YSEALI Information Package

ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY - THE WORLD NEXT DOOR
with the support of
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 3-7, 2015
THE 2015 FULBRIGHT YSEALI SUMMER SCHOOL
U.S. Alumni Club in Ho Chi Minh City

DIRECTION FROM T78 GUEST HOUSE TO FULBRIGHT ECONOMICS TEACHING PROGRAM (FETP)
Registration time and receive materials: 17:00 at the lobby of T78 Guest House.
All of participants are required to stay in T78 Guest House during the Summer Camp, from 15:00 August 2 to 9:00 August 8, 2015.
Hẻm 115
Addresses: T78 Guest House, 145 Ly Chinh Thang, Ward 7, District 3, HCMC
FETP: 232/6 Vo Thi Sau, Ward 7, District 3, HCMC

Table of Contents
PART I - AGENDA AND LOGISTICS INFORMATION................................................2
CONTACT INFORMATION....................................................................................................3
EXPECTATIONS/REQUIREMENTS......................................................................................4
AGENDA...................................................................................................................................5
COUNTRIES ASSIGNED FOR GROUPS.............................................................................10
PART II – MATERIALS AND ASSIGNMENTS...............................................................11
Globalization, ASEAN Economic Community and Vietnam..................................................12
Assignment 1 - Advising the Head of State: Opportunities and Challenges in joining the AEC
..................................................................................................................................................17
Assignment 2 - Consultancy for an organization: Vision for integration into AEC................18
Negotiation Simulation: ASEAN Summit 2015......................................................................20
Policy debate at the ASEAN Secretariat: Challenges and roadmap to building a sustainable
AEC..........................................................................................................................................25
PART III - BACKGROUND MATERIAL .........................................................................27

PART I - AGENDA AND LOGISTICS INFORMATION

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email
Program coordinators: Nguyễn Minh Trang
Jordan Feri
Minh_Trang.Nguyen@tufts.edu
jordanjferi@gmail.com
Room and transport: Đỗ Thị Thanh Triều trieudo@fetp.edu.vn
Logistics: Võ Thị Thảo Nguyên nguyenvtt@ueh.edu.vn
Learning materials: Hoàng Văn Thắng thanghv@ueh.edu.vn
Field trip: Nguyễn Đỗ Phương nd.phuong@gibc.com.vn
Visit to American Center: Lê Thị Kim Muôn LeMuonTK@state.gov
Overall management: Huỳnh Thế Du duht@fetp.edu.vn

EXPECTATIONS/REQUIREMENTS
1. YSEALI SUMMER SCHOOL/ OBJECTIVES:
 Strengthening leadership development and networking in ASEAN.
 Deepening engagement with young leaders on key regional and global
challenges.
 Consolidating knowledge about issues relating to the ASEAN Economic
Community (AEC) and sharing experience and perspectives to help Vietnam
reach its fullest potential.
 Advancing people-to-people ties between the United States and young and
emerging Southeast Asian leaders.
 Enhancing fundamental soft skills such as creative thinking, communication,
negotiation, teamwork and adaptation through a variety of soft skill trainings,
inspirational speeches, games, and competitions.
2. GENERAL EXPECTATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:
 Students will be required to be active learners in classroom and participate in
all assigned activities.
 Students must complete all readings and assignments by deadlines and attend
all class meetings.
 Class attendance is mandatory. Absences because of sickness or other
emergencies can be excused with solid evidence.
 Any form of academic misconduct will result in dismissal and withdrawal of
the course certificate. This includes cheating on assignments, plagiarism,
sharing individual homework assignments, and falsifying data.
 All cellphones and smart equipment must be turned off during class time.
 Bringing laptops/tablets for teamwork and assignments is encouraged, but they
will not be allowed to be used during class.

AGENDA
Sunday, August 2: Welcome Dinner
Time: 18:00
Venue: T78 Guest House
Monday, August 3: An Overview of the Global, Regional and Local Context,
Opportunities and Challenges for International
Integration
Opening and Welcome (8:30 – 9:00)
Opening remarks:
Dr. Huynh The Du, Academic Director, Fulbright Economics Teaching Program (FETP)
Rena Bitter, Consul General Ho Chi Minh City
Dr. Dinh Cong Khai, Director, Institute of Public Policy
Session 1 (9:00 – 10:15): Program Introduction and Expectations
 Program Introduction and Expectations: Representative of the organizer
 Inspirational speeches (40’):
o Building a Career in Vietnam: Dr. Tran Vinh Du, President, Broward College,
Vietnam
o Contributing to the Development of Vietnam: Prof. Thanh Truong, Utah
University
Group photos and Break (10:15 – 10:35)
Session 2 (10:30 – 11:45): The International, Regional and Vietnamese Economy
 Presenter: Dr. Vu Thanh Tu Anh, Research Director, FETP
Lunch (11:45 – 13:00)

