Asean
ASEAN and pandemic recovery: Economy before strategic rivalry
The sweeping consequences of Covid-19 have carried a devastating cost right across the world, but especially for less-developed countries that began the crisis at a disadvantage…
Log-jam in the Indo-Pacific economic policy space
In a region that has over the years seen the emergence of multiple forums and agreements with an economic dimension – ASEAN, ASEM, APEC, RCEP, TPPA, CPTPP – the Indo-Pacific…
Why Australia shouldn’t put all its eggs in the Quad basket
Since its resurrection in late 2017, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) between Australia, India, Japan and the United States has gradually become a centrepiece of…
Labor should create a “Regional Carbon Bank” for ASEAN and the Pacific
Much of the discussion about climate change policy in Australia has focused on the changes needed by the new Albanese Labor government to align Australia with international goals…
Engaging with Southeast Asia: more than aid
During the Australian election campaign, Labor pledged $470 million aid to Southeast Asia over four years, marking it as an attempt to re-engage the region. Labor also promised to…
AUKUS: More than meets the eye
The clear intention of AUKUS is to tip the military balance in the Indo-Pacific in favour of the United States. The various initiatives in the pact between Australia, the United…
Scoring Biden’s ASEAN summit
US President Joe Biden hosted ASEAN leaders in Washington last week for a special summit to commemorate 45 years of US-ASEAN ties. Such a meeting was long in the making, having…
Economic diplomacy: Trade shifts challenge a new government
Make or break
Trade matters haven’t made much of an impact in Australia’s election campaign, not surprisingly overshadowed by Solomon Islands in the foreign affairs debate and…
Strategic divergence: Australia’s Southeast Asia challenge
Australia’s relationships with countries in Southeast Asia are not bad. The prime minister or foreign minister could happily turn up in any regional country and receive a warm…
Taming troubled waters
While regional countries respond to Covid-19 and the many social and economic consequences, ensuring peace and stability in the South China Sea has become even more important due…