Asia
Is ASEAN still central to Australia?
In March, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will welcome the ten leaders of ASEAN to Sydney for a special summit focusing on business and security ties. This is the first time…
India’s intolerance is hurting the country
In January the ugly face of an intolerant India was again on display with protests and violence in several parts of the country against Indian film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali…
China’s economic gloom merchants
Markedly slower growth and imminent financial crisis have been the common dual predictions for China over the past decade. China’s growth has indeed slowed from its unsustainable…
The courage of youth on display in Hong Kong
Young people are the hope of a society’s future, but Hong Kong’s ruling class does not seem to agree. They don’t want young people to be smart, ask difficult questions, or…
Economic diplomacy brief: TPP rides again, students vs spies on campus, and Britain cools on China
New world order
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has long been a test of America’s self-image, going from the heart of the Asian “pivot” under Barack Obama to the bottom of the…
The awkward case of the Australian “spy” in Phnom Penh
Cambodia’s Supreme Court has denied bail to Australian film-maker James Ricketson in an espionage case that is fast becoming an embarrassing headache for both countries involved.
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Off beat: China’s hip-hop ban
A crackdown on hip-hop culture has swept across China. It is an act of censorship for domestic ends, and an effort to define Chinese culture and project a controlled version…
Despite the Olympics, Trump is moving the Western debate on North Korea to the right
It is a weird time on the Korean Peninsula. Last year saw an extraordinary ramp-up in tensions. US President Donald Trump used incendiary rhetoric for months. His national…
China’s new network of Indian Ocean bases
According to recent reports, China may be about to construct a naval and air base near Gwadar, in west Pakistan. This would be China’s second base in the Indian Ocean and…
The chosen one: Djarot’s surprise bid to govern North Sumatra
In January, Indonesia’s Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan (PDIP), or the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, made an announcement. Djarot Saiful Hidayat, the former…