Wednesday, December 21, 2005

A new book on East Asia's economy, security


Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Professor Lee Poh Ping, who came back from China after attending an academic conference there, has passed to me on last Sunday evening a new book exploring East Asia's security and economic issues.

It is titled The Emerging East Asian Community - Security & Economic Issues (Bangi, Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2006) and edited by Professor Lee himself and Tham Siew Yean and George T.Yu. I have not really gone through the book yet but it looks promising because, besides Professor Lee himself, another Big Name also appears as in the contents page as a contributor, namely Singapore's Professor Wang Gung Wu.

After I have read through it, I will discuss it with Professor Lee Poh Ping in an email interview. But then you have to subscribe to malaysiakini to enjoy it or to find something disagreeable to debate with him or me. Of course, please also let me or him know if you passionately agree with either me or him.

Professor Lee Poh Ping is a Professor and Principal Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS) of University Kebangsaan Malaysia. He is also a serious and no-nonsense old-school type of scholar who enjoys critical discussions.

Besides being a veteran observer of the politics and foreign policies of China, Japan and the United States, he is also the President of Malaysian Association of Japanese Studies (MAJAS).

My previous interviews with Professors Lee Poh Ping and Wang Gung Wu can still be read in malaysiakini (please subscribe)

US, Japan encircling China?
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/36057

Is Iraq another Vietnam for US?
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/33146

US future strategy in Asia-Pacific – a M’sian forecast (Two Parts)
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/32206

M’sia should meet the challenges of a different America
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/22177

History determines politics in Northeast Asia?
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/35991

Changing China - views of a scholar (Two Parts)
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/22716