Session 3 (13:00 – 14:15): Introduction to the ASEAN Economic Community:
Opportunities and Challenges
 Presenter: Dr. Huynh The Du, Academic Director, FETP
Session 4 (14:15 – 15:30): Globalization: Why Institutions Matter?
 Presenter: Prof. Pham Duy Nghia, Senior Faculty, FETP
Break (15:30 – 15:45)
Session 5 (15:45 – 17:00): Panel: The Roles and Perspectives of the Public Sector,
Private Sector, and Civil Society in Global Integration
 Panelists:
o Mr. Doan Huu Duc, Founder and President, Vietnam Consulting
Group
o Mr. Diep Dung, CEO, HCMC Finance and Investment Corporation
o Prof. Pham Duy Nghia, Senior Faculty, FETP
o Mr. Bui Van, Editor-in-chief, FBNC TV Chanel
Grouping and Planning (17:00 – 17:30)
Dinner and Break (17:30 – 19:00)
Game: Night confident
Session 6 (19:00 – 21:00): Group meeting to prepare for next morning presentations
 Assignment 1 - Advising the Head of State: Opportunities and Challenges for joining
the AEC
Tuesday, August 4: Leadership and Integration
Session 1 (8:30 – 9:30): Teamwork to prepare for presentations
 Teams and facilitators
Session 2 (9:30 – 11:45): Group Presentations
 Two groups in 2 rooms / 8 teams in each group
 Judges

Lunch (11:45 – 13:00)
Session 3 (13:00 – 14:15): Leadership - Building vision and mission for organization
 Presenter: Mr. Gian Tu Trung, Founder and Chairman, PACE School
Session 4 (14:15 – 15:30): Leadership - Navigating an organization for integration
 Presenter: Prof. Paul Brown, Monarch Business School Switzerland
Break (15:30 – 14:45)
Session 5 (15:45 – 17:00): Panel: Paving the Career Path
 Panelists:
o Ms. Do Thi Thuy Hang, General Manager, iVIVU
o Ms. Le Thi Quynh Tram, Director, Lower Mekong Public Policy
Initiative
o Ms. Van Nguyen, Founder and Managers, HANDICONNECT
o Mr. Nguyen Tan Vu, Film Director, Visiting Lecturer, Hoa Sen
University
o Mr. Ben Wilkinson, Director, Trust for University Innovation in
Vietnam
Group Meeting and Planning (17:00 – 17:30)
Games: Trust fall and the needle war
Session 6 (19:00 – 21:00): Culture events
 Watching Basketball at Saigon Heat (Week 1)
 Broadway! Channeling Your Inner Performer (Week 2)
Wednesday, August 5: Field Trip
Session 1 (8:00 – 12:00): Visit to American Center
Lunch (12:15 – 13:30)

Session 2 (13:45 – 16:30): Visit to Intel
 To explore American culture and the U.S. economy
Session 3 (19:00 – 21:00): Group meeting to prepare for presentation the next morning
 Assignment 2 - Consultancy for an organization: Vision for integration into the AEC
Thursday, August 6: Soft Skills
Session 1 (8:30 –9:30): Teamwork to prepare for presentations
 Teams and facilitators
Break (9:30 – 9:45)
Session 2 (9:45 – 11:45): Group Presentations
 2 rooms / 8 groups in a room
 Judges
Lunch (11:45 – 13:00)
Session 3 (13:00 – 14:15): Teamwork and presentation skills
 Presenter: Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son, President, SAGE
Session 4 (14:15 – 15:30): Negotiation skills
 Presenter: U.S. Consulate officer
Break (15:30 – 15:45)
Session 5 (15:45 – 17:00): Branding Me
 Presenter: Mr. Nguyen Duc Son, Senior official, SAGE
Game: Solving problems

Session 6 (19:00 – 21:00): Group meeting to prepare for the negotiation simulation on
Friday morning
Friday, August 7: Negotiation and Debate
Section 1 (8:30 – 11:45): Negotiation Simulation with a break from 10:00- 10:15
 2 rooms (2 groups) /8 teams in a group
Lunch (11:45 – 13:00)
Section 2 (13:00 – 15:00): Debate (the best four teams move on to the semi-finals)
 Subject for the semi-finals: Challenges for building a sustainable AEC
 Subject for the final: Road map to building a sustainable AEC
Break (15:00 – 15:15)
Section 3 (15:15-17:00): Closing
 Inspirational speech (20’): Paving a career path: Mr. Paul Nguyen, CEO, Manulife
 Award and Certificate presentation ceremony
 Closing speech (20'): Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Director, FETP
Farewell party (17:00-20:00)
 Venue: FETP

COUNTRIES ASSIGNED FOR GROUPS
Table A
Group 1 - Vietnam
Group 3 - Malaysia
Group 5 - Singapore
Group 7 - Indonesia
Group 9 - Thailand
Group 11 - Philippines
Group 13 - Cambodia
Group 15 - Myanmar
Table B
Group 2 - Vietnam
Group 4 - Malaysia
Group 6 - Singapore
Group 8 - Indonesia
Group 10 - Thailand
Group 12 - Philippines
Group 14 - Cambodia
Group 16 - Myanmar

PART II – MATERIALS AND ASSIGNMENTS
The materials in this section were prepared by:
Trung Tran, MPP candidate, Harvard Kennedy School
Jordan Feri, fourth year student, Harvard University
Trang Nguyen, fourth year student, Tufts University
With the supervision and advisory of:
Dr. Du Huynh, Academic Director, FETP
Ms. Lan Hoang, Academic Affairs Manager, FETP
The materials disclosed herein have been prepared for the 2015 Fulbright YSEALI Summer
School and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Mission in Vietnam, the Fulbright
Economics Teaching Program, or the Institute of Public Policy – University of Economics Ho
Chi Minh City.

