Programs & Projects

The North Asia Program

The China and East Asia Program

The China and East Asia Program conducts research on the politics and foreign policy of China and its immediate neighbours in Northeast Asia: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and the Korean peninsula. The program is renowned for its particular focus on China’s domestic politics and how this helps to shape its external behaviour. From 2020, the Institute’s extensive research on Southeast Asia – including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Myanmar – is now incorporated in a dedicated Southeast Asia Program. Each Program also commissions work by other scholars on the broader region. To complement their written research, Lowy Institute experts hold a robust series of dialogues and events on the politics of the region, independently and in partnership with other organisations.

Photo: Jung Yeon-Je-Pool/Getty Images

Experts
Latest publications
News and media
China links: Rascals, Abbott, SOEs, legal reform, World War II and more
Australia is a nation once 'roamed by rascals and outlaws', says the Global Times. Well, at least Aussies are only regular rascals and not the 'mincing' variety seen in the US…
Abe's Canberra speech: Dispelling doubts
Prime Minister Abe's carefully crafted speech to the Australian parliament gave credence to Prime Minister Abbott's much tut-tutted claim that Japan is Australia's best friend in…
Occupy Central and the battle for Hong Kong's soul
'We hope young people can raise their understanding of the rule of law, and make themselves the vanguard of preserving Hong Kong's prosperity and stability', thundered Li Yunchao,…
A conservative clean sweep in Asia?
If Prabowo Subianto does win tomorrow's presidential election in Indonesia, most if not all of Asia's elected democracies will be led by realist conservatives who triumphed over…
Indonesian election: Jokowi scores in extra time, but will it be enough?
For much of this year, Prabowo Subianto has run for president of Indonesia by delivering charismatic polemics on the campaign trail against local corruption and foreign…
Japanese collective self-defence: Abe's changes won't help
Clearly Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has deep personal and political motives for wanting to change Japan's strategic posture, 'escape from the postwar regime' and make…
Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi and the constitution
Myanmar's Constitutional Amendment Implementation Committee recently voted down a bid to change Article 59(f) of Myanmar's 2008 Constitution, which prevents Aung San Suu Kyi …
China links: Golf, investment, corruption, SCO, non-interference and more
David Shambaugh: The belief that China is a global power is widespread, understandable and wrong. Russian and Chinese academics and officials yet again talk past one another at…
Beijing's new map: South China Sea rivals respond
Far from calming the troubled waters of the western Pacific, President Obama's latest visit to Asia seems to have instead encouraged China to more aggressively pursue its…
Mekong: Laos makes an empty concession
The possibility, indeed probability, that Laos will build its controversial 32m-high dam at Don Sahong on the Mekong River just above the Lao-Cambodia border has strengthened…