Asia
Is Australia wise to pick sides in US-China trade war?
The US-China trade war is viewed by many as a dark cloud over the global economy. So why is Australia’s ambassador to the US, Joe Hockey, seemingly urging Trump to go harder, and…
Russian arms flood Southeast Asia
Russia’s “hard” power is generally well-understood. President Vladimir Putin has ensured this is the case, particularly through his proclivity to showcase Russian strength in…
The Vietnamese venue will shape the second Trump-Kim summit
The news is in. US President Donald Trump will meet North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un for the second time on February 27-28. Instead of Singapore, this time Vietnam will play…
Yes, Hillary could have led the world to war with Kim Jong-un
Donald Trump threw a meaty hypothetical on the table in the midst of his big set-piece speech to the US congress on the State of the Union.
“If I had not been elected president…
China cabinet: Huang Xiangmo’s visa strife, and outlook downbeats
Australian pushback?
While millions of Chinese made an annual pilgrimage home for the Spring Festival, Huang Xiangmo, the Chinese property developer at the centre…
Hopes and tempered promises for the Bangsamoro Organic Law
Mindanao, the region in southern Philippines, rarely on the international agenda for good news, enjoyed a win last month. A resounding Yes vote in support of a new law based…
Through the Taliban’s eyes: peace prospects in Afghanistan
The peace talks went on uninterrupted, a marathon session for six intense days, yet barely a moment in a war that has lasted so much longer.
Still, Zalmay Khalilzad, US…
Not only China, Tsai Ing-wen must master the politics of pork
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen faces a re-election battle in 2020 and needs a big economic win to bolster her chances. A bilateral investment treaty with the US would help,…
Getting a better outcome from the second Trump-Kim summit
If press reports are accurate, US President Donald Trump and North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un will again meet this month. They met for the first time last June in Singapore…
Will a sugar tax solve Southeast Asia’s growing diabetes problem?
Health has always been a major public issue for Southeast Asian countries, but only in recent years has it become a priority for policy-makers due to an emerging understanding of…