Vietnam’s Murky Media Picture   
   

A new media law has been widely criticized as further curtailing press freedom in Vietnam. But the situation is more complex than many think. (The Diplomat)

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Beijing’s struggle to achieve energy security   
   

Since China's surging demand for oil started to exceed domestic production in the early 1990s, Beijing has been preparing for a range of possible threats to its energy supply — including turmoil in the Middle East. (The Japan Times)

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India-Japan closer economic partnership   
   
In a far-reaching strategic move, India and Japan signed the much-awaited comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) on 16 February. Under this agreement, India agreed to remove tariffs on 94 per cent of good over the next 10 years. The deal will facilitate trade growth and enable both parties to reach the target of US$25 billion worth bilateral trade by 2014 from its present US$10.3 billion. This deal has special significance. Barring a similar deal with Singapore and South Korea, this is the first trade deal India has signed with a major industrial country. (East Asia Forum)

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What Lies Ahead for Malaysia’s Governing Coalition?   
   

US pollsters call it the Big Mo — momentum — and, on the surface at least, right now it appears as though Malaysia’s governing Barisan Nasional has it. On Sunday it won two by-elections in Merlimau and Kerdau, not only by comfortable margins but with substantial increases to its majority in both cases.                        (The Jakarta Globe)

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China Challenges US Predominance in Asia-Pacific   
   

Fifteen years ago, when China launched threatening war games off Taiwan on the eve of an election on the self-governing island, the US deployed two aircraft carriers, and China quickly backed down. Things don't seem so one-sided any more. China's military has been on a spending spree at a time that the debt-ridden US government is looking to cut defense costs. On Friday, China announced a 12.7 percent hike for this year, the latest in a string of double-digit increases.                 (The Irrawaddy)

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ASEAN looks to India for a more meaningful relationship   
  

With Russia and US joining the expanded East Asia Summit later this year in Indonesia, ASEAN is leaning towards India as a new countervailing force in the new strategic landscape of Asia. As India rises both in terms of political and economic clout, the overall expectation of ASEAN also rises. As the world's largest democracy, India needs to be more assertive and come out of its shell. (The Nation)

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Asian Nations on Subsidy Spree as Inflation Hits   
   

As prices of food and fuel reach historic highs, Asian nations with a wary eye on Middle East uprisings are doling out subsidies that experts warn are storing up trouble for the future. Robust Asian economies largely escaped the global downturn, and are now in danger of overheating, stoked by low interest rates, demand from increasingly affluent citizens, and a flood of capital from depressed Western economies. (The Jakarta Globe)

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Indonesia-EU Relations: EU's Conservative and Cautious Approach

The Chairman of the EU Delegation for Relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the ASEAN, Dr. Werner Langen, together with nine other members of the European Parliament, were visiting Indonesia from February 21-25, 2011.  A separate meeting on regional integration was also held recently by the EU ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, Julian Wilson, on March 2.  Visits by individual EU Member States' officials since the start of 2011 - including the Swedish Minister of Trade, Ewa Björling, the French Minister of Economic Affairs, Finance, and Industry, Christine Lagarde, and the Spanish State Secretary of Foreign Trade, Alfredo Bonet - also mark the tight relation between RI and the EU.  Yet, this bilateral relation seems be on the "conservative" and "cautious" side that demand shifts of focus and more of regular open public discussion forums between not only EU delegations  and RI officials, but also EU delegations and RI stakeholders.