Articles | Lowy Institute

14 Oct 2019
China
China and the problem with liberal values in a corporate world

Nathan Attrill

Corporations will never be vanguards for free speech in a new era of ideological competition with the People’s Republic.
14 Oct 2019
Syria

Türkiye
Turkey’s “safe zone” may prove costly

Xiaoli Guo

In Ankara’s view, the intervention in Syria has been a diplomatic and military success, but an economic risk looms.
14 Oct 2019
Global Economy

United States

Trade

China
US-China trade talks: No deal yet, but a breakthrough of sorts

John Edwards

Donald Trump has begun talking about “phases”, suggesting he has a more realistic expectation of what it is possible.
14 Oct 2019
China
China and Catholicism, an unhappy marriage

Michael Sainsbury

Despite a deal made with the Vatican a year ago, China continues trying to shape the church in its own image.
11 Oct 2019
Pacific Islands

Sustainability

Japan
The underappreciated value of Japanese aid in the Pacific

Alexandre Dayant , Michael Nguyen

Japan has made a significant contribution to regional development, especially in managing lucrative fish stocks.
11 Oct 2019
China

Taiwan
For China, “national reunification” with Taiwan remains a dream

Randy Mulyanto

Xi Jinping regularly invokes “one country, two systems” to unite China and Taiwan, yet wins little support.
11 Oct 2019
United States

North Korea

South Korea
Why does North Korea keep dragging its feet?

Khang Vu

Pyongyang is taking a high-risk, high-reward approach to its engagement with the US.
10 Oct 2019
Papua New Guinea
PNG’s confusing budget debate

Bernard Yegiora

Amid claim and counter-claim, the true state of the PNG economy is lost amid personality politics.
10 Oct 2019
Global Economy

IMF

WTO

Asean
Economic diplomacy: Auditing globalism, trade woes, ASEAN’s future

Greg Earl

Measuring and managing the world economy – and Australia’s place – sees a pushback to a “negative globalism” mantra.
10 Oct 2019
Afghanistan
Afghan elections: Impressions from polling day

Srinjoy Bose , Nishank Motwani

Low voter turnout and polling irregularities threaten to undermine whoever emerges as the country’s next president.
10 Oct 2019
Asia

Review
Asia’s diversity, made all the same

John West

Parag Khanna’s The Future is Asian is a perfect example of “Asian Century” hype.
9 Oct 2019
United States

Syria

Australia
The sharp shift on Syria

Brigid O’Farrell

To pull out from northern Syria only invites more trouble – already ISIS is seeking advantage.
9 Oct 2019
Aid links: Rohingya crisis continues, China’s Africa education, more

Alexandre Dayant

Links and stories from the aid and development sector.
9 Oct 2019
Terrorism
The women of ISIS and the fog of law

Rodger Shanahan

The case of an Australian stripped of her citizenship illustrates the complexity of handling the fallout of extremism.
9 Oct 2019
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Bougainville’s predicament, independence or not

Annmaree O’Keeffe

Whatever path Bougainville follows after next month’s referendum, human development is its most urgent priority.
8 Oct 2019
Diplomacy

Qatar
Is the Qatar blockade ruining the country’s sporting goals?

André Leslie

<p>The tiny Gulf nation wants to be a world stage for sport, but a regional boycott isn’t helping.</p>
8 Oct 2019
United States

Australia-United States Relations
US shift on Syria puts Canberra in a bind

Rodger Shanahan

Trump’s announcement may or may not be followed through, but it has serious implications for Australia either way.
8 Oct 2019
China

Rules Based Audio
The next phase of the Belt and Road: Podcast out now

Kelsey Munro

In Episode 11 of Rules Based Audio, we take a look at the next phase of the Belt and Road Initiative from two sides.
7 Oct 2019
Administration
Monday is a public holiday

The Interpreter

Take a perch. Today is a public holiday and publishing will be light.
7 Oct 2019
United States

The Trump Presidency
The decline of US global leadership: Power without authority

Allan Behm

It is breathtaking just how quickly Donald Trump’s recklessness has eroded the US position in the world.
4 Oct 2019
Australia
Scott Morrison strikes an anxious and inward-looking tone

Allan Gyngell

The PM’s Lowy Lecture warning of “negative globalism” is strange, given multilateral institutions are presently so weak.
4 Oct 2019
Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Water management for peace

Said Hashmat Sadat , Nasrat Sayed

Formalising agreements with neighbouring countries over water usage will go a long way towards preventing conflict
4 Oct 2019
Pacific Islands
Can the Pacific Islands be insured?

Vijaya Ramachandran , Junaid Sadiq Masood

High exposure to natural hazards puts Pacific Island countries at heavy risk. Insurance could help them cope.
3 Oct 2019
United States

The Trump Presidency
Democrats and impeachment: A leap of faith

Erin Hurley

Americans have grown increasingly polarised over the past 30 years, but perhaps this is a way back from the abyss.
3 Oct 2019
United States

China

Antarctica
Poles apart: The long shadow of US-China competition

Nengye Liu

National rivalry should not get in the way of cooperation to stop the greatest threat to polar regions – climate change.
3 Oct 2019
United Nations

Myanmar
Can the ICC bring justice to Myanmar?

