, located mainly in Eastern Indonesia, have generally performed about as well as the national average. The better performing regions include those that are the most ‘connected’ to the global economy. In this respect, Jakarta stands out, growing richer than the rest of the country over time. As expected, conflict is harmful to economic development. There is no clear natural resource story: the performance of the resource-rich provinces has varied considerably.     

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY MODEL IN THE REFORM OF INDONESIA'S BANKING SECTOR

Lack of satisfactory progress with reform of the banking sector may imply that the chosen remedies were unworkable in the Indonesian context. These remedies, suggested by the international community, appear not to have taken proper account of the commercial and political ramifications of the new institutions and mechanisms that were to be put in place. Of key importance is the practical difficulty of finding suitable buyers for banks and assets taken over by the new bank restructuring agency. Almost the entire corporate sector was in distress as a result of the crisis, while foreign buyers were reluctant to commit themselves given an inadequate legal system as well as significant nationalistic opposition to the sale of corporate assets to foreign entities. This article discusses reasons for the failure to achieve several principal objectives of the reforms, and canvasses alternative approaches that might be more successful.     

INDONESIA'S ECONOMIC CRISIS: CONTAGION AND FUNDAMENTALS

The severe and unanticipated economic downturn in Indonesia mirrored the regional economic fallout following the 1997 financial crisis. Although it is likely that the crisis in neighboring countries had an adverse impact on Indonesia, the issue has so far received little attention. This paper examines whether contagion from the economic crisis in Thailand triggered the crisis in Indonesia. Evidence of such a contagion is revealed, and the contagion was possibly exacerbated by increasing imbalances in the Indonesian economy. The paper also examines the channels through which the economic difficulties of Thailand might have been transmitted to Indonesia. Investors’behavior, rather than real links, is identified as one important channel for the contagion.     

INDONESIA'S TEXTILES AND APPAREL: THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

International rules governing textiles and apparel trade are undergoing transformation. The Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA) is being phased out, and as of January 2005 textiles and apparel trade will be conducted under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. For Indonesia, this presents challenges and opportunities. The global trading system is increasingly seeing the introduction of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) that liberalise trade among members but discriminate against nonmembers. Major markets are negotiating new PTAs that divert trade away from low-cost non-member producers such as Indonesia. China's entry into the WTO allows producers there to take advantage of liberalised quotas and the integration of textile and apparel products into the tariff-based trade system as of 2002. With rising domestic production costs, increased local government interventions and poor tax administration, Indonesian producers face a 'double squeeze'. This paper outlines the key challenges confronting the sector and makes recommendations for sustaining exports in coming years.     

农业合作新飞跃

农业是立国之本,不管是哪个国家,都需要农业的发展支撑经济的飞跃.台湾在近几年的农业发展中走出了属于自己的一条道路,而济南的农业也取得了巨大的成绩,如今随着两岸交流的加深,在农业方面的合作也将会进一步增加,借助双方的优势,学习双方的特点,让济台的农业发展来一次质的合作大飞跃.     

中国农业发展银行辽宁省分行

中国农业发展银行是直属国务院领导的我国国唯一的一家农业政策性银行,主要职责是按照国家的法律、法规和方针、政策,以国家信用为基础,筹集资金,承担国家规定的农业政策性金融业务,代理财政     

TRADE LIBERALIZATION AND WAGE PREMIUM IN ARGENTINA: THE ROLE OF TRADE FACTOR INTENSITY

During the 1990s, several Latin American countries implemented policies directed to the removal of barriers on international trade. However, there is a perception that reforms, especially trade liberalization, failed to deliver on their promises, easing the way for policies aimed at reversing some of them. Following Wood's hypothesis, we allow for the effects of liberalization to vary, depending on the skill intensity of production. The evidence confirms that the role of trade liberalization has been relatively small, but controlling for the presence of endogeneity gives larger estimates. Contrary to previous evidence, the wage premium of skilled workers was more sensitive to the increase of skill‐intensive exports than to that of unskilled‐intensive imports.     

FIFTY YEARS OF TRADE POLICY IN INDONESIA: NEW WORLD TRADE,OLD TREATMENTS

Indonesia's trade policy has evolved over the last 50 years. It has been influenced by the country's level of development and the conflict between openness and protectionism; external developments, such as commodity booms and busts and increased competition; and international commitments, whether multilateral or regional. As a result, trade policy has often been ambivalent and ineffective. Given that Indonesia has undergone various transformations and that the world is a different place from what it was in 1965, the country needs to take a more pragmatic and forward-looking stance. Trade policy needs to be part of a comprehensive strategy to improve competitiveness and diversify exports. If Indonesia is to be part of the new paradigm, where the production of goods and services is based on production networks and global value chains, its policy focus will need to shift from protecting and favouring sectors to promoting trade and industrial policies that encourage the flow of goods, services, and people.     

数数济南的“农”字号

若说人生最大的事儿是什么？那答案莫过于＂吃＂。而吃什么安全？怎么吃健康？如今,随着食品安全风波的此起彼伏,＂农＂字号的产品愈发受到追捧。一直以来,人们似乎都有一个＂品牌＂情结。无论是吃喝玩乐,还是旅游购物,＂牌子＂是大家首要考虑的因素。而不知从何时起,＂农＂字号的产品也刮起了＂品牌风＂。远了不说,仅说济南的农业品牌就不胜枚举。