Articles | Lowy Institute

2 May 2019
Taiwan
The high seas danger to workers in Taiwan’s fishing fleet

Nick Aspinwall

Alleged killings, fisherman lost and punishing work hours leave Taiwan’s lucrative fishing industry at risk of sanction.
1 May 2019
Australia

Migration

Australia’s election 2019
Trafficking in old anxieties

Claire Higgins

The politics of “border control” is at odds with Australia’s successful record of humanitarian resettlement.
1 May 2019
Australia

Southeast Asia

Australia’s election 2019
A bugle for bigotry: does hate speech in Australia resonate in Asia?

JJ Rose

Neighbours might roll their eyes in bemusement, yet worry more about their own regional problems with discrimination.
1 May 2019
Aid links: counterpoint to China’s “debt-trap”, malaria vaccine, more

Alexandre Dayant

Links and stories from the aid and development sector.
1 May 2019
Islamic State

War Crimes

Review
Film review: On Her Shoulders

Pishko Shamsi

ISIS persecuted her community in Iraq yet Nadia Murad’s quest for justice again shows the indestructibility of spirit.
30 Apr 2019
War Crimes

United Nations
Atrocities of April

Nikki Marczak , Alex Bellamy

Commemorating the terrible atrocities of the 20th century must spur efforts to stop the horrors of today and the future.
30 Apr 2019
Australia

Climate change

Australia’s election 2019
Adapting to climate change: the priority for Australia

Johanna Nalau

Understanding the “new normal” to protect people’s livelihoods should be at the core of the next government’s agenda.
30 Apr 2019
Europe

United States

Australia

Migration
Visa tussles: here come the Irish again

Alan C. Tidwell

Australia’s privileged access to a US special working visa class is under challenge once more and will likely be lost.
30 Apr 2019
Emerging Threats

Digital Disruption

Technology
Paradigm shift: Understanding propaganda in the digital age

Zac Rogers , Emily Bienvenue , Maryanne Kelton

Digital age propaganda represents a new form of public manipulation with endless possibilities.
29 Apr 2019
Japan
Japan: grasping for hope in a new imperial era

Tets Kimura

The Reiwa era is about to begin and with it springs hope that the national malaise of recent decades can be left behind.
29 Apr 2019
Asean

Australia

Myanmar
The chance for Australia to urge ASEAN to act on the Rohingya crisis

Rebecca Barber

ASEAN will never be in the business of naming and shaming, but its past way of doing diplomacy is evolving.
29 Apr 2019
Taiwan
Tsai wins US sympathy, but what about Taiwan’s voters?

Stuart Lau

Taiwan’s President portrays herself as the only reliable choice against an assertive China.
26 Apr 2019
Australia in the World

Australia’s election 2019
An Australian accent abroad? Foreign policy under a Shorten government

Susan Harris Rimmer

Labor’s Shorten has a domestic focus, but he has left space for independence in navigating major-power relationships.
26 Apr 2019
Regional relationships

Australia and Asia
Culture cringe: Laughter links Australia and Asia

Melissa Conley Tyler

Field research on Asian comedians’ views of Australia reveals some surprising commonalities.
25 Apr 2019
The Interpreter is pausing for Anzac Day

The Interpreter

Posting resumes tomorrow.
24 Apr 2019
War Crimes

United Nations
US undermines UN Security Council resolution against wartime rape

Susan Hutchinson

Washington's hard line on abortion and the ICC almost sank Germany’s plan to improve the prosecution of perpetrators.
24 Apr 2019
Global Economy

Australian trade, investment & economy

Asean

Trade and Investment in the Asia Pacific
Economic diplomacy: ASEAN trade, BRI deals and ageing Asia

Greg Earl

The unwieldy sounding AANZFTA is a surprise hit with Australian business.
24 Apr 2019
Pacific Islands

Papua New Guinea
A billion reasons: the future of PNG’s Sustainable Development Fund

Shane McLeod

PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is waging battle in the courts over a predecessor’s multi-billion dollar legacy.
23 Apr 2019
Pacific Islands

Public Diplomacy And International Broadcasting

Bougainville
Simplistic and wrong to say the ABC is missing from Pacific coverage

Kellie Mayo

So often the ABC asks questions to provide answers other media outlets run with.
23 Apr 2019
Terrorism

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka attacks: Still many puzzles to solve

Rodger Shanahan

If NTJ is responsible for this complex, multi-target suicide attack, it probably got external help.
23 Apr 2019
Solomon Islands
The surprising sameness of the Solomons elections

Kerryn Baker

There is a new normal for Solomon Islands politics – a fund of money makes sitting MPs much stronger than historically.
18 Apr 2019
Administration
The Interpreter is taking a break for Easter

The Interpreter

We’ll be back Tuesday 23 April with more insights into the world.
18 Apr 2019
China
Seeing what you want in Belt and Road

Nick Bisley

China’s sprawling infrastructure program has become a test of attitudes that tells us more about the analyst than BRI.
18 Apr 2019
Australia

Indonesia
Don’t rely on luck: making the most of the FTA with Indonesia

Melissa Crouch

It is time to put Indonesian back on the priority list of languages to be studied in Australia.
18 Apr 2019
Defence & Security

Afghanistan
US-Taliban negotiations: marginalising women is no path to peace

Susan Hutchinson , Nargis Azaryun

Major problems confound the Afghanistan peace talks and risk the democratic and human rights gains made over 17 years.
18 Apr 2019
Asia

