Asia’s Turning Point
By Ivan Tselichtchev

Monday, March 8, 2010, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

(The speech and Q & A will be in English)

Professor Ivan Tselichtchev, a leading expert on the Asian economies and international economics, will speak about his new best-selling book "Asia’s Turning Point. Introduction to Asia's Dynamic Economies at the Dawn of the New Century" (John Wiley and Sons, 2009). The book is unique as it presents a comprehensive picture of the developments in the Asian economy and business in the 2000's: since after the Asian crisis of 1997-1998 and up to the global financial turmoil of 2008-2009, and also presents the perspective of their growth and development in the new decade.
The first part, "Region", covers major trends in Asia as a whole, focusing on the structural transformation of Asian economic systems (role of the government, corporate ownership, governance and management, labor relations), new features of economic growth, and regional integration including the East Asian community creation process. I. Tselichtchev argues that a peculiar Japan-inspired model of Asian capitalism is effectively dead. Though Asia is retaining its cultural specificity, Asian capitalism is rapidly accommodating a "genuine" market economy, coming closer to the Western, especially Anglo-Saxon patterns. All major Asian economies, China included, are evolving into a "less government-more market" direction, acting, in many respects, more market-style than the West where today we can hear a lot of talk about "the failure of capitalism". As a result, in this decade Asian economies have gained new structural strength which made them remarkably resilient to the blows of the current global financial crisis. In the group of Large Asian Developing States (LADS: China, India, but also Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines), along with robust domestic demand boosted by the formation of the mass consumption societies, this strength made it possible to maintain impressive growth rates in 2008-2009, while developed economies were and largely remain in a critical condition. It marks a new important power shift in the world economy, provides a good starting point for LADS-led Asia's growth in the coming decade, but also opens new opportunities for America and Europe.
The second part of the book deals with as many as 14 major economies of the region: new giants China and India, old giant Japan, four tigers, five major ASEAN developing countries (Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam), and also such exotic, for the mainstream literature, heroes as North Korea and the Russian Far East. It is about the only one-stop reading on the contemporary Asian economies, thoroughly analyzing their very latest tendencies. Every chapter contains a few basics (major facts and interesting data to remember), a brief historical retrospective summarizing major developments in the economy and business, especially after the World War Ⅱ, analysis of the impact of the Asian crisis and structural reforms. Then it looks closely at every economy’s performance in the 2000’s: its achievements, problems and challenges, and then examines its foreign trade, foreign investment and business climate. Along with economy and business, the chapters touch upon domestic policies, social issues and people’s everyday life, making readers feel every country’s flavor.
"Asia’s Turning Point" is a must for business people, policy makers, researchers or students alike, as well as everyone who works or plans to work in or with Asia.
Ivan Tselichtchev is the Professor at Niigata University of Management in Japan. After graduating from the Moscow University in 1979, he worked as the Senior Researcher at the leading Russian think-tank, the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, where he got his Ph.D in economics in 1983. He is also one of a very few non-Japanese authors with a large number of articles and books written directly in Japanese,

A dinner will be served at a cost of 1,850 yen (including tax). Sign up now at the reception desk (3211-3161) or online at http://www.fccj.or.jp. To help us plan proper seating and food preparation, please reserve in advance, preferably by noon of the day of the event. Those without reservations will be turned away once available seats are filled.
Reservations cancelled less than 24 hours in advance will be charged in full.
Library Committee, THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS' CLUB OF JAPAN