Asia-Pacific

Pakistan's frequent Internet shutdowns, justified by the government as measures to address political unrest, have significantly harmed the nation's economy, with estimated losses ranging from $892 million to $1.6 billion in 2024. To preserve economic activity and social value, policymakers should explore alternative approaches to addressing security concerns without restricting Internet access.

Thailand’s emerging digital markets are driven by innovation, growth, and the spirit of entrepreneurship. Hastily adopting the PEA as proposed risks introducing unnecessary regulatory burdens, fostering regulatory capture, and stifling innovation without clear evidence of market failure.

Policymakers in South Korea are weighing a raft of digital market provisions inspired by the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Their goal is to rein in allegedly anticompetitive practices by Big Tech firms. But the proposed interventions are unwarranted and risk harming innovation, straining relations with the United States during uncertain times, and opening the door to China.

Blocking an entire age group from social media uses a regulatory sledgehammer instead of a scalpel to address complex and evolving online safety issues. It ignores the benefits of social media for young people and the pitfalls of age-verification rules.

For policymakers to bolster the global competitiveness of their nations and regions, they first must know where they stand. This report benchmarks the 87 regions of India and the United States using 13 commonly available indicators of strength in the knowledge economy, globalization, and innovation capacity.

Watch now for an expert panel discussion on how South Korea’s regulatory choices will shape its future as a global tech leader, and what the broader implications will be for its strategic positioning in the U.S.-China rivalry.

Nursing homes are notorious for worker shortages, which worsens the quality of care for patients and the work environment for employees. Japanese nursing homes have begun deploying robots to address these problems.

The United States and Japan must make a concerted effort to mutually advance their economic security and counter Chinese economic coercion, while bringing other allied nations aboard the enterprise to the greatest extent possible.

The ACCC should consider digital models beyond the EU's Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, such as those of the United States, Singapore, and Taiwan, which do not involve heavy-handed digital regulations that can stifle the very innovation Australia seeks to foster.

Global trade relies heavily on trust, and the Internet amplifies trust challenges due to distance, anonymity, and the vast scale of interactions. To address these challenges, APEC economies should focus on developing socio-technical solutions, like digital IDs and content provenance tools, to improve trust in the digital environment and ensure the safety and security of the digital economy.