The Pacific Trade and Development Conference (PAFTAD) is an informal private academic conference series that, since its origins in 1968, has developed into a driving force behind the development of thought on Pacific trade and development issues and important economic policy questions facing the region.
The ideas and discussions generated by PAFTAD have helped drive and shape other Pacific economic cooperation organisations, including Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC).
Each PAFTAD conference is organised around a particular theme, and research papers addressing the topic are presented and discussed. The results are published in the PAFTAD volume series.
History
Since its inception in 1968 the PAFTAD conference series has established itself as one of the leading sources of ideas and discussion on issues affecting economic development in the Asia Pacific. A private organisation with no formal government ties, PAFTAD has been, and continues to be a driving force for ideas about policy innovation and development at both the national and regional levels.
The essence of PAFTAD’s contribution is both intellectual and practical: it generates ideas about regional economic exchange and integration, provides empirical evidence to support or reject policy proposals and facilitates ongoing debate among policy influential experts. The ideas and evidence generated by PAFTAD have entered the public policy dialogue of most Asia Pacific economies, due in no small part to the intellectual and policy leadership shown by PAFTAD participants at both a national and regional level.
34th PAFTAD Conference - Beijing 2009
Theme: “China’s Role in the World Economy”
Host: China Centre for Economic Research (CCER), Peking University
Fellowship for Young Scholars
The PAFTAD Fellowship for Young Scholars is available to graduate students and faculty members aged 35 years and below, and is considered one of the most distinguished fellowships available to young scholars in the region. The PAFTAD International Steering Committee selects 8 aspiring researchers as PAFTAD Fellows to present papers on themes related to Asia Pacific trade and economic development for each conference. Selection is based on the quality of a written submission as judged by the Selection Panel from PAFTAD’s distinguished International Steering Committee.
This year the Fellowships will take young scholars to Beijing where they will present their papers the day prior to PAFTAD's 34th Conference on December 6 and participate in the PAFTAD Conference itself on 7–9 December.
International Steering Committee Members
Wendy Dobson (University of Toronto), Chair
Narongchai Akrasanee (Saranee Holdings), Member
Wook Chae (KIEP), Member
Edward Chen (University of Hong Kong), Member
Pang Eng Fong (Singapore Management University), Member
Ross Garnaut (The Australian National University), Member
David Hong (TIER), Member
Akira Kohsaka (Osaka University), Member
Justin Lin (World Bank), Member
Mahani Zainal Abidin (ISIS), Member
Juan J. Palacios (University of Guadalajara), Member
Peter Petri (Brandeis International Business School), Member
Robert Scollay (University of Auckland), Member
Vo Tri Thanh (CIEM), Member
Shukiro Urata (Waseda University), Member
Josef Yap (PID), Member
Sir Frank Holmes (Victoria University of Wellington), Honorary Member
Kiyoshi Kojima (Hitotsubashi University), Honorary Member
Hugh Patrick (Columbia University), Honorary Member
Ippei Yamazawa (Hitotsubaski University), Honorary Member
Chia Siow Yue (SIIA), Honorary Member
Peter Drysdale (The Australian National University), Secretariat
PAFTAD Endowment
The PAFTAD endowment was established in 1999 to support the activities of the PAFTAD.
Previous Conference Themes
• Asia Pacific Trade and Development
• Direct Foreign Investment in Asia and the Pacific
• Obstacles to Trade in the Pacific Area
• Structural Adjustments in Asian-Pacific Trade
• Technology Transfer in Pacific Economic Development
• Cooperation and Development in the Asia Pacific Region: Relations between Large and Small Countries