Asia
Is Russia really European anymore?
The Russian government issued a strategic planning document on foreign policy in March 2023, a year after troops rolled across the Ukraine border for a full-scale invasion. The…
The right road to renewable biofuel in Indonesia
Bioethanol, a renewable fuel derived from organic materials, has garnered significant attention as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. In Indonesia, the push towards…
China puts the squeeze on Myanmar’s Tatmadaw
The extent to which China seeks to actively export authoritarianism has long divided commentators.There are indeed genuine examples of Chinese Communist Party (CCP)…
US shifts nuclear focus to counter China’s growing arsenal
The New York Times has reported that in March, US President Joe Biden approved a highly classified nuclear strategic plan for the United States. The paper goes on to say that for…
The geopolitical ripple effect of Asia’s ageing population
By 2050, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), one in four people in Asia will be aged over 60. This is a threefold increase compared to 2010. China, the…
Indonesia pledges closer defence ties with Australia one day – military drills with China the next
Indonesia is indeed a friend to all. Shortly after the Indonesian President-elect and Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto finalised a defence agreement with Australia, Indonesian…
Prabowo’s capitulation in Constitutional Court crisis only a partial victory
On 22 August, following a massive social media backlash and star-studded protest movement organised by civil society groups, Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR) capitulated…
The right side of history: Taiwan and its “real estate”
Paul Keating, Australia’s former prime minister, may believe that Taiwan is “Chinese real estate”, and that Taiwan’s fate is not important to Australia’s interests. But history…
The benefits of connection: India’s linkages to Bangladesh withstand local unrest
Over the past decade, India has invested in enhancing connectivity with its neighbourhood, particularly through physical linkages such as cross-border railways, land ports,…
Key questions for reform of the New Colombo Plan
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has recently outlined reforms to the New Colombo Plan (NCP) that address some of the challenges identified in our research on…