Asia
The new Thai PM has his work cut out on Myanmar
A month after Srettha Thavisin was sworn in as Thailand’s prime minister from a coalition made up of Thaksin Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai Party and pro-military factions, the real…
Japan risks its reputation in Oceania with Fukushima discharge
Japan’s decision last month to begin discharging treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean from its destroyed Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is fairly unpopular…
Foreign policy begins at home. Ask Trudeau
Foreign policy is invariably subservient to domestic politics, especially in democracies with regular elections. The ongoing Canada–India spat is causing much unease in English…
The Kalash are under threat from Pakistani Taliban
On the morning of 6 September 2023, the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) launched a massive attack in the Chitral district of Pakistan. More than 500 TTP militants stormed the checkpoints…
Why humanitarian aid is vital to Afghanistan
Two-thirds of Afghanistan’s population (28.3 million people) is in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. In the two years since the fall of the Afghanistan Republic, about…
ASEAN’s first joint military exercise
The first Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) joint military exercise, code-named ASEAN Solidarity Exercise 2023 (ASEX 2023), has just ended. Hosted by Indonesia from…
Indonesia’s long-term geostrategic ambition: What’s missing?
President Joko Widodo recently unveiled Indonesia’s preliminary long-term development plan (RPJPN) of 2025–2045, which lays out the country’s grand ambition to attain a “Golden…
Australia’s support for Bangladesh will bolster regional stability
Australia is in the process of enhancing partnerships in the Indian Ocean region, including with non-traditional partners such as Bangladesh. Australia has a significant stake in…
The historical roots of North Korea’s lucky break with Russia
In early September 2022, The New York Times published a story about Russia secretly buying North Korean artillery for the war in Ukraine. Since then, relations between the…
China does not need currency manipulation to boost its exports
China’s economic troubles are prompting concern that the government might weaken its currency in an attempt to export the economy out of trouble. That would see China increasingly…