Globalization, ASEAN Economic Community and Vietnam
You may not realize it, but you are always connected. You read this text in English. You use
Skype to talk with your sister studying in Japan. You see more and more foreigners coming to
Vietnam to visit or work - and you feel comfortable hanging out with them. Regardless of
where you are, it is now relatively easy to reach out to the world and for the world to reach
out to you. There are roughly 200 countries in the world; none of them live alone, and they
have been increasingly integrated and inter-dependent to each other. We call this
phenomenon “globalization”.
Globalization - from 1.0 to 3.0
Thomas L. Friedman, a three times Pulitzer-winning journalist for the New York Times, has
written about the modern history under the lens of globalization. Globalization 1.0, as he
called it, was a period from 1492 – when Columbus discovered the American continent- until
around 1800. The world was shrunk from a size large to a size medium. In this era, countries
and governments were the driving force to make the world closer to each other. The primary
questions to be answered were: “Where does my country fit into global competition and
opportunities? How can I go global and collaborate with others through my country?”
The next great era, Globalization 2.0, was from 1800 to 2000, interrupted by the Great
Depression and the two World Wars. This time, the world was shrunk from a size medium to
a size small. Here, the multinational companies went global for markets, natural resources,
and labor, serving as the motor for global integration. The questions in this era were: “Where
does my company fit into the global economy? How does it take advantage of the
opportunities? How can I go global and collaborate with others through my company?”
How about after 2000? Friedman called the world after the Millennium Globalization 3.0,
where neither nations nor companies, but individuals – each one of us – became the main
catalyst for international connectedness. The world has shifted from a size small to bite-sized,
where geographical distant holds much less importance than before. What makes this era
significant to the former eras is that the driving forces are diverse. “Individuals” here include
people who are non-Western, non-white, who are very much empowered to prosper. Any
citizen in the world today will face these questions: “Where do I fit into the global
competition and opportunities of the day and how can I, on my own, collaborate with others
globally?”
Why should economies and societies connect to one other? Globalization creates great
benefits for everyone. First, the process itself promotes economic growth. Countries can
focus on producing goods or services for which they have the best advantages, and trade in
the global marketplace. International corporations can do business with local partners whose
strengths complement their own. Second, exchanging information or cultural values increases
welfare, happiness, and mutual understanding between societies, thus promoting world peace.
Third, nations cooperate with each other to address common concerns like global warming,
pandemics and terrorism - these are big challenges that no single country can overcome by
itself. Globalization, in that sense, is both a fact and an imperative for everyone.

Global versus regional free trade
The principle of globalization can be best illustrated by the formation of the World Trade
Organization (WTO). Today, the WTO remains the world’s only organization supervising
global trade, setting ground rules for international commerce. The WTO’s origins trace back
to the increase in trade negotiations from 1986-94. Beginning with 23 nations, the General
Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) grew both in size and attention. After several
rounds of negotiations, the last round of GATT in 1994 established the WTO as its
descendant, involving more than a hundred different nations. The WTO seeks to symbolize
the principle of globalization by building a common playground for all states. However, the
organization’s core structure underlies a sizable dilemma. The Doha Round is the latest round
of trade negotiations among the WTO membership, which aim to lower trade barriers on
several aspects. The Round was officially launched at the WTO’s Fourth Ministerial
Conference in Doha, Qatar, in November 2001. However, it remains unconcluded until this
day. With more than 157 member governments, the talks cover widely differing interests that
prove difficult to reconcile.
Despite major achievements, the WTO’s size undermines its ability to effectively address
regional disputes and implement coherent development policies. In recent years, many people
organized anti-globalization movements, pointing out the negatives of globalization, such as
growing economic inequality, environmental concerns, cross-border pandemics, and the loss
of cultural diversity. Internationally, the phenomenon we see is the world not just becoming
globalized, but also regionally integrated. Many view this as an alternative to globalization;
many see it as a “softer” version of globalization. Nations that share geopolitical
characteristics have incentives to cooperate with each other and thus form their own regional
organizations.
Among the existing regional organizations, the European Union (EU) is the most developed
and heavily integrated. Arguably, the Association of South East Asian countries (ASEAN)
stands next in terms of deep integration. Major RTAs such as the EU, the North American
Free Trade Agreements (NAFTA) or ASEAN enable states to integrate at their own paces.
The advantages of RTA reside in its members’ geographical, economical, political and
cultural proximities. These resemblances facilitate decision-making and integration among
countries. Consequently, RTAs can join the international trade negotiations as a whole, and
enhance member countries’ bargaining power in multilateral negotiations because of the
enlarged size of the negotiator.
Such is also the case of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement between the
United States and several Asian countries. Although TPP agreements only apply to some
ASEAN members, the organization as a whole gets access to new opportunities. Under
overlapping rules, ASEAN members could take advantage of preferential arrangements given
to Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam, regional trade liberation paved way for global
integration – reaching global trade consensus through “bottom-up” rather than “top-down”
mechanisms.
Regional integration – ASEAN Economic Community
Established in 1967, ASEAN consists of ten Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

