Asia
Jokowi set to visit Sydney (finally) but don't expect too much
Indonesian President Joko Widodo is scheduled to visit Sydney on Saturday and Sunday, where he will meet the prime minister, governor general, business leaders, and the Indonesian…
Economic diplomacy brief: Thailand’s recovery plan, RCEP, CEOs cool on China
Go east young khun
As the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the big question hanging over the party is to what extent this…
Time for ADB members to rethink their approach
The Lowy report by Annmaree O’Keeffe, Jonathan Pryke and Hannah Wurf on Strengthening the Asian Development Bank in the 21st Century is an important document. It is one of the…
‘Striking hard’ with ‘thunderous power’: Beijing's show of force in Xinjiang
Last weekend Chinese authorities conducted mass parades of thousands of security personnel and military equipment in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The parades, described…
Democracy in Indonesia: A cause for celebration
Prior to Indonesia holding 101 local elections across the nation, Islamic leaders and the National Police publicly urged citizens to stay united. National Police Chief General…
The 'China Solution': Beijing responds to Trump
A draft Trump Administration executive order threatening cuts to America’s UN funding, not least for peacekeeping, has been circulating since late January. Days before it emerged,…
US signals to China from Darwin with F-22s
Last Friday’s statement from Defence Minister Marise Payne that a squadron of US Air Force F-22 Raptors was arriving at RAAF Base Tindal to begin a rotation under the Enhanced Air…
Living with terror in Lahore
It's been some time since I lived on Mall Road near Lahore's busy Mayo Hospital which treats most emergency cases but ambulance sirens still wake me at night, a feature now…
North Korea: The case for engagement
Earlier this month the Lowy Institute's International Security Program, supported by the Korea Foundation, hosted the Australia-Republic of Korea (ROK) Emerging Leaders…
Kung-Fu Yoga: China's soft power drive goes awry
Despite China's best efforts to make its mark on the global film industry, the lukewarm response to the recent Chinese-Indian joint venture film Kung-Fu Yoga suggests that global…