Asia
Xi Jinping: much more than just one man
Book Review: Xi Jinping: The Backlash by Richard McGregor (Penguin, Lowy Institute, 2019)
Richard McGregor has written a dazzling account of the first six years of the Xi Jinping…
Richard McGregor on the backlash against Xi Jinping - podcast out now
Episode 5 of the Lowy Institute’s new podcast, Rules Based Audio, is out today. In Xi Jinping - The Backlash, Lowy Senior Fellow Richard McGregor discusses his new…
India’s latest crisis: 600 million people struggle with drought
The agonising and often exhausting wait for the monsoon has long inspired India’s writers and poets. But it’s the country’s farmers who know all too well the impact a delayed or…
Pakistan on the brink of civil dictatorship
As Imran Khan’s government in Pakistan approaches the end of its first year, the country is rapidly drifting towards civil dictatorship. The arrest of opposition politicians,…
The heights of China’s ambition in Antarctica
China has become more and more active in Antarctica in recent years – both in research and in the international framework of agreements known as the Antarctic Treaty System…
Australia-Indonesia ties: escaping the beefs about boats or Bali
When I was a correspondent for the Financial Times in Jakarta, I often commiserated with my Australian media peers. While they worked hard to carve out time to shed light on the…
The pitfalls of North Korea’s summitry spectacle
The third meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korea Chairman Kim Jong-un has come and gone, again without much substantial progress, but its symbolism has…
Hong Kong sets an example to push Taiwan even further from China
Other than the Chinese government in Beijing, the authorities in Taiwan are closely watching the latest developments in Hong Kong. After a series of protests in the Chinese…
China’s Belt and Road Initiative: status report
China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) continues to attract much comment. To some, it is a threat – proof that China’s aim is to extend Chinese global influence. To…
Cambodia: the regime’s base survival instinct on display
Rumours of a Chinese military presence in Cambodia have again resurfaced following claims from a senior Pentagon official that Cambodia intends to host Chinese military assets.
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