ASEAN differs from the EU in the sense that it is still a cross-governmental organization that
respects national sovereignty. Whereas EU leaders’ power is limited under a single monetary
union, ASEAN member states have more flexibility in dealing with their countries’ matters.
After almost five decades, ASEAN has achieved great milestones, especially in economic
cooperation, starting with the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA/CEPT) in 1992. ASEAN also
has a vision to create an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015 as one pillar
alongside with the two others: political and security cooperation, and socio-cultural cohesion.
When the 10 member economies become one, with a market of over 600 million consumers
and combined GDP of nearly US$3 trillion, ASEAN is offering a future of prosperity and
stability. The AEC is one of the foundations of that future. Member countries, with all their
differences and diversity, would complement each other through an ASEAN-wide supply and
production network. As a result, the whole bloc would gain global comparative advantages as
well as attract trade and investments.
What are the characteristics of AEC? The AEC, itself, rests on four pillars:
1. A single market and production base, characterized by removing barriers for the free flow
of goods, services, investments, skilled labor, capital, and measures to support integration.
2. A competitive economic region: improving the competitiveness of ASEAN and its
individual countries. In particular: ASEAN connectivity on railroad, land road, through air,
energy as well as the Mekong cooperation between Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and
Vietnam.
3. Mutual assistance in narrowing the development gap: as one example, more developed
nations such as Singapore consider voluntarily supporting the less developed countries,
including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, via knowledge-sharing and capacity-
building.
4. Integration with the global economy: ASEAN has entered negotiations and reached
agreements in establishing a number of regional Free Trade Areas with its partners: China in
2002 (use this format for the rest…), India (2003), South Korea (2005), Japan (2008),
Australia and New Zealand (2009).
ASEAN has signed FTA agreements with its biggest partners in the region: ASEAN - India,
ASEAN - China, ASEAN - South Korea, ASEAN - Japan and ASEAN – Australia - New
Zealand. Still in negotiations are the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP,
also called ASEAN plus six) and ASEAN – Hong Kong. Being one of the fastest growing
regions in the world, ASEAN will, in fact, both compete and cooperate with other big
economies in Asia, especially China and India, while also serving as a complementary
economic bloc with developed economies in the region such as Japan and South Korea.
Vietnam’s process of international integration
War-torn Vietnam began its quest for international integration in 1986. With the 6th
Party
Congress’s Doi Moi process, the country embraced the mottos: “ready to become friends and
trusted partners to all countries” and “proactively in regional and international integration”.
Over the years, Vietnam has become a significant player in the international economy.
Vietnam has since established bilateral diplomatic relations with more than 170 countries and

has cooperated in trade and investments with more than 230 economies globally. It has
established more than 90 bilateral free trade agreements, nearly 60 trade and investment
agreements, along with 54 double taxation relief agreements.
The international integration of Vietnam has been accelerated and reached another level
through signings on multilateral economic cooperation as well as accession to regional and
international economic organizations, in particular Asian Development Bank (ADB), the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB). These achievements are the
results of a gradual process of foreign policy implementation. Most notably, in July 1995
Vietnam made a breakthrough move towards economic integration by becoming a member of
ASEAN. As a result, the country became part of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in
January 1996, inheriting the full benefits of the community’s membership.
In 1996, Vietnam also became one of the founding members of the Asia-Europe Meeting
(ASEM), a forum to enhance relations and various forms of co-operation between members
of the European Union (EU) and its Commission, members of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN), and China, Japan, and South Korea.. In 1998, Vietnam became
member of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a forum for Pacific Rim member
economies that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. At the Mekong Sub-
region, Vietnam is an active and important member of various economic cooperatives,
including the GMS, CLMV, ACMECS, ACD, MGC, Mekong-Japan, and the Lower Mekong
Initiatives.
On 11 January 2007 when Vietnam reached a significant milestone when it concluded its 11
year negotiation for accession to the World Trade Organization. After 20 years of Doi Moi,
from a Vietnam has officially become an integrated member of the global economy.
What is next for Vietnam?
There are a number of other FTAs that Vietnam is currently negotiating, including the RCEP
(ASEAN+6), Vietnam – EU, Vietnam – South Korea, Vietnam – European Free Trade
Association (EFTA). Today, the most modern and important FTA under negotiation is the
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) between 12 Pacific Ocean countries. The TPP is considered
the next generation of FTA, which requires much higher conditions and standards for
membership. TPP negotiations are expected to be concluded late 2015 or early 2016.
It is important to note that signing FTA agreements is just a starting point. After years of
pursuing broader integration, it is now time for deeper integration. That means domestic
reforms are needed so that Vietnam’s economy can establish itself as a firm component of the
global supply chains and global economy. Vietnam is considering and actually implementing
a series of institutional reforms as well as social policies in order to fully capture the benefits
of economic integration and lessen its negative impacts.
What does it all mean to us?
As mentioned before, we are moving to a globalized world. This means that we need to be
able to adapt to the fast and ever-changing whims of an international society. Whether
globalization is an opportunity or a curse, we as a country should be prepared to make
significant changes. This means that, at the very least, our citizens need fluent English skills,
the ability to navigate across cultures and the resources to live up to international standards.

