CIL Research Associate Junianto James Losari attended an academic conference held jointly by Universitas Pelita Harapan (Indonesia) and Foreign Trade University (Vietnam) in Jakarta on 14-15 October 2014 in cooperation with the World Trade Institute (Switzerland). James presented his paper on ‘Comprehensive or BIT by BIT: ACIA and Indonesia’s BITs’. He criticised the existence of intra-ASEAN BITs (bilateral investment treaties) alongside the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA), which has resulted in dual regimes of investment protection in the region, allowing investors to pick and choose the most favourable standards applicable to them. James offered recommendations for reconciliation of the regimes and preservation of Member States’ regulatory space.

The conference was coupled with the launch of UPH’s WTO Chair Programme by the Deputy Director General of the WTO, Mr Yi Xiaozhun and the Ministry of Trade of Indonesia, Mr Muhammad Lutfi. James represented Singapore’s WTO Chair, Prof Michael Ewing-Chow to convey his support and interest for future collaboration with UPH.