Asia
Lowy Institute at Davos 2019: how power adapts in a changed world
Speaking at the 2019 World Economic Forum in Davos, the Lowy Institute’s Herve Lemahieu was asked what might happen to the distribution of power as we move from an open and…
China cabinet: black swans, grey rhinos, an elephant in the room
Mind the wildlife
In a widely publicised speech interpreted as a rare acknowledgement of the serious risks facing the Chinese economy, President Xi Jinping warned hundreds of top…
Just how green is the Belt and Road?
China is frequently hailed as a leader in international efforts to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, playing a pivotal role in negotiating the Paris Agreement, and…
2019: a rough road ahead for Xi
In 2018, Xi Jinping seemed to be in an almost unassailable position in Chinese politics. China’s president started the year with the sort of political power that few since Mao…
The fate of three Canadians may now rest with Donald Trump
The simmering dispute between Canada and China – building since 1 December following Canada’s detention of the Huawei executive and Chinese national, Meng Wanzhou – has now…
Indonesia: releasing Abu Bakar Ba’asyir wrong on all counts
President Joko (Jokowi) Widodo’s decision to release Abu Bakar Ba’asyir is misguided, legally questionable, and politically inept.
It sends the message that if one defies the…
Talking to the Taliban: challenges for Kabul
Afghanistan’s upcoming presidential elections are due in July and there are, at best, contradictory signals about progress on the negotiations with the Taliban.
Despite 2018…
Economic diplomacy: A new year of trade rows & development strife
To TPP or not
It might sound like a voice from the vault, but the New Year has begun with a fresh round of will-they or won’t-they about additional membership of the revamped…
Why China’s financial system remains closed
While China still uses the rhetoric of “reform and opening up” its financial system remains relatively closed and is set to get even more unfriendly for foreign investors despite…
Timor-Leste’s forgotten Chinese
There used to be thousands of them – the children of the children of the first Chinese people to migrate to Timor-Leste in the 1800s and their indigenous Timorese husbands and…