As a country, Vietnam is in the beginning stages of full international integration. Not all
countries or peoples in the world know about Vietnam. That means each one of us will need
to be a cultural ambassador for the country. Not only do we need to learn from the world, but
we also need to tell the world who we are.
International integration is not just about opportunities. Challenges will arise to Vietnam as
well as to each one of us individually. Integration means joining a global playing field. If we
were not prepared, we would not be able to compete internationally and might end up losing
on our home ground. Globalization presents the risk of losing cultural uniqueness – the
values that have been deeply rooted in our society for thousands of years.
Looking to the future, the establishment of the AEC in 2015 would bring about specific
implications for us. Maybe now it is a good time to ask ourselves these questions: “What
should I do now to prepare for my future career in the ASEAN community? How would I be
able to compete and cooperate with other South East Asian nationals in this globalized
world? Have I fully understood myself and the cultures of my friends? How would I
contribute to Vietnam as well as the ASEAN community as the whole?”
REFERENCES
"Vietnam in ASEAN: Toward Cooperation for Mutual Benefits." Vietnam in ASEAN: Toward
Cooperation for Mutual Benefits. Web. 22 July 2015.
Junji, Nakagawa. "“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility” 100 Years after World
War I – Pathways to a Secure Asia." Swp-berlin.org. German Institute for International and Security
Affairs, 24 June 2014. Web. 22 July 2015. <http://www.swp-
berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/projekt_papiere/BCAS2014_Junji_Nakagawa.pdf>.
Junji, Nakagawa. "“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility” 100 Years after World
War I – Pathways to a Secure Asia." Swp-berlin.org. German Institute for International and Security
Affairs, 24 June 2014. Web. 22 July 2015.
Friedman, Thomas L. The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century. New
York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005. Print.
Rowe, John Carlos. "Mark Twain's Critique of Globalization (Old and New) in Following the
Equator, A Journey Around the World (1897)." Arizona Quarterly: A Journal of American Literature,
Culture, and Theory Arizona Quarterly (2005): 109-35. Print.
Tung, Nguyen Vu. "Vietnam´ S Membership of ASEAN: A Constructivist Interpretation."
Contemporary Southeast Asia (2007): 483-505. Print.
Hew, Denis, and Hadi Soesastro. "Realizing the ASEAN economic community by 2020:
ISEAS and ASEAN-ISIS approaches." ASEAN Economic Bulletin (2003): 292-296.
Soesastro, Hadi. "Accelerating ASEAN economic integration: Moving beyond AFTA."
Jakarta: Centre for Strategic and International Studies (Economics Working Paper Series WPE 090)
(2005).

Assignment 1 - Advising the Head of State:
Opportunities and Challenges in joining the AEC
Background: A few months ago, a national election took place in your assigned country. A
new Head of State came into office and is thrilled to lead the country to prosperity and
promote its image in the international arena. The Head of State understands that the ASEAN
Economic Community, which is to be established at the end of this year, is critical to the
country’s development. In this regard, he/she believes that in order to successfully formulate
and implement domestic and foreign policies, leaders should have a comprehensive
understanding of the opportunities and challenges the country will face, along with its own
strengths and weaknesses compared to other ASEAN countries.
As a progressive public servant, the Head of State is interested in learning from different
perspectives. In particular, he/she wants to incorporate young and talented students' voices
in policy making. He/she heard that your team has a sound understanding of the AEC and
performed very well at the YSEALI Summer School. Therefore, he/she has invited your team
to the office to hold a 10 minute presentation in front the whole cabinet. The Head of State is
looking forward to hearing your assessment of the country’s unique position in regards to the
establishment of the AEC: its strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities.
The task: You have had a chance to attend lectures and discussions on the first day “An
Overview of the Global, Regional and Local Context, Opportunities and Challenges for
International Integration”. Now it is your chance to offer your own evaluations of the
assigned country. Your team need to work together to identify all the possible aspects of the
AEC that might affect your country. You can consider the following questions:
 What could be the impacts of the free flow of labor and tariffs removal on your
country's domestic enterprises, human resources, and economic development?
 How would your country’s individual sectors (services, industries and agriculture)
respond in the new context?
 Who would be likely to be the “losers” and “winners”? What are other concerns in
terms of environment and culture?”.
To help structure your thinking, you should consider using the SWOT matrix, but you are
also free to use your own analytic framework.
Factors that are
helpful to achieve
the objective
Factors that are
harmful to achieve
the objective
Factors from the
inside Strength Weakness
Factors from the
outside Opportunities Threats
While delivering your presentation, do not go into too much unnecessary detail, but try to
link the issues in a cohesive way. You only have 10 minutes, what are the key messages you
would like the Head of State and his/her cabinet to take away.
Good luck!

Assignment 2 - Consultancy for an organization: Vision for integration into AEC
Background: Your presentation for the Head of State was a success. He/she holds your
team’s performance in high regard and felt that you offered valuable perspectives for the
government in preparing for AEC integration.
A few days later, you were contacted by a number of organizations, including: government
agencies, domestic corporations and non-profits. You will choose to consult for an
organization listed in the recommendation list in the end of this sheet, or any other
organization of your own choosing.
They have learned about the SWOT analysis for your country relative to the establishment of
AEC. They would like to seek your advice on how they should strategically prepare and
position themselves in the context of the coming years. You team was invited to their
headquarters to deliver another presentation. Given the time constraints, your team can only
accept one invitation.
The task: You have had a chance to attend lectures and discussions on the first two days.
This time, the task requires you to move from SWOT analysis to organization-specific
solutions and recommendations.
Regardless of the sector, every organization has its own mission: For what purpose does it
exist? What should it deliver? Who should it serve? Mission is what determines the
organization’s strategy and the way it navigates itself in the socio-economic and political
environment.
In order to formulate the strategy for your organization, you might want to think about
multiple layers: How might AEC change your country socially and economically? How
might the legal and policy frameworks be different? As a result, which aspects of your
organization will be affected? How should your organization adjust to proactively cope with
those impacts? What should be the strategy to win at your home ground and reach out to the
region?
If you feel like you do not know enough about the organization, don’t worry. You are an
outsider to their organization, which is why they need your objective advice. In other words,
you are acting as external consultants to the organization. You might also feel unsure about
whether your predictions regarding changes would be accurate, which is normal as well. In
all circumstances, we do not always have enough information to be perfectly sure. Dealing
with uncertainty and a lack of information is the art of decision making.
Good luck!

