Asia
Why denuclearisation is less important for South Korea
One of the most commented upon elements of this year’s outreach effort toward North Korea is the possible drift in the US-South Korean alliance.
It has been widely noted that the…
Taking the air in north India
Could there be a silver lining to India’s choking air pollution? A recent report from the World Health Organisation showed India with 9 of the 10 worst cities in the world for…
North Korea’s emerging blackmail strategy
A recent New York Times article has drawn much criticism from the US intelligence community for depicting North Korea’s continued missile development as “a Great Deception.”
…
Wang Qishan and China’s charm offensive against US trade war
During a forum in Singapore organised by Michael Bloomberg this month, the former New York mayor flatteringly – but not entirely factually – introduced China’s Vice…
China, where not all media are created equal
Journalists in China are routinely harassed by police and even imprisoned for trying to cover stories that local officials do not want to get in the news.
In 2018, the Reporters…
South Korea’s quandary: what to do about MIKTA?
The informal grouping of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, Australia, known as MIKTA, was once called a new dynamic in diplomacy – a new form of middle power activism and…
International justice: tackling impunity in Asia
Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, high ranking officials of the Pol Pot regime, have been sentenced to life imprisonment twice over for their role in the genocide of the Cham Muslim…
The forces needed to protect the Belt and Road
Last week’s attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi by Baluchi separatists underlines China’s growing vulnerabilities in connection with its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)…
Key takeaways from the Taiwan elections
On Saturday, 24 November, the people of Taiwan went to the polls to vote for over 11,000 local-level officials and voice their opinion on 10 referendums. The results were a stark…
Israel embassy debacle: can Australia strongarm Indonesia again?
When Tony Abbott became prime minister, he immediately went about implementing his policy of “turning back the boats”. This was in the face of warnings that the practice…