Asean
Child marriage in Southeast Asia: When a harmful practice becomes an international crime
Child marriage is a global problem that cuts across countries, cultures, and religions – and the ASEAN region is no exception. Child marriage is considered a form of forced…
Could BIMSTEC be the answer to the Myanmar question?
“BIMSTEC” is one of the many technical and not-quite-pronounceable acronyms that pepper conversation about diplomatic affairs. It stands for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi…
ASEAN centrality stands in the way of an Indonesia-Australia alliance
Sam Roggeveen has made the case in The Interpreter for Australia to seek out a defensive military pact with Indonesia to prevent Chinese domination of maritime Southeast Asia…
Does India’s Act East Policy matter to Southeast Asia?
This year marks the 10th anniversary of India’s “Act East Policy”. Previously known as the “Look East Policy” when launched in the early 1990s, the redesignation by Prime Minister…
Economic diplomacy: Budgeting for deglobalisation
Moving onThere has been quite a movement in Australia in recent times towards better coordination of the three main arms of international relations policy – defence, development…
A code of conduct won’t solve the South China Sea crisis
Negotiations over a “code of conduct” (COC) in the South China Sea between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China waxed and waned for two decades. Last July,…
Why India’s Global South ambitions must turn to Southeast Asia
India was ranked ninth out of the most relevant dialogue partners for ASEAN in the latest edition of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute State of Southeast Asia survey report,…
Invisible victims: How counter-trafficking efforts leave people with disability behind
Dao (not her real name) came to Thailand from Laos when she was 17. With her hearing impairment, she had struggled to find work in Laos. Dao’s aunt told her that she could find…
ASEAN and the military applications of AI
ASEAN's new Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, released earlier this year, marks a milestone as the region's first coordinated effort to manage the risks of artificial…
New Zealand and ASEAN: Focusing on what’s right under its nose
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is new in the job, yet he took time away to fly across the Tasman earlier this month and meet the various leaders of the Association…