Recommended organizations
No Nation and company Link
Indonesia
1 PT Malindo Feedmill Tbk
http://www.malindofeedmill.com/about/detail/malindo
_at_a_glance
2 AKR Corporindo http://www.akr.co.id/
Myanmar
3
MYINT & ASSOCIATES CO.,
LTD
http://myintassociates.com/?page_id=17
4 A1companies http://www.a1companies.biz/
Viet Nam
5 Vinamilk https://www.vinamilk.com.vn/
6 Vingroup http://www.vingroup.net/
Malaysia
7 Spsetia http://www.spsetia.com.my/corporate/
8
All Women’s Action Society
(AWAM)
http://www.awam.org.my/
Thailand
9 IRPC http://www.irpc.co.th/
10 Preciousshipping http://www.preciousshipping.com/
Philippines
11 SM Investments Corp. http://www.sminvestments.com/
12
Philipine Long Distance Telephonce
Company
http://www.pldt.com/
Singapore
13 Bread Talk http://www.breadtalk.com/home.php?lang=en
14 CapitalLand http://www.capitaland.com/
Cambodia
15 Cambodian Children's Fund
https://www.cambodianchildrensfund.org/?gclid=CPr
_mquc8MYCFUMDvAodhF8D7w
16 Cambodia Angkor Air http://www.cambodiaangkorair.com/en/

Negotiation Simulation: ASEAN Summit 2015
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia*
General Information: This year’s Summit marks the most important in the past six years, if
not the entirety of ASEAN’s existence: the second Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI)
Work Plan expires in December. Unfortunately, ASEAN is far behind the mark on several of
the goals it set for itself in 2009 – the region is far from full economic integration, many
countries lag behind development standards, and the body has yet to come to agreement on a
number of regional issues. If any of these visions are ever to be seen in fruition, concrete
initiatives must be set in place for the 2016-2021 Working Plan (IAI Work Plan 3). This plan
will see ASEAN through to end of its 2020 Vision, a set of goals covering Southeast Asian
community-building and the establishment of a true ASEAN Economic Community. You
have the opportunity to bring ASEAN radically closer to the realization of that lofty goal.
At the Summit, you will be discussing four initiatives and drafting concrete, practical
solutions to each. These include the following: (i) Reduction of the development gap for
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam, (ii) Construction of ASEAN land transportation
network, (iii) Elimination of non-tariff barriers, and (iv) Liberalization of labor flows.
Your job is to work with the other delegations to finalize the working solutions enumerated in
the 3rd
IAI Work Plan in a way that most suits your nation’s interests. Each country has its
own agenda for each of these issues, and while your delegation knows its own priorities, you
know little about which solutions the others have prioritized. In negotiations, allies and
opponents vary issue by issue; it is up to you to determine and navigate these differences. Try
not to get sidetracked with one particular issue or detail – aim for the big picture. And do
remember: ASEAN reaches agreement by consensus. This means that every member country
must say “yes” in order to conclude a deal and draft a solution.
It is also important to keep in mind that, because the Malaysian Delegation is the annual
rotating ASEAN Chair, they will be allowed the first and last opportunities to address the
Summit, and will also have the power to determine the order in which the issues are
discussed, by whom, and for how long. The Malaysian delegation will suffer significantly if
the entire body is unable to reach an agreement.
Each delegation will be given information supplementary to these details. They are free to
share some of their confidential information, but should not disclose the entire sheet.
Delegations are expected to use the weeks prior to the negotiation to conduct additional
research, and should use the evening prior to the Summit to reach out to other delegations for
coalition-building. Teams should also use this time to decide their negotiation strategies and
decide which individual will serve as their country-specific leader. This delegate will address
the entire body at several junctions, as decided by the chair. The Summit itself will last
approximately 2 hours, with a coffee break for additional coalition-building in the middle.
*
Disclaimer: This simulation employs imaginary circumstances based upon reality and does not intend to present a true
portrait of ASEAN. Laos and Brunei were left out for the sake of simplicity and consistency in group sizing (there are 8
groups of students in the YSEALI summer program).

Issue-Specific Briefing
Narrowing the Development Gap
If ASEAN is ever to achieve economic integration, it is vital that every member state can
conduct business on an equal playing field. As it stands, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and
Vietnam (CLMV) fall severely behind the standard set by the rest of the region. They have
requested assistance in constructing the necessary hard infrastructure – telephone lines, fiber-
optic cables, paved roads – to modernize their countries. Their fellow member states worry
that any money allocated for development will be wasted unless CLMV modernizes its soft
infrastructure – their legal systems, institutions, etc. – first. What’s more, Indonesia and the
Philippines argue they, too, despite higher GDP, should be candidates for development
funding. The Summit is debating five separate options:
1.
A. Nothing – i.e. maintenance of the status quo
B. The developed countries offer only their advice & support for legal and institutional
reform
C. The developed countries creates a dev. fund for hard infrastructure development
outright
D. The developed countries creates a hard infrastructure development fund in exchange
for certain institutional reform benchmarks being met
E. The entirety of ASEAN shares the cost of creating a development fund, which the
Philippines and Indonesia, too, will be allowed to access
ASEAN Transportation Network:
In order to foster integration and achieve the dream of a full-blown ASEAN
Transportation Network, the Summit is pursuing a number of different options for
constructing better land transportation infrastructure. Among these options are a number of
different routes for the proposed Singapore-Kunming Rail Line (SKRL), as well as the
inclusion of the East-West Economic Corridor. Bear in mind that the costs for these projects
will be borne by all members of ASEAN. The proposed options (though new agreements may
be reached) are as follows:
2.
A. No implementation of land transportation reforms, leaving room for other projects
regarding maritime or air transportation
B. Construction of an SKRL that passes from Singapore-Malaysia-Cambodia-Laos-
Vietnam-Kunming, China
C. Construction of an SKRL that passes from Singapore-Malaysia-Cambodia-Laos-
Vietnam-Kunming, China with the construction of an East-West Corridor between
Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, at an ASEAN-subsidized cost for the latter
D. Construction of an SKRL that passes from Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand-Myanmar-
China
E. Construction of an SKRL that passes from Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand-Myanmar-
China with the construction of an East-West Corridor between Myanmar, Thailand,
and Vietnam, at an ASEAN-subsidized cost for the latter

