Asia
China’s growing Latin America ties also matter for Australia
When China’s increasing links to Latin America are discussed, Australia might not be the first country that comes to mind. But for Australian policy makers, Beijing’s push into…
Tokyo may be happy about Hanoi, but has a lot more to worry about
According to numerous commentators, the country happiest with the “no deal” outcome for the Kim-Trump summit in Hanoi last week was Japan. Fearful that President Donald Trump…
Book Review: A Partnership Transformed
Book Review: A Partnership Transformed: Three Decades of Cooperation between the Asian Development Bank and the People's Republic of China in Support of Reform and Opening Up…
Can the Taliban movement become a meaningful diplomatic actor?
It is clear that the Trump administration is seeking an exit from Afghanistan as soon as possible. US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has signalled that a deal is imminent…
The long struggle of the women’s movement in Indonesian politics
At the very time Indonesian women are lauded for their campaign skills (look at Eva Bande and the Kendeng farmers, who just won the Yap Thiem Hien Award for organising protests to…
Women of influence in South Korea
Today is International Women’s Day. In South Korea, women have owned the past year, regularly uniting in their tens of thousands to rally in the streets against gendered violence…
Kim and Trump, again: North Korea’s drives the wedge
Despite inflated pre-summit expectations that US President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un would sign a deal involving at least some sanctions relief, liaison…
China cabinet: Two Sessions, W-We’ve got Two Sessions
In Beijing, the Two Sessions has begun: a fortnight of meetings involving thousands of delegates of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative…
Hail for the chief: loudspeakers return to China’s villages
Xu Yinsheng, who is in charge of the radio station's control room in the village, stands in front of a console and a microphone, checking to see if the equipment is functioning…
Violence in Myanmar: look elsewhere than Security Council
Last week the UN Security Council was briefed yet again on the situation in Myanmar.
This time the message was presented by the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy…