Water insecurity may be the biggest roadblock to China’s economic and social development in the coming decades. The country’s per-capita water supply is only about 25% of the world average, and it faces a water shortfall of around 40 billion cubic metres per year. Furthermore, growing demand from...

On May 16 the results of India’s 18th national elections will be announced. In this edition of Canada-Asia Agenda, Anjali Thomas Bohlken provides an overview of the key election issues, the candidates, the electoral process and its challenges, and the implications for Canada and the world.

In 2014 Indonesian voters will select a new government in a series of legislative and presidential elections. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), who has governed for 10 years, will be replaced. The presidential front-runner Joko Widodo, the popular governor of Jakarta, is a new face linked to neither...

This booklet illustrates how Asia matters for Canada through a series of infographics. Whether this is reflected in Canada’s merchandise exports, services trade, inward and outward investment, immigration, or inbound tourism, Asia‘s importance has been increasing across Canada. This publication...

When Ottawa moved to reinvigorate relations with Southeast Asia in 2012, there was some scepticism whether the full-court press on this neglected sub-region would have staying power. As the flurry of high-level ministerial visits continued through 2013, we should ask how the efficacy of these...

Although many of Canada’s leaders and high-profile reports have emphasized the importance of international education to Canada’s future, action to date has been modest and sporadic. On the ‘inbound’ side, which focuses on attracting students from other countries to study in Canada, we...

Hugh Stephens and Douglas Goold examine Taiwan’s expressed desire to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, and President Ma’s request for Canadian support for Taiwanese membership. They conclude that it would be in Canada’s interest to support Taiwan’s participation under certain...

The Canada-Korea Forum is a high-level, Track II dialogue on current important issues to both countries. The meeting alternates each year between Korea and Canada. This year, which also marked five decades of official relations between the two countries, Canada hosted the Forum in Ottawa. The 2013...

This report provides an overview and analysis of Canada’s past engagement in middle power diplomacy, including an examination of some of the key factors for successful middle power activism. Part I of the report looks at the ‘niche’ occupied by middle powers in international affairs and the...

In this special edition of Research Reports, we look ahead to the major trends that will re-shape the Asia-Pacific region in the next ten to fifteen years. These short briefs analyze emerging trends in areas such as e-commerce, financial architecture, regional security, urbanization and green urban...

A recent influx of Asian investment is changing the character of the Canadian oil and gas industry and reviving old debates on the regulation of foreign investment. Particular attention has been placed on investment by state-owned enterprises (SOEs), driven in part by public suspicion about...

In November 2013, observers in Canada and around the world watched as Bangkok again became embroiled in weeks of protests led by the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), which lobbied to stop Thailand’s national election and replace its parliament with a non-elected national assembly. As...

Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo recently caused a stir by visiting the Yasukuni shrine, which commemorates those who have lost their lives in service to Japan, including 14 Class-A war criminals. In this issue of Canada-Asia Agenda, former Canadian Ambassador to both China and Japan, Joseph...