India-Australia Relations

India
Coal comfort: Australia-India ties after the elections

Ian Hall

A last minute approval for the controversial Adani coal mine has brought Australia-India relations into the campaign.
17 Apr 2019
Pacific Islands

Australian Foreign Aid
Follow the money: how foreign aid spending tells of Pacific priorities

Alexandre Dayant

Donor countries, be it Australia or China, illustrate their regional interests by where they choose to put their cash.
17 Apr 2019
Europe

France
Notre Dame: the day after the big fire

Daniel Woker

A first-hand look at the destruction leads to wonder if people will appreciate connections more than differences?
17 Apr 2019
Indonesia

Indonesian Elections
Indonesia’s elections: the foreign policy challenges that await

Beginda Pakpahan

Regardless of who prevails at the ballot box on Wednesday, big regional and global issues await to test the victor.
17 Apr 2019
The first rule of a trade war: know thine enemy

John Edwards

When tackling China over subsidies, countries might reflect on which comparable industry support they might forgo.
17 Apr 2019
Australia in the World

China-Australia Relations

Australia and Asia

Australia-United States Relations

Australia’s election 2019
A question of faith: future Coalition foreign policy under Morrison

Geoff Kitney

If he wins the Australian election, Scott Morrison's evangelical Christian faith may influence foreign policy.
16 Apr 2019
Middle East

Islamic State

Terrorism

Australia
ISIS: the generational problem

Rodger Shanahan

For all the concern about the children of foreign jihadis, thousands of ISIS detainees in Iraq pose a bigger danger.
16 Apr 2019
United States
The remarkable political influence of the Indian diaspora in the US

Aarti Betigeri

And what the experience and example might hold for a growing South Asian community in countries such as Australia.
16 Apr 2019
Indonesia

Indonesian Elections
Even if Prabowo loses, Sandiaga Uno will win in Indonesia’s election

Max Walden

Not somebody with humble beginnings, the rapid rise of Prabowo Subianto’s running mate also shows his future ambition.
15 Apr 2019
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Australian media: missing in action on Bougainville

Annmaree O’Keeffe

But you can count on New Zealand – again!
15 Apr 2019
Israel
Israel’s elections: many messiahs, but only one king

Anthony Bubalo

Benjamin Netanyahu survived a scare, and why should anyone be surprised when a noble amateur loses to the ruthless pro?
15 Apr 2019
China

Germany
The souring mood towards Beijing from Berlin

Björn Alexander Düben

Germany was a major Western country to keep on side with China, only ties are now plagued by wariness and suspicion.
12 Apr 2019
Australia

United Kingdom

United States
Julian Assange’s case is special, and no point pretending otherwise

Daniel Flitton

Assange’s case, difficult as it is, unpleasant a character as he can appear, is still a test of Australian principles.
12 Apr 2019
Indonesia

Indonesian Elections
‘No thoughts about apologising’: Indonesia and the 1965–66 killings

Olivia Tasevski

Joko Widodo’s political promises to address the crimes of the past have proven hollow – and any change seems unlikely.
12 Apr 2019
Myanmar
Myanmar’s intelligence apparatus under Aung San Suu Kyi

Andrew Selth

Despite promises of sweeping reform, there are few signs Myanmar’s approach to security matters has much changed.
12 Apr 2019
Defence & Security

Australia

India
Australia-India: naval drills show trust, yet political caution still

David Brewster

Exercises with submarines marks a significant step, but New Delhi is wary of any four-way cooperation with Canberra.
11 Apr 2019
Global Economy

Australia's Economy
Economic diplomacy: Japan investment gazumps China, plus election on

Greg Earl

The investment landscape in Australia is changing as Japan nudges out China just as China again looms in local politics.
11 Apr 2019
Australia’s election 2019
Australia’s election: Morrison fires the starter’s pistol

Kelsey Munro

Australia is off to the polls on 18 May, with yet another change of PM in prospect over familiar political battlelines.
11 Apr 2019
Islamic State

Terrorism

Australia
ISIS: children should not pay for the sins of the parents

Donald R Rothwell , Kim Rubenstein

The children born overseas to Australian mothers should be recognised as citizens and have a right to return.
10 Apr 2019
Papua New Guinea
Plugging in PNG: electricity, partners and politics

Shane McLeod

A big plan to connect 70% of the country to power by 2030 grabbed headlines. Delivering is the true challenge.
10 Apr 2019
Australia in the World
As Julie Bishop exits, how far have women come in world affairs?

Elise Stephenson

The number of women in senior international roles is unmatched for Australia and the challenge is to drive to parity.
10 Apr 2019
Pacific Islands
Pacific links: just two women in Solomon Islands parliament, more

Alexandre Dayant

Links and stories from the Pacific Islands region.
10 Apr 2019
Indonesia

Indonesian Elections
Jokowi’s cute political ploy has become a campaign sensation

Erin Cook

A clearly enamoured new grandfather, the Indonesian President also rebranded himself alongside a happy toddler.
10 Apr 2019
North Korea

Malaysia
Making a murderer: the assassination of Kim Jong-nam

Fiona Broom

Has justice been subsumed after a very public attack dragged Southeast Asian nations into North Korea’s power feuds?
9 Apr 2019
Israel
How Israeli elections fit – and don’t quite match – global trends

Merriden Varrall , Louis Raymond

Moderate centrism is out, while increasing nationalism seems to attract votes, even pushing aside a cloud of corruption.