Archive
Chinese-Malaysian ties after the election
The new Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir, has indicated that he will reverse significant gains made by China under the outgoing Prime Minister, Najib Razak. In response, China has called
National cynicism and foreign outcry overshadow Lebanese elections
Having postponed elections twice, Lebanon now has a new parliament after nine years. The results of the elections raise questions about the internal and external issues that threaten Lebanon’s stability and prosperity.
The Week Ahead: 10-16 June 2018
ECB/Fed policy decisions. US/North Korea summit in Singapore. Colombian presidential election. All in The Week Ahead.
Buying friends through dollar diplomacy
Despite its successful self-governance, the Chinese-claimed territory struggles to maintain international support and acknowledgement as an independent country. Beijing’s ‘dollar diplomacy’ will continue to chip away at Taipei’s legitimacy, leveraging smaller impoverished nations in an effort to solidify and justify its influence over the Taiwan Strait.
China playing the long game with aircraft carrier plans
This week, China’s second aircraft carrier set out to begin testing, although it is not expected to enter service until 2020. The unnamed carrier is the first to be built in China—China’s other carrier was purchased from Ukraine.
Opinion: Should India reach out directly to the Pakistan army?
A number of important steps have been taken by India and Pakistan in the past few months. Both sides have agreed to humanitarian gestures and there is talk of enhancing trade. Trividesh Singh asks: is direct outreach a good strategy in this context?
The Week Ahead: 3-9 June 2018
The G7 meets in Canada as EU and North America struggle with US tariffs. Swiss monetary referendum potentially complicates markets. New Spanish government grapples with nationalist challenges. All in The
Is coal economically viable?
While the Trump Administration is pushing for growth of the American coal industry, market forces are heading toward renewable energy. But is coal still economically viable in the United States?
Municipal elections in Tunisia – a wakeup call
On 6 May, the first municipal elections in Tunisian history took place. But, only a third of eligible voters casted a ballot, and independent lists won more votes than the governing parties in contrast to high turnout in 2014. The results signal the population’s frustration with the country’s stagnation since 2011 and political fatigue among disappointed youth.
Malaysia’s post-election challenges
Malaysia is undergoing a period of upheaval following the unprecedented electoral defeat of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and the subsequent release of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Although these are promising steps to restoring public and investor confidence in Malaysia’s government, a number of challenges need to be navigated before democracy can be fully achieved.
