Researchers' Activities

A/P Michael Ewing-Chow, Head of CIL’s Trade and Investment Law and Policy Programme and WTO Chair, NUS was interviewed on Laos’ competitiveness in the global economy with Haslinda Amin on Bloomberg Television’s “On The Move Asia” on 8 February 2013. Click here to watch the video.

A/P Michael Ewing-Chow, Head of CIL’s Trade and Investment Law and Policy Programme and WTO Chair, NUS was invited by UNCTAD to attend its closed door planning meeting for the World Investment Report 2013 in Geneva from 31 Jan to 1 Feb 2013. Issues regarding Global Value Chains, EU investment treaties post Lisbon and recent international investment arbitration jurisprudence were discussed.

A/P Michael Ewing-Chow, Head of CIL’s Trade and Investment Law and Policy Programme and WTO Chair, NUS was invited by UNESCAP and the Thai Ministry of Commerce to participate as an expert for the Dialogue Trade and Investment Coherence in Bangkok. Prof Ewing-Chow spoke on the need to understand that trade and investment policy needed to be coordinated to fully maximize the productivity gains from integrated production networks. He also highlighted the value of the legalization of the ASEAN Economic Community which will incentivize a more transparent process of governmental economic policy and decision making through the disciplines of clear rules, monitoring and in extremis dispute settlement options.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh presented a paper on the topic of “Asia and UNCLOS: Progress, Practice and Problems” (download in PDF format) at the 2012 Yeosu International Conference Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Opening for Signature of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Yeosu EXPO, Republic of Korea.

A/P Michael Ewing-Chow, WTO Chair and Head of CIL’s Trade and Investment Programme chaired Dialogue on Improving the Investor State Dispute System. Meg Kinnear, Secretary General, ICSID, Roberto Echandi, Director, Investment Programme, WTI, Anna Joubin-Brett, Partner, Foley Hoag and Chris Thomas Q.C., CIL Senior Principal Research Fellow, participated in the Dialogue. Ideas about how capacity could be built in developing countries and how fact finding could be improved during the arbitration process as were canvassed. Participants were also keen to encourage conflict management and mediation and conciliation as an alternative to immediate litigation.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh gave a talk on “Size is not Destiny” to the Forum of Small States at the Singapore Permanent Mission to the US, New York. To download the text of his talk in PDF format, click here.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly to mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of UNCLOS. To download it in PDF, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in an international conference on the South China Sea which was organized and hosted by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS) in Haikou, Hainan, China from 5-7 December 2012. The theme of the conference was “Recent Development of the South China Sea Dispute and Prospects of Joint Development Regime”. Prof Beckman presented a paper entitled “Legal Framework for Joint Development in the South China Sea”. While he was in Haikou he also had discussions with NISCSS Director Dr Wu Shicun about possible collaboration between CIL and NISCSS. For a copy of his paper, click here. For a copy of his PowerPoint presentation, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman contributed to the CSCAP Regional Security Outlook 2013 with a short article on “Increased Tension and Risk of Potential Conflict in the South China Sea”. CSCAP is the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific. It provides an informal mechanism for scholars, officials and others in their private capacities to discuss political and security issues and challenges facing the region. The CSCAP regional security outlook (CRSO) is an annual publication to highlight regional security concerns and to promote informed policy-relevant outputs to advance regional security cooperation at official (Track One) levels. To download the article in PDF, click here.

CIL Deputy Director Dr Navin Rajagobal participated in the United Nations Regional Course on International Law held in Thailand in November 2012. For more information and photos, click here.