Richard Javad Heydarian

Biography
Publications

Richard Javad Heydarian is a Manila-based columnist, academic, and author. He has written for the world’s leading publications, including The New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian, Foreign Affairs, and is a regular contributor to Aljazeera English, Nikkei Asian Review, South China Morning Post, and the Straits Times. His latest books include Asia’s New Battlefield (Zed, 2015), The Rise of Duterte: A Populist Revolt against Elite Democracy (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017) and The Indo-Pacific: Trump, China, and the New Global Struggle for Mastery (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). He is also a regular contributor to leading global think tanks such as Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Brooking Institution, and Council on Foreign Relations.

From ICC to Indo-Pacific: The Philippines’ strategic bargaining against superpower rivalries
From ICC to Indo-Pacific: The Philippines’ strategic bargaining against superpower rivalries
A case study in how to reduce dependence on America as well as actively promote a rules-based order.
Trump’s grand bargain? The Philippines caught between US and China
Trump’s grand bargain? The Philippines caught between US and China
Manila is increasingly aware that a defence dilemma could be exposed by the president’s transactional foreign policy.
Can Malaysia drive ASEAN like the pony express?
Can Malaysia drive ASEAN like the pony express?
Or does the regional grouping remain stuck in the stable?
Weak link or “frontline ally”? Where the Philippines will fit into Trump’s rivalry with China
Weak link or “frontline ally”? Where the Philippines will fit into Trump’s rivalry with China
US-supplied Typhon missiles are on Manila’s wish list but could come with a catch.
South China Sea: The “transparency initiative” success is plain to see
South China Sea: The “transparency initiative” success is plain to see
But pressure on the Philippines means that its key partners must step up more.
Philippines-Japan security pact puts China on notice
Philippines-Japan security pact puts China on notice
Though both nations recognise the indispensability of Washington, they are also hedging against future uncertainties.
“Squad” goals: Consolidating the new quadrilateral partnership
“Squad” goals: Consolidating the new quadrilateral partnership
With China flexing its muscle in the South China Sea, a revised grouping that includes the Philippines strikes a new balance.
Balikatan 2024: Philippines and friends send a clear signal to China
Balikatan 2024: Philippines and friends send a clear signal to China
Drills will for the first time take place outside of the Philippines’ 12 nautical miles “territorial waters”, thus directly challenging China’s expansive claims across the South…
A wave of US trilaterals sends a clear message to China
A wave of US trilaterals sends a clear message to China
Revamped security groupings led by Washington, including with Manila and Tokyo, are the new normal.
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