Asia
Climate justice: friendshoring, China’s supremacy and America’s IR Act
When the Inflation Reduction Act (IR Act) passed the US Congress in August 2022, it was acclaimed as the largest, most ambitious climate change investment in American history. The…
Can North Korea play off Russia against China?
Flanking North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the podium in Pyongyang several weeks ago, top Russian and Chinese officials watched a show of the country’s assembled missile forces…
Can the Taliban contain Islamic State in Afghanistan?
Ever since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Islamic State affiliates have increased attacks in the country in a bid to delegitimise the new rulers. The attacks by the Islamic…
The Philippines and Australia: A new golden era of strategic relations?
Just months into office, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles visited Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue, where he made it absolutely clear that…
Enduring lessons for Indonesia from a wandering scribe in Europe
In crossing the border from Belgium to the Netherlands, a young man named Djamaluddin Adinegoro extracted the contents of his small travel bag. Because there was a border,…
Cambodia, Thailand and dealing with China: The more things change…
For a man who had vowed to retire by the age of 90, Hun Sen’s abrupt decision to step down this month, barely a few weeks after winning a national election and after almost four…
Weeks of living dangerously in Jakarta, all over again
The 1978 novel by Australian author Christopher Koch, titled The Year of Living Dangerously, set primarily in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, describes events leading up to…
Indo-Pacific strategy: Uniting all the players on the board
With US President Joe Biden expected “shortly” to visit Vietnam, it is increasingly evident that America needs a more unified strategy for the Indo-Pacific. The present approach…
Australia and the UN: A new agenda for peace
Last month, a New Agenda for Peace (NA4P) policy brief was released by the United Nations, outlining a vision for tackling today’s major challenges to peace and security. Among…
Cash is king, no more
Australia has emerged as the frontrunner in embracing digital payments. A recent global report highlights that Australians now rank among the world’s least frequent cash users. It…