Asia
Malaysia – and no Southeast Asian nation – should be bullied by China
Earlier this month, 16 Chinese military transport aircraft were sighted a little more than 100 kilometres off the coast of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. The Royal Malaysian…
The authoritarian threat of Indonesia’s latest internet bill
For years, Indonesia has been plagued by so-called “elastic laws” – a set of bills that can see a person indicted for violating poorly defined provisions, such as defaming an…
Finding a new approach to water security in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asian governments are aware of the intersecting challenges of water security and disaster governance. The importance member states of the Association of Southeast Asian…
Economic diplomacy: Under the doona, Australian investors dump China
Departure call
While Australian exporters were shocked by the pace and extent of China’s trade sanctions last year, it now appears that investors were more quietly making their…
Moon’s last, best chance after Biden summit
US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held their first in-person summit in Washington last month, signing a lengthy joint statement that underscored the…
Saudi Arabia wins back Pakistan
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Saudi Arabia last month, the official reason being to establish the grandly named Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council and…
Troubled waters? Australia-Indonesia maritime boundary in the news
Recent media reports suggest that different perspectives on maritime boundaries are creating tensions between Australia and Indonesia. An Indonesian border negotiator told The…
China’s never-ending Tibet paranoia
Beijing has long been anxious about the popularity of the Dalai Lama, and Tibet remains a principal source of international vulnerability for the Peoples Republic of China. After…
Is Southeast Asia ready for a US-China tech decoupling?
Recent developments suggest that both China and the United States are taking steps towards unravelling or “decoupling” their technology ecosystems. Nowhere has this been more…
Indians are becoming visible in Australia like never before
Two weeks after the end of the hiatus on flights from India to Australia, the repatriation of the 9,000-plus Australian citizens who wish to return home has resumed, albeit slowly…