Asia
Is Beijing's militarisation of the South China Sea really 'defensive'?
The latest buzzword of the South China Sea 'war of words', as observed in media reports, academic opinion and official press remarks is none other than 'militarisation'. But what…
The domestic politics of Jakarta's South China Sea policy
Over the past week, there have been renewed calls for Jakarta to take a tougher stance against Beijing following an incident where a Chinese coast guard vessel rammed one of its…
Digital diplomacy links: GIFs, global rankings, Russia, Israel, Next Door Land app and more
As Australian digital diplomacy strives to catch up to rest of the world, these monthly links highlight the most creative and effective ways countries are leveraging the internet…
What India thinks about the South China Sea
Developments in the South China Sea are bringing India into a debate it generally maintains a distance from. India's shift in its maritime policies and a relatively vocal stand on…
Philippines vs China in South China Sea: Tough talking could box China in
The International Court in The Hague is due to soon rule on the case of the Philippines vs the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea. The general…
Japan's capacity building strategy at work in the Philippines
By Tom Holcombe, an intern with the Lowy Institute's International Security Program.
An upcoming visit to the Philippines by a Japanese submarine and two destroyers underscores a…
North Korea as a 'mafia state'
In January 2016, North Korea tested a fourth nuclear device. In the scramble to respond, analysts once again debated the nature of the North Korean regime. Much of the heat of…
Najib Razak: Malaysian PM has diminishing room to manoeuvre
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's scandal-linked tenure has continued unabated but now his foes from various sides of the political divide have coalesced to pressure him to…
Digital diplomacy links (defence special): White Paper, Army blogging, honeytraps and more
The launch of the Defence White Paper was a hot mess of hashtags: Prime Minister Turnbull (#DWP2016), Defence Minister Payne (#2016DWP), the Department of Defence (…
South China Sea: Beijing is winning, but here's how to retake the initiative
China is once again causing concern in the South China Sea, this time by moving surface-to-air missiles to the Paracel Islands.
Over several years, this dispute has evolved into…