Asia
South China Sea: Paracels in the spotlight
On Sunday, two US Navy warships sailed through and near the Paracel group of islands claimed and occupied by China in the South China Sea. This was Washington’s latest…
Beyond the “Chinese debt trap”
As China’s commercial and military presence grows across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, other major powers are growing increasingly alarmed about Beijing leading partner nations…
Taiwan: Tsai Ing-wen at the halfway mark
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has reached the halfway mark of her first term in office, with mixed results. At home, Tsai has sought to boost feeble economic growth and prevent…
China’s looming financial crisis
Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia Philip Lowe’s speech last week highlighting the risks to the Chinese financial system from shadow banks – non-bank financial…
Japan’s plans to build a “Free and Open” Indian Ocean
While many eyes are on China’s port investments in the Indian Ocean, Japan has also been busy. The scale of its infrastructure investments in the region rivals, and sometimes…
The Wenchuan earthquake, ten years on
This article is based on Episode 24 of the Little Red Podcast, focused on a panel at the Association for Asian Studies featuring Louisa Lim, Christian Sorace,…
Cambodia: to vote or not to vote?
In less than three months’ time, Cambodians will head to the polls to cast their ballot in the national election. Already faced with the difficult choice of which party and…
Australia can help Indonesia kick the habit
Australia is an undisputed world leader in tobacco control. From massive wins with plain packaging to widely enforced bans on smoking in public places, it is easy to see why…
Terror suspects’ riot in Jakarta underscores prison problems
The shocking family suicide attacks in Surabaya this month somewhat overshadowed another disturbing event in Indonesia that took place only a few days before. …
Summit cancelled: advantage Pyongyang
US President Donald Trump’s decision, conveyed in a personal letter to Kim Jong-un, to cancel the Singapore summit scheduled for 12 June is not unexpected. It will…