Non-Tariff Barriers
The AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) integration deadline of 31st
December 2015
requires all ASEAN members to reduce their tariffs on manufactured goods across borders.
Apart from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, other member states
have not yet achieved full implementation of this regulation. The purpose of this discussion is
to determine the potentiality of other ASEAN members’ compliance with the AEC Deadline.
Any adjustment of tariff rules, including a set tariff rate, will be reached by agreement among
all members on the following:
3.
A. A Non-tariff rule will be fully applied and extended until December 31st
2018
B. A Non-tariff rule will be fully applied and extended until December 31st
2018.
Meanwhile, countries that have not yet adhered to the 2015 deadline are required to
reduce their tariffs on manufactured goods by 50%
C. A Non-tariff rule will be fully applied and extended until December 31st
2018.
Meanwhile, countries that have not yet adhered to the 2015 deadline are required to
reduce their tariffs on manufactured goods by 75%
D. Countries are strictly required to comply with the deadline by the end of the year –
penalties will be applied for non-cooperative behavior
Free Flow of Labor:
One of ASEAN’s major ambitions is the creation of a zone for the free movement of
labor, skilled or unskilled. In theory, such a zone would (i) promote higher wages and better
opportunities for migrants, (ii) alleviate labor shortages for host countries, and (iii) increase
the transfer of knowledge and best practices, as well as financial remittances.
Yet, though ASEAN has made a number of efforts to promote skilled labor integration,
the unskilled labor flow remains highly unwieldy. Each year, thousands of unskilled migrants
leave from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Vietnam to pursue work with higher
basic salary in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei. Most countries seek to limit the
inflow of unskilled labor while only allowing skilled migrants to enter. This mechanism
results in varied migration policies across countries, as well as abusive treatment of unskilled
workers.
At the Summit, you will consider the implementation of ASEAN’s Protection and
Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (PPRMW) across all states. The PPRMW will
ensure the fundamental rights of all ASEAN migrant workers and protect them from
mistreatment. As it stands, while the exporting states insist on a legally binding PPRMW, the
receiving states prefer to limit the instrument’s power. The proposed solutions include, but
are not limited to:

4.
A. Adoption of the PPRMW as a “guideline” for domestic reforms
B. Adoption of the PPRMW as an ASEAN-wide guideline for a period of 5 years, during
which the major exporting states are required to raise their labour qualifications up to
the ASEAN standard
C. Adoption of the PPRMW as a legal policy that applies to all states, foregoing the
inclusion of migrants’ family members
D. Adoption of the PPRMW as a legal policy that applies to all states, applicable to both
migrant workers and members of their families. Failure to comply will trigger
appropriate consequences for the offending state
(Tentative) Simulation Procedure
08:30 – 08:35 Opening remarks by Chair country (Malaysia)
08:35 – 08:40 Keynote speech by ASEAN Secretary General (case-writers)
08:40 – 09:25 1st Round of discussions – only one speaker at a time, length & order of remarks
chosen by the Malaysian Chair
09:25 – 09:40 Coffee break 1 – time for additional coalition-building / shuttle diplomacy
09:40 – 10:25 2st Round of discussions
10:25 – 10:40 Coffee break 2
10:40 – 11:25 Last Round of discussions
11:25 – 11:30 Closing remarks by Chair country (regardless of reaching an agreement or not)
11:30 – 11:45 Full group discussion and assessment by facilitators/ case-writers
Negotiation Recommendations and Expectations
Facilitators
Each delegation will be assigned a facilitator, whose role will be to provide counsel on the
team’s strategy before and during the negotiation. Facilitators have participated in this very
negotiation in the past, and will be assigned to the country whose role they have already
filled. Facilitators will not under any circumstances divulge the secret information of other
delegations. Teams will meet their facilitators for the first time at the YSEALI conference.
Preparation
Foremost, it should be noted that this exercise requires NO additional research on ASEAN,
the AEC, or any other issue at play. Every piece of information you will need to argue your
case and develop an effective strategy is contained within this packet and the secret briefing,
which will be distributed to you a few days’ prior to the negotiation.

