Southeast Asia

Indonesia’s dilemma as China pushes a “Global Security Initiative”
Indonesia’s dilemma as China pushes a “Global Security Initiative”
China’s vision for a “Global Security Initiative” was first set out by President Xi Jinping at the Boao Forum in April last year. While promising ambitious change, especially for…
Mekong River: Turning declaration into actions
Mekong River: Turning declaration into actions
Laos hosted a four-day Mekong River Commission leadership summit and conference last week, focusing on this vital waterway for Southeast Asia. Australia has been engaged in the…
Japan seeks an improved climate in relations with ASEAN
Japan seeks an improved climate in relations with ASEAN
Japan has long been among ASEAN’s “most trusted” economic partners. Through tactful engagement, Tokyo helped ensure Southeast Asian states remained in the Trans-Pacific…
Australia must come to the South-East Asia investment table
Commentary
Australia must come to the South-East Asia investment table
Australia has chided the US for its security-first view of South-East Asia. But this country suffers from the same syndrome of under doing investment relationships. Originally…
Global energy scarcity and the South China Sea
Global energy scarcity and the South China Sea
Last month, the Indonesian government approved natural gas exploration in the Tuna gas bloc, part of the largest untapped natural gas deposit in the world. The development of the…
Link start-ups ecosystems to build influence in Southeast Asia
Link start-ups ecosystems to build influence in Southeast Asia
In 2019, Indonesian President Joko Widodo surprised many when he appointed 35-year old Nadiem Makarim as Minister for Education and Culture. Makarim had risen to prominence as the…
Has Southeast Asia warmed to AUKUS one year on?
Has Southeast Asia warmed to AUKUS one year on?
When Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced the AUKUS trilateral security cooperation agreement a year ago, it didn’t get a uniformly positive reception in…
US-China rivalry in Southeast Asia need not be a zero-sum game
US-China rivalry in Southeast Asia need not be a zero-sum game
Is Southeast Asia solely an arena of competition in which only either the United States or China can win? Or could it be an arena of cooperation that concurrently benefits all…
Debating Southeast Asia’s future
Debating Southeast Asia’s future
A new series of essays, commissioned for the Lowy Institute by Roland Rajah and Ben Bland, asks whether Southeast Asia needs a new development model. In different ways, several of…
Does Southeast Asia need a new development model?
Interactives
Does Southeast Asia need a new development model?
A Lowy Institute debate, with contributions from leading Southeast Asian experts.