Asia
Abe gambles on a stoic Japanese electorate
With his dynastic heritage, five years of assertive nationalism as Prime Minister, and eponymous brand of economics, Shinzo Abe warrants a seat at the top table of global…
Commentary
Why Kevin Rudd is wrong about Aung San Suu Kyi
Originally published in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Aaron L Connelly
Beijingers keep calm and carry on
In the lead-up to the 19th National Congress this October, Beijing has been undergoing some physical changes. As yet more gleaming architectural marvels are being unveiled, other…
North Korea’s underground N testing reaching a limit
A test of a North Korean thermonuclear weapon (or H-Bomb) over the Pacific Ocean is horrifying proposition. Apart from the serious strategic implications, the physical blast and…
Digital Asia Links: Hun Sen’s Facebook friends, Indonesia’s fake news factory, Jack Ma and more
The tensions in Myanmar’s northwest are mirrored online, with both sides pumping out propaganda including memes, rumour and fake imagery - as well as calls for help. The issue is…
Aung San Suu Kyi still bent on constitutional change
Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party took power in Myanmar promising change, but are yet to deliver. The problems faced by the incoming administration were…
Managing economic risk in Asia: A strategy for Australia
Barry Sterland’s new Lowy Analysis explores the possibility of a future economic crisis in our region – this is not today’s problem, but something we should be prepared for. The…
Myanmar: A test case for India’s regional ambition
India has scored a string of recent geopolitical victories in Asia: the alleged sale of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile to Vietnam; a further deepening of the strategic…
Stranger kings: Ancient traditions of Chinese power in northeastern Myanmar
The world is transfixed by the appalling situation in Myanmar's Rakhine State, itself a story of sojourning populations, commercial networks that go back to ancient times, and the…
Using economic diplomacy to reduce financial risks in Asia
If Australia’s economic future lies in Asia, then managing the risk of financial crises in the region should be a top concern. Especially as any crisis could also have significant…