Asia Street
Know the Street. Know the people. Know Asia.
Welcome to BGA’s Asia Street blog, where you’ll find commentary and analysis from our people on the ground.
Introductory letter from CEO and President Ernie Bower
Welcome letter
In depth Covid-19 anlaysis.
C-19 Analysis
Spotlighting ideas from the company’s top minds on key developments.
Big Ideas
Featured interviews and articles from the BGA team.
BGA in the News
New APEC Trade Meetings Signal Future Multilateral Priorities
June 17, 2021
BGA Senior Advisor Ambassador Larry Greenwood recently wrote an update to clients on APEC and the multilateral trade agenda. The update included insights gleaned from officials and other stakeholders following meetings by senior officials in May and June…
Semiconductors, Supply Chains and Techno-Nationalism
June 15, 2021
BGA Senior Advisor Alex Capri released a report on actions the United States is taking to revitalize its semiconductor industry. The report, published with the Hinrich Foundation, looks at a series of measures Washington is considering in the context of the broader conversation on supply chains and techno-nationalism, leveraging Capri’s over three decades…
India’s Post Pandemic Priorities: Geopolitical and Economic Outlook
June 9, 2021
On June 7, BGA hosted a virtual briefing featuring BGA India Managing Director Ratan Shrivastava and Advisor Pramit Pal Chaudhuri. The briefing, which took place on June 7, addressed both the ongoing Covid-19 situation in India as well as…
Indonesia’s Covid-19 Vaccination Race
June 7, 2021
BGA Indonesia Deputy Managing Director Alisha Sulisto published a paper on Indonesia’s ongoing Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The publication, which was released by the Perth USAsia Center, detailed Jakarta’s efforts to inoculate its population amid the wider regional context of the pandemic and other domestic priorities it has…
The Future of Malaysia’s Politics and Economic Recovery
June 3, 2021
On June 1, BGA held a virtual briefing featuring BGA Malaysia Managing Director Hazree Mohd Turee. The discussion, which took place on June 1, was focused on the future of Malaysia’s politics and the direction of its economic recovery…
Australia-New Zealand Summit Meeting Spotlights Canberra’s Business and Economic Outlook
June 1, 2021
BGA’s Australia team, led by Managing Director Fergus Hanson, wrote an update to clients on developments in Australia’s economic and business outlook…
US and India Should Expand the Quad to Drive Public-Private Partnership
May 25, 2021
BGA President and CEO Ernie Bower and BGA India Managing Director Ratan Shrivastava wrote an op-ed on how the United States and India can leverage the Quad for public-private partnership. The piece was published in Hindustan Times on May 25…
What the US-South Korea White House Summit Could Mean for Business
May 13, 2021
BGA’s South Korea team, led by Managing Director B.J. Kim, wrote an update to clients previewing the upcoming U.S.-South Korea White House summit meeting. The update explored the potential agenda items as well as some of the economic and business implications…
China’s Ambivalence About the Myanmar Coup
May 10, 2021
BGA Head of Research Murray Hiebert wrote a piece for 9DASHLINE regarding China’s view of the February Myanmar coup that continues to raise questions about the country’s future. The article, which was published on May 7, addressed Beijing’s interests in the country…
Australia’s Upcoming Budget to Bring Business Benefits Amid Looming Polls
May 4, 2021
BGA’s Australia team, led by Managing Director Fergus Hanson, wrote an update to clients on the Australian government’s upcoming budget. The update addressed the potential measures that could be announced and the implications for companies…
India’s New State Election Outcomes Spotlight Business Opportunities
May 2, 2021
The BGA India Team, led by Managing Director Ratan Shrivastava, recently wrote an update to clients on the results of recent state elections held in India. The polls held significance not just for the states where they took place…
What Singapore’s New Cabinet Reshuffle Means
April 27, 2021
BGA Singapore Senior Director Nydia Ngiow wrote an update to clients on the country’s cabinet reshuffle on April 23. The update explored the significance of the reshuffle and its implications for the evolution of Singapore’s politics and economic development.
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong unveiled his new Cabinet line-up on April 23…
Why Australia’s Strengthened Cybersecurity Measures Matter
April 23, 2021
BGA’s Australia team, led by Managing Director Fergus Hanson, wrote an update to clients on the recent series of cybersecurity measures adopted by the government. The update addressed the impact of the measures as well as what they could mean for companies and other stakeholders…
U.S.-Japan Alliance Gets a Boost with Suga-Biden Summit
April 20, 2021
BGA Japan Managing Director Kiyoaki Aburaki wrote an update to clients on visit of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to the United States from April 15 to 17. The update explored the significance of Suga’s White House meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden…
What Lies Ahead for India Amid its Massive New Covid Wave?
April 19, 2021
The BGA India Team, led by Managing Director Ratan Shrivastava, recently wrote an update to clients on the implications of India’s new wave of Covid-19 cases. While the exact economic and political consequences…
What Australia’s Energy Policies Mean for Business
April 12, 2021
BGA Australia Deputy Managing Director Michael McNeill wrote an update to clients on what the energy policies of the government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison mean for business. The update delved into Australia’s approach to energy and climate issue, some of the key areas of focus for Morrison’s government and key upcoming developments for companies to watch…
Bangladesh Post-Golden Jubilee Outlook Clouded by New Covid-19 Outbreak
April 9, 2021
The BGA Bangladesh team led by Country Director Imran Al-Amin wrote an update to clients about Bangladesh’s political and economic outlook after the country commemorated its 50th anniversary since independence and the birth centenary of the father of the nation…
What Does Cambodia’s New Covid-19 Decree Mean?
