Asia
Mindful Mattis did just fine at the Shangri-La Dialogue
The theme of geopolitical competition which ran through the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue was appropriately expansive for the debut of the US Indo-Pacific strategy as…
Modi plays by the “rules” at Shangri-La
Sometimes what politicians don’t say is as important as what they do say. So it was with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi’s keenly anticipated keynote at the Shangri-La…
A study in controversy: Chinese students in Australia
According to the caricature in the popular media, Chinese international students in Australia are devoted agents of the Chinese Government. They are “brainwashed from birth” and,…
Rohingya: UN takes a cautious step forward in Myanmar
For months, Myanmar has sought a deal with the United Nations, to validate its assertions that is prepared to facilitate the “safe, voluntary, and dignified return” of Rohingya…
Has the PLA really overlooked its amphibious force?
It might surprise the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to learn they’ve short-changed themselves on amphibious capability. Sam Roggeveen wrote on The Interpreter recently (“Why…
Singapore summit: the case for guarded optimism
Everybody is saying it: the big split between the US and North Korea as we head towards the 12 June leaders summit in Singapore (and yes, it looks like it is on again) is…
India: guiltless children in prison
More than 1800 children aged between one month and six years old languish in Indian jails, growing up with their imprisoned mothers.
The plight of these guiltless…
Change in Malaysia, awkward questions for Singapore
In January this year, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong held a joint press conference with then prime minister of neighbouring Malaysia Najib Razak.
“I do not…
Student politics: Indonesians confront China prejudice
Marsha Harini is an Indonesian student who has lived in China for the past seven years. She graduated from one of the international schools in Shanghai, spent a year learning …
A stocktake of Australia’s China policy debate
Australia’s not-so-old tendency to avoid tension that could jeopardise our economic and trade relationship with China had the unfortunate effect of making China dismissive of…