21 Aug 2018 10:30
Why a US–Russia team–up against China is unlikely
Trump has called Putin a “good competitor” and warned about China, but Moscow has reasons to keep Beijing on side.
Long reads
21 Aug 2018 6:00
Selling a Pacific paradise: upholding the façade
Tourism has the potential to enable development outcomes for Pacific Island states, but too often falls short.
20 Aug 2018 16:00
Air traffic control for North Korea’s missiles
Pyongyang wil reportedly allow international inspectors to interview North Korean officials about missile tests.
20 Aug 2018 13:00
Decoding the Mahathir Doctrine
How the new Malaysia is responding to the changing internal and external environment amid US–China uncertainty.
20 Aug 2018 11:00
Kofi Annan: a leader with compassion
As UN Secretary General, his most difficult tests was to handle American hubris and pursue the goal of a just world.
20 Aug 2018 6:00
Moon deepens civilian control in South Korea
A roiling scandal over contingency plans to declare martial law has become a chance to depoliticise security agencies.
18 Aug 2018 7:00
Weekend catch-up: Barack or Donald?
Senate race debate, Australia’s Navy, and disappearing Deng Xiaoping: the week that was on The Interpreter.
17 Aug 2018 14:30
Electric vehicles and industrial policy
A dramatic shift in the global automotive market sees electric vehicles, once viewed as toys, gaining momentum.
17 Aug 2018 10:00
Two cheers for the new Caspian convention
A new deal helps Russia and Iran decide whether the Caspian is legally a lake or a sea.
24 Jul 2018 6:00
Chinese chimera: the real concern with the BRI
Beneficiaries should be wary of the gap between Beijing’s rhetorical promises and the reality of its investments.
9 Aug 2018 15:00
The many ways to be Chinese Singaporean
Beijing’s attempts to appeal to young Chinese Singaporeans may fall on deaf ears.
31 Jul 2018 17:00
The new US–Japan–Australia infrastructure fund
Without significant resources, the initiative risks looking like an attempt to challenge China, and falling short.
27 Jul 2018 12:00
Bomb, bomb Iran
Bombing Iran has been spoken of, allegedly planned and threatened for years, but there is no sign it is about to occur.
27 Jul 2018 11:30
China: vaccines and rumours from Zhongnanhai
Amid whispers of possible infighting, President Xi Jinping remains powerful while Premier Li Keqiang seeks gains.
27 Jul 2018 10:30
Kazakhstan steps into the sun
Kazakhstan is forging a leading role in Central Asia, with Moscow slow to recognise the country is eluding its grasp.
24 Jul 2018 11:15
India: a “major power” still below its potential
Despite ranking fourth in the Asia Power Index, to leap the gap, India may need to rethink the “cost” of alignment.
25 Jul 2018 6:00
Facebook and Vietnam’s new cybersecurity law
The social media platform is an American commercial legacy, adapted by locals for politics, and now mistrusted.
25 Jul 2018 13:00
Laos dam collapse and stress on the Mekong
The dam collapse in Laos once again focuses attention on the massive expansion of hydropower in the Mekong Basin.
19 Jul 2018 12:00
“Poor old” China meets “poor young” Africa
Population ageing in China opens a new window for African development – and the wider world should pay attention, too.
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27 Jun 2018 6:00
The photos that go down in history
Theatricality, frisson, an unguarded glimpse behind closed doors – the art of a momentous political photograph.
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22 Jun 2018 12:00
The big clean-up in Malaysia
Political confusion might appear on the surface, yet the new government cannot act without the right people in place.
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5 Jun 2018 15:00
China eyes its next prize – the Mekong
After the South China Sea, Beijing’s “salami slicing” strategy is moving along Southeast Asia’s longest river.
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4 Jun 2018 6:00
A study in controversy: Chinese students in Australia
A love of country is not always synonymous with an endorsement of the government when speaking with Chinese students in Australia.
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24 May 2018 14:00
Operation Coldstore: Singapore’s struggle to confront history
A gruelling parliamentary hearing has opened a debate on a largely forgotten official crackdown in the Asian city state.
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24 Apr 2018 6:00
Kim Jong-un made Donald Trump an offer he couldn’t refuse
Plenty of attention has been paid to the perils of the likely US–North Korea summit, but little has been said about the risks Trump would have faced had he declined Pyongyang’s offer.
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9 Apr 2018 6:00
Amal Clooney no match for Trump and China in Southeast Asia press clampdown
Authoritarian governments are quick to claim “fake news” in a neighbourhood crackdown on press freedom.
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1 Apr 2018 8:00
Leslie – 15 years on
Leslie Cheung was known as the “Elvis of Hong Kong” and his legacy shows LGBT+ issues remain very much taboo in Chinese culture.
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