April 6, 2021
The BGA Cambodia Team, led by Managing Director Bora Chhay, recently wrote an update to clients about the implications of Cambodia’s Covid-19 subdecree. The subdecree…
India’s Historic Technology Hub Opportunity
April 4, 2021
BGA senior advisor Alex Capri published a recent report exploring India’s opportunity to position itself as a 21st century technology hub. The report was released on March 31 by the Hinrich Foundation, an organization that seeks to advance sustainable global trade…
Navigating Global Supply Chain Shifts: Implications for the Philippines
March 30, 2021
The following is an edited version of written remarks delivered by BGA President and CEO Ernie Bower to a virtual roundtable organized by the Stratbase-ADR Institute entitled…
Advancing India-US Defense Relations in the Biden Era
March 28, 2021
The BGA India Team, led by Managing Director Ratan Shrivastava, recently wrote an update to clients about the implications of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to India. The visit, which occurred from March 19-21, came shortly after the first summit of the…
The Paradox of Australia-PNG Relations
March 25, 2021
In the wake of a spike in Covid-19 cases in Papua New Guinea in March, BGA Senior Adviser Ian Kemish wrote a recent commentary reflecting on what he equated to “a dam” that “has been breached” what it says about Australia’s relations with PNG…
Sri Lanka’s Path to Post-Pandemic Recovery
March 21, 2021
BGA Sri Lanka Senior Advisor Chullante Jayasuriya recently wrote a forecast for the country for clients looking ahead to the rest of 2021. The forecast, published March 21, focused on the manifold challenges the country faces domestically, including in addressing the current coronavirus pandemic, as well as its future prospects…
Thailand’s Murky Political and Economic Failure
March 17, 2021
As part of BGA’s analysis of developments on the ground in Thailand, the BGA Thailand team headed by Managing Director Art Siripant outlined the contours of the current political and economic situation in the country for clients earlier this month. The analysis, following a recent court order on previous street protests that rocked the country in 2013 and 2014…
What Myanmar’s Post-Coup Future Means for Companies
March 10, 2021
Amid the escalation of violence in Myanmar’s post-coup future, BGA Myanmar’s team, led by Acting Managing Director Judy Ko, has been closely monitoring what the unfolding events mean for the country as well as the implications for companies. While…
US Chip Supply Challenge is a Case for Strong Taiwan Ties
March 5, 2021
BGA Taiwan Managing Director Rupert Hammond-Chambers wrote a recent commentary in The Wall Street Journal on the computer chip supply issue experienced by American auto makers and how the challenge is a case for stronger ties with Taiwan…
February 25, 2021
In a press conference on February 25, the Indian government announced the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. The rules represent the latest effort by the government to regulate…
How Myanmar’s Civil Disobedience Movement Matters
February 16, 2021
Since a military coup was staged on February 1, BGA’s Myanmar team, led by Acting Managing Director Judo Ko, has been closely monitoring the situation and updating our clients. One consistent theme in our updates has been the focus on the domestic opposition in Myanmar, which bears careful watching in terms of how it affects the military’s actions…
The Significance of India’s New Budget
February 5, 2021
As part of BGA’s analysis of political economic developments on the ground from India, BGA India Managing Director Ratan Shrivastava outlined the contours of the country’s new budget presented to the Parliament by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 for clients earlier this month. The budget is one of the key economic developments watched by observers with regard to the world’s fifth-largest economy…
Reinforcing the Pillars of the U.S.-Thailand Alliance
January 19, 2021
BGA Senior Director Desmond Walton recently participated in a January 19 event on understanding Thailand’s protest movement. The event, hosted by the think tank U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), featured a range of perspectives on the dynamics underlying the protests that have been rocking the Southeast Asian state and how the U.S. government…
Unlocking the Potential of India’s Space Sector
December 16, 2020
On December 15, BGA Managing Director India Ratan Shrivastava (pictured on the bottom right of the screenshot) participated in a discussion on unlocking India’s potential in the space sector. The conversation, hosted by one of India’s largest broadcasting organizations, featured a conversation…
Southeast Asia’s Post-Covid Future
November 17, 2020
On November 16, 2020, BGA Indonesia Deputy Managing Director Alisha Sulisto (pictured on the boom center of the screenshot) participated in a virtual conference with the Perth USAsia Centre think tank known as the Western Australia-ASEAN Trade and Investment Dialogue…
“Out of the Shadows: Cybersecurity in Australia and the Indo-Pacific”
October 26, 2020
Last month, BGA Singapore Managing Director James Carouso – previously a senior advisor at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii and deputy chief of mission and chargé d’ affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Australia – participated in an Australian Chamber event featuring a video conference with Minister for Defense Linda Reynolds. The event delved into the cyber challenge for Australia and how the…
“The Philippines’ Quest for South China Sea Justice in Perspective.“
September 16, 2020
On September 16, BGA co-hosted a virtual event with the Stratbase Albert Del Rosario Institute (ADRi), an independent international and strategic research organization, on China’s role in Southeast Asia tied to the launch of a new book on the subject by Head of Research Murray Hiebert. The event…
