Asia Pacific
Security or progress? The Australian experiment
China’s growing influence has given rise to a dilemma for its partners, between preserving national security and maintaining access to China’s economic and technological progress. The long-term consequences of how Australia resolves this dilemma may provide insights for the rest of the world.
Belt and Road Initiative increases sovereign debt risks in Tajikistan
The BRI aims at dismantling foreign investment barriers and improving international logistics has provided much-needed infrastructure support to its recipient countries. But BRI-related project loans may cause a problematic increase in sovereign debt in certain host countries.
What role does North Korea play in Chinese strategy?
A week after the summit between Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un ended, the steady drumbeat of analysis goes on. Much of the discussion has focused on what North Korea gained from the meeting.
What’s the deal with ZTE?
The new ZTE deal could ease bilateral tensions and prevent a global economic crisis, but it has also revealed Trump’s malleability, the growing rift within the US government, and ignored larger security threats.
China and India establish “oil buyers’ club” to counter OPEC
Should this “oil buyers’ club” become a reality, New Delhi and Beijing will have greater leverage to negotiate with OPEC about oil prices and will also have a significant say in matters such as importing more crude oil from the US.
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
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.
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.
No safe haven for Rohingya migrants during monsoon season
Over 700,0000 Rohingya migrants crossed the border after fleeing persecution in Myanmar to Bangladesh where they are threatened by the impending monsoon season.