Emma Palmer

An investigation of crimes committed in Myanmar would be a historic undertaking, but many hurdles remain.
2 Oct 2019
United States

The Trump Presidency
Impeachment will stabilise US foreign policy

Robert E Kelly

Despite all the bluster, Donald Trump’s effect on foreign affairs has been too shallow to last beyond him.
2 Oct 2019
United States

Australia
Jumping at shadows: The great Aussie conspiracy to bring down Donald

Daniel Flitton

Australian spies among three US treaty-allies in an elaborate plot to derail the Trump campaign? Yeah, that’ll fly.
2 Oct 2019
Pacific Islands
Pacific links: the big switch, sun-warmed mobile phones, more

Alexandre Dayant

The diplomatic recognition issue between China and Taiwan rolls on, plus other stories from the Pacific Islands region.
2 Oct 2019
Indonesia
Violence in Papua could get worse

Sidney Jones

A province now awash in cash has spurred a migrant influx and given new sources of income to the independence movement.
1 Oct 2019
Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka’s election, bumps ahead

Taylor Dibbert

A former president’s brother leads the pack, trailed by an assassinated president’s son.
1 Oct 2019
Papua New Guinea
PNG: Has education policy reform worked?

Rachel Mason Nunn , Genevieve Nelson

The ambition to improve the quality of teaching and provide free education has not entirely matched reality.
1 Oct 2019
Diplomacy

United States

United Nations

Review
An educated idealist is still a believer

Erin Hurley

Samantha Power’s memoir is no reflection in despair but instead a continuing call to action in support of rights.
30 Sep 2019
Trade

India's Economy

India
India’s RCEP reticence

Natasha Jha Bhaskar

Eliminating various tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade must be balanced against domestic needs.
30 Sep 2019
Australia and the Pacific
With Pacific step up, a chance to step in

Alan C. Tidwell

Australia can help strengthen partners’ understanding of the Pacific, as a counter to China’s growing reach.
30 Sep 2019
Terrorism

Australia

Indonesia

Review
Book review: Common enemies

Natalie Sambhi

A look at law-enforcement cooperation between Australia and Indonesia will interest experts and curious observers alike.
30 Sep 2019
Myanmar
Myanmar: postage stamps and political signals

Andrew Selth

A new set of stamps by Myanmar Post again draws controversy over “national races” labels to categorise the population.
27 Sep 2019
Pacific Islands

France
Jacques Chirac and the Pacific

Alexandre Dayant

The French president’s engagement with the country’s overseas territories leaves a legacy of promise and betrayal.
27 Sep 2019
Middle East
Undeclared air strikes: Between war and peace

Peter Layton

Israel has pioneered attacks with no apparent owner, and now others have taken up the tactic.
27 Sep 2019
Defence & Security
A US view on Australia’s role in the Indian Ocean

Nilanthi Samaranayake

Canberra’s diplomatic, legal, and military approaches to management of the Indian Ocean will be vital for US interests.
27 Sep 2019
Myanmar

Bangladesh
Stalemate leaves Rohingya refugees trapped

Ashraful Azad

Nearly all want to go home, but Myanmar won’t grant the protections they need, and Bangladesh is out of goodwill.
26 Sep 2019
Pacific Islands

New Caledonia

Bougainville
The Pacific and a “third option” to the independence question

Kerryn Baker

Bougainville or New Caledonia could chart their own course with “flexible sovereignty” – but that might not be enough.
26 Sep 2019
Asia

Australia

China

Indonesia

Vietnam
Economic diplomacy: Tourism power, defining China, and Vietnam jackpot

Greg Earl

Badly behaving Australians in Bali don’t always make good ambassadors – but perhaps their numbers help send a message.
26 Sep 2019
Afghanistan
Ghani vs Abdullah: The contest to be Afghanistan’s president

Mustafa Aryan

Ghani’s ranks are depleted with the exodus of erstwhile influential allies, but he remains a frontrunner with Abdullah.
26 Sep 2019
United States

The Trump Presidency
An impeachment drama intrudes on Trump’s three-act foreign policy

Nick Bisley

From running on autopilot to hyper-aggressive, the President now seems intent on deal-making – without constraints.
25 Sep 2019
Malaysia
Malaysia’s dangerous racial and religious trajectory

Amy Chew

<p>Identity politics has turned inflammatory as Malaysia’s former ruling party tries to claw back support.</p>
25 Sep 2019
Australia and Asia

Review
Book review: Hidden histories of Australia’s cameleers

Aarti Betigeri

A historian retraces the links between South Asia and Australia, uncovering a rich and complex legacy.
25 Sep 2019
Israel
Israel’s Arabs awaken to their electoral power

Ian Parmeter

Arab Israelis have been slow to realise their potential pivotal role in the nation’s politics. That’s changing.
25 Sep 2019
Aid links: Plastics in paradise, five lessons for education, more

Alexandre Dayant

Links and stories from the aid and development sector
25 Sep 2019
Defence & Security

China's Military

Australian Air Force
The sharp sword: China and the drone threat to Australia

Sam Roggeveen

Combat drones could loiter over targets for hours longer than a crewed aircraft, posing a very different type of threat.