Michael Kugelman (Wilson Center) unpacks the complexities of Pakistan’s energy problems, highlighting how shortcomings in the country’s system have led to political protests and riots and offering recommendations for public policy.

Asia Policy 20 features a roundtable on the future of China’s “rule according to law” initiative and articles on the value of trust between U.S. and Chinese military officers, the direction of the Australia-Japan strategic partnership, and the prospects for population movements inside North Korea after a governmental collapse. The issue also includes a book review roundtable on Nicholas R. Lardy’s book Markets over Mao: The Rise of Private Business in China.

China’s Fourth Plenum focused on the concept of yifa zhiguo, or "rule according to law." What does this mean for China's legal system, the role of the government, and civil society? In this Asia Policy roundtable, six scholars examine the legal reforms considered at the Fourth Plenum and assess their effects on the relationship between the CCP and the judicial system.

Amit Kapoor and Sankalp Sharma (India Council on Competitiveness) offer an assessment of India’s intellectual property rights regime, the links between innovation and IPR, and strategies for advancing the next phase of India’s economic growth. Read the paper.

Yuji Yamamoto (MinaCare) discusses Japan’s revised policies toward its life science sector and assesses the government’s new efforts to leverage the sector as a key driver of economic growth.

Mikkal E. Herberg (NBR) examines major developments that are reshaping the Asia-Pacific’s energy security environment and offers recommendations for how the region can forge a new, more robust energy security architecture.

Missed the discussions in Washington, D.C., and Seattle? Catch up with insights from Congressman Adam Smith (State of Washington), Kapil Sharma (Wipro), Roy Kamphausen (NBR), and others on how to strengthen public policy in both India and across the Asia-Pacific.

Shivshankar Menon (Brookings Institution) argues that despite increasing convergence between the United States and India on China, a strategic triangle has not yet emerged. He discusses options for strengthening bilateral Indo-U.S. cooperation and initiating new trilateral dialogues.

Nadège Rolland (NBR) reflects on North Korea's growing relationship with Russia even as the country's relations with China have deteriorated in the wake of Pyongyang's February 2013 nuclear test.

In an NBR Special Report, Roy Kamphausen (NBR) examines India's IP and innovation environment and considers policy options for India, the United States, and the international community.

This special collection of essays from leading experts, selected from previous NBR publications, provides students with a strong foundation for understanding the trends and challenges shaping the energy security outlook for the Asia-Pacific and the world.