Asia
The fog of measuring military balance in Asia
With Australia this week making further big announcements about its military budget, it comes as defence spending in Asia is also set to grow in the next few years.
In…
Invisible victims: How counter-trafficking efforts leave people with disability behind
Dao (not her real name) came to Thailand from Laos when she was 17. With her hearing impairment, she had struggled to find work in Laos. Dao’s aunt told her that she could find…
Why China remains unlikely to invade Taiwan
The United States, and Washington DC in particular, is awash with expectations of war against China in the near future, most likely caused by a Chinese decision to forcibly…
Lawrence Wong’s ascent as Singapore’s 4th generation leader
With a change of PM now announced in Singapore, we’re again featuring this analysis originally published 9 November 2023.
For only the fourth time in its history,…
India’s takeover of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm will help build energy interdependence with Sri Lanka
India has recently moved to take effective control over the giant oil tank farm in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. This marks a key step in integrating Sri Lanka into India’s national…
Is South Korea’s Indo‑Pacific Strategy a diplomatic lame duck?
When South Korea’s Yoon Suk-yeol administration released its Indo-Pacific Strategy in late 2022, many Australian commentators hoped the time had finally come for the…
ASEAN and the military applications of AI
ASEAN's new Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, released earlier this year, marks a milestone as the region's first coordinated effort to manage the risks of artificial…
Prabowo in China: Indonesia’s president-elect on the world stage
President-elect Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia visited China, Japan and Malaysia last week, heralding his intent to foster foreign relations earnestly after he becomes president in…
What are China’s long-term Antarctic ambitions?
The recent opening of China’s Qinling base, its third permanent Antarctic station, has worried some Australian and American observers. Their concerns suggest it may be time…
Myanmar: Julie Bishop an inspired choice as UN Special Envoy
The appointment by UN Secretary-General António Guterres of former Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop as his new special envoy to Myanmar raises a number of questions: is…