On March 18, 2025, the Institute for International and Area Studies (IIAS) of Tsinghua University invited Hazwan Haini, Director of the Economic and Financial Department and Research Fellow of the Brunei Strategic and Policy Research Center, to give a special lecture entitled "Trade intensity, opportunities and growth: Evidence from Brunei-China trade linkages". The lecture was hosted by Qin Beichen, a doctoral student at IIAS, Tsinghua University. Dozens of researchers from domestic and foreign universities and audience interested in the topic attended the lecture.
Professor Haini first mentioned that China has become a dominant player in the global trade field, and its export structure has continued to develop, reflecting the increasing complexity and maturity of its economy. Then he noted that China's development and changes have had significant spillover effects on its trading partners, especially resource-dependent economies like Brunei. Then, by showing detailed data, Professor Haini explained that Brunei's export structure has undergone significant changes in recent years. The analysis believes that Brunei has used its relationship with China to enhance its trade image, and in-depth exploration of what policy recommendations this trend can provide for Brunei's trade interaction with China, thereby better understanding the potential for further cooperation and economic integration between the two countries.
Alvin Ang, Professor of Economics at Ateneo de Manila University and Senior Researcher at Brunei Strategic and Policy Research Center, first commented on Professor Haini's speech. By comparing the different economic structures of the Philippines and Brunei, he analyzed the new economic growth momentum and its contribution to employment. He believed that Brunei will have better economic development opportunities in 2025 and put forward specific suggestions.
After the lecture, the speaker and the audience had a full discussion on the impact that the new Trump administration of the United States may have on Brunei in the future, the similarities and differences between Brunei and the Philippines in the process of structural transformation, and the roles of Brunei and the Philippines in regional trade and investment.
Hazwan Haini, Director of the Economic and Financial Department and Researcher of the Center for Strategic and Policy Research (CSPS), an official think tank of the Brunei government, has taught at the University of Brunei Darussalam and Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. He holds a Ph.D., Master of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Economics from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. His research interests include economic growth, applied economics, economic diversification, and fiscal science. He published papers on journals such as World Development, Journal of Travel Research, Annals of Tourism Research, and Resources Policy. He has won the Research Excellence Award from the University of Brunei Darussalam.
Alvin Ang is a professor of economics at Ateneo de Manila University and a senior researcher at the Brunei Strategic and Policy Research Center. He was the president of the Philippine Economics Association, the dean of the economics department at Ateneo de Manila University, and the director of the Ateneo Economic Research and Development Center. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Economics from Osaka University, Japan, a master's degree in public policy from the National University of Singapore, and a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines.
