Regulatory Regimes and Risk in Asia: A Comparative Analysis of Mining Sector Governance (The Political Economy of the Asia Pacific)

The mining sector is a major issue for most Asian governments as well as a controversial one, drawing criticism from indigenous groups, non-governmental organizations and politically-motivated elites. In addition, corruption and a lack of institutional capacity frequently plagues the sector. Despite significant resource wealth and positive regulatory reform over the past decade, investors have continued to treat the region with caution. Poor performance of the governance structures and non-performing regulatory regimes in the mining sector is behind the high level of risk for foreign mining investors and the low levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) in many of these countries. The objective of this book is to identify key drivers for poor regulatory performance in six mineral-rich Asian countries (Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines) and suggest particular causes of action to improve regulatory architecture in the region.