The papers in this volume—Age of Ferment: Developments in Asian–European Trade Relations— examine the role of trade in facilitating recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The publication contains two sections. The first section deals with Asia’s global value chains’ transformations in selected sectors and also provides a sketch of the region’s economic trajectory following these systemic disruptions. The second section analyses Europe’s evolving trade relations with Asia using the recent free trade and investment agreements as lenses. As trade relations become increasingly more complex, it is essential to find common ground to ensure an inclusive recovery from the ravages of the current crisis. We hope that the perspectives offered in these papers will be able to contribute to these efforts.

Table of Contents

Editor’s Introduction by Sanjay Kathuria

Section I.
Asia in Transition

1. COVID-19 and Resilient Supply Chains: A Regional Economic Perspective by Amitendu Palit
2. The Semiconductor Industry in the Age of Trade Wars, COVID-19, and Strategic Rivalries by Willem Thorbecke

3. Digital Investment and Post-Pandemic Recovery in ASEAN by Sineenat Sermcheep

4. Rebooting South Asian Trade for the Post-COVID-19 World by Srinivasan Thirumalai

5. Sri Lanka’s Apparel Industry: COVID-19 Impacts, Resilience, and Recovery by Anushka Wijesinha

Section II.
Asia-Europe Trade Connectivity

1. European Trade Relations with Asia by Axel Berger

2. On the Relevance of Free Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific: A European Perspective by Jürgen Matthes

3. Asian-European Supply Chain Risks by Hubertus Bardt

4. The Future of Europe-Asia Trade Relations after RCEP by Alessia Amighini

5. A Marriage of Convenience: A Critique of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment by Chien-Huei Wu

6. EU-Asia Relations Post-COVID-19: Green Recovery, Value Chains, and Sustainable Trade by Gauri Khandekar

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