That said, we do expect that you will coordinate with your teammates and facilitators both
prior to YSEALI and the night before the debate itself. At this time, you will be given
additional instructions by the YSEALI staff and a one-hour period in which to forge alliances
with other delegations, meet with your teammates, and develop a strategy. Regarding the
latter, you should use the tips below to develop a clear, cohesive, and well thought-out plan
for conducting yourself during the simulation and during any other period which might prove
fruitful for diplomacy.
Negotiation Tips and Best-Practices
1. Negotiation is, at its core, about leverage. You would do well to begin your
preparation by deciding which issues give your country an outright advantage, and
which are designed to work against you. Your simplest and most effective maneuver
will be to force the other delegations to comply with your priorities by denying theirs
in another venue. For example, if my country will not benefit from a maritime
transportation proposal, I’d best leverage my natural resource stores to convince other
countries that obtaining what I have to offer is more advantageous than winning their
top choice maritime deal.
2. You win when your country gets its highest priority options in as many issues as
possible.
3. Each delegation has a near-equal number of advantages and disadvantages, and by
identifying countries whose interests align with your own, you can effectively forge
alliances to ensure that your collective needs are met.
4. ASEAN must decide via consensus. Therefore, if a single delegation refuses to give a
“yes” vote on an issue, nothing can be done until that country’s needs are met. Often,
in negotiation, the weakest party becomes the strongest.
5. Coffee breaks, as innocent as they sound, can be your most valuable resource, if used
correctly. Those who fail to make deals when their speech is open and unlimited are
usually those who fail.
6. Remember that failing to decide upon a solution to a particular issue is as good as
choosing Option A – “do nothing” – for that particular issue, likely benefitting one or
more delegations.
7. Finally, keep in mind that the Malaysia decides when your delegation can and cannot
speak, as well as when the body votes. You would do well to stay on their good side.

Policy debate at the ASEAN Secretariat: Challenges and
roadmap to building a sustainable AEC
Background: The AEC’s establishment deadline is approaching: all organizations from
public, private to nonprofit sectors across the country are eager to learn more and prepare
themselves for the incoming changes. Even the ASEAN body itself needs to adapt in order to
better meet up with greater responsibility due to AEC establishment.
Even with successful integration, a sound implementation of the AEC on a daily basis will not
be guaranteed. Serious challenges will rise, including differences between the member
countries, the uncertainty of the global economy, and a number of security issues. Recent
events within the EU are proof that regional integration is never an easy job. There is need
for a comprehensive analysis and action plan for the future of the AEC.
After the previous two successful meetings with the Head of State and an important
organization of your country, your team’s reputation as ASEAN young experts has spread out
quickly. The ASEAN Secretary General heard about you and invited your team to Jakarta,
Indonesia to take part in a competition - a policy debate on “the challenges and roadmap to
building a sensible AEC”. Winners of this competition will be offered a permanent position
as a policy analyst at the ASEAN Secretariat Headquarters.
This time, you will compete with the best young experts from other ASEAN member
countries!
Instructions: The point of this exercise and competition is not only to test and synthesize
what you have learned over the past two weeks, but also to hone your English,
argumentation, and public speaking skills. You are being asked, foremost, to construct
thoughtful and well-researched answers to the prompts given below, which you will present
to the entire body of YSEALI and a panel of expert judges who will determine the debate
finalists and eventual winner.
Every participant will be given five minutes to present their proposed answer to the prompt,
taking care to highlight in detail their understanding of ASEAN and their assessment of the
reality of the AEC’s ideals. They will answer another five minutes’ worth of questions from
the YSEALI collective, which may address questions of clarification or argumentative
structure.
Participants will be judged according to the following criteria, each of which will be assigned
a score from 1 - 5: Evidence of Research, Creativity, Presentation, Feasibility, and Argument.
Remember that, above all, this process is meant to be fun and enriching. Approach the debate
with respect and humility, but also with a good attitude and willingness to improve. We look
forward to seeing all of you in action!
Semi-final Round:
 Challenges for building a sensible AEC:
While the European Union consists of economically and politically matured countries,
ASEAN identifies itself as a dynamic and fast-changing community. This reality has become

both an opportunity and challenge for ASEAN in the midst of regional integration. At the
Bali Summit in November 2003, ASEAN leaders declared the creation of AEC (ASEAN
Economic Community) and promised the creation of a single market and production base by
2015. However, the widening development gap is restraining the necessary implementation
of reforms for greater regional cohesion. In particular, less developed members like
Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia have struggled to comply with the AEC 2015 Tariffs
Abolition Deadline. Facing these regional disparities, will AEC be able to empower deeper
and broader integration in ASEAN? Which reforms should ASEAN leaders address first to
work toward the vision of regional integration?
Please give us details on 3 challenges that are most urgent for AEC’s development
and the reasoning behind your selections.
Final Round:
 Road map to building a sensible AEC:
Despite a boost in living standards since the creation of ASEAN, poverty and opportunity
gaps persist in some member countries. Working towards a cohesive community has been the
AEC’s goal since its creation. However, the institution is constantly facing complications in
issues regarding the development gap, political differences, labor market flows,
infrastructure, and connectivity. Some scholars now begin looking into other best practices to
draw new insights. In examining other models, the European Union (EU) certainly has
experiences and good practices. For example, the EU’s central legal, banking and monetary
systems help lay solid foundation for its unified identity. The question now remains in
building a road map to guide AEC toward a better-organized regional entity: Which step
towards realizing the AEC’s goals is to be prioritized? Which issue must be presented first?
Does the AEC need a single monetary policy like the European Union?
Please give us a detail plan of your proposal on the 3 first steps that AEC should
implement at the 2016 Summit.

PART III - BACKGROUND MATERIAL
1. Thinking Globally, Prospering Regionally – ASEAN Economic Community 2015,
ASEAN Secretariat, April 2014 (in separate pdf and ppt files)

YSEALI Information Package

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