China’s economic gloom merchants
China will one day run into the same growth-constraining factors as South Korea and Japan. But not yet.
The courage of youth on display in Hong Kong
An independent spirit might not mean separating Hong Kong from China, but adopting ways that threaten vested interests of the ruling class.
Sea cables in a thawing Arctic
A trans-Arctic sea cable would afford the Kremlin a significant opportunity to demonstrate its role in developing the Arctic commons.
Economic diplomacy brief: TPP rides again, students vs spies on campus, and Britain cools on China
Trade deals in Asia are a test of America's self image, as the debate rages on China's on-campus influence in Australia.
Vanuatu: flailing, not drowning
Development finance is fraught with issues, but won’t be solved with geopolitical bun fights.
Migration and border policy links: revoking citizenship, unrest in Turkey, and more
Links and updates from across the migration and border policy field.
The awkward case of the Australian “spy” in Phnom Penh
Espionage charges against Australian film-maker James Ricketson have put a spotlight on Canberra’s delicate ties with Cambodia.
Pacific Islands links: French Polynesia elections, the Melanesian Spearhead Group, sorcery in PNG, and more
Links on developments across the Pacific region.
Off beat: China’s hip-hop ban
An act of censorship serves domestic ends and to project a controlled version of soft power on an international stage.
The real purpose of Russia’s presidential election
Putin’s election to a fourth term in March is a foregone conclusion.
Despite the Olympics, Trump is moving the Western debate on North Korea to the right
The protracted public debate over striking North Korea is a marker of Donald Trump shifting of the terms of the debate.
The unending nightmare for Germany’s Social Democrats
The coming days and weeks will be a period of great uncertainty in Berlin and, by extension, Europe.
Defence export strategy revives old ethical dilemmas
Can we raise our defence exports while keeping our hands clean?
China’s new network of Indian Ocean bases
The Chinese navy does not intend to challenge the US Fifth Fleet – at least in the short term.
The chosen one: Djarot’s surprise bid to govern North Sumatra
A short stint as governor of Jakarta has catapulted Indonesia’s Djarot Saiful Hidayat to national prominence.
Aid and development links: DFAT bureaucracy, Islamic finance, Americans in poverty, and more
Links from across the aid and development fields.
The World Bank loses an economist: demand was less than supply
Paul Romer's departure fits a pattern of high flying academics struggling with the constraints of official bureaucracies.
Indonesia–US relations: sweating the small stuff
The strategic big picture was missing when US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis visited Jakarta.
Don’t renegotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership
Negotiations that enhance trade openness would be fine, but it is clear this is not what Trump has in mind.
Democracy and peace frustrated in Myanmar: remembering U Ko Ni
The lawyer's death was a targeted campaign against those advocating for the end of military rule through constitutional change.
Weekend catch-up: olive branches, fence sitting, trade wars, and more
The week that was on The Interpreter.
Achieving political stability in Libya
Rival governments remain deadlocked over a UN-sponsored political solution.
Australian aid can secure private investment in frontier markets
Meeting urgent infrastructure needs in PNG is an example where public support can boost private investment.
Migration and border policy links: US government shutdown, the Global Compact, and more
Links and updates from across the migration and border policy field.
Asia’s escalating missile race
Last year saw a surge in testing and deployment of both ballistic and cruise missile technology throughout the Indo-Pacific.
The Vietnamese Communist Party’s corruption hunt
A crackdown on "wrong spendings” signals an important transformation for the communist regime – but Vietnamese are wary.
Joining the dots to Vancouver
Did China browbeat Australia to downgrade official participation in a conference on North Korea?
What a US–China trade war would look like
The problem for the global economy is not what the Trump administration has done so far. It is what it may contemplate doing next.
Pacific Islands links: climate change and threats to language, mobile blackouts, and more
Links from across the Pacific Islands by The Interpreter team.
The China factor in India’s commitment to ASEAN
India's position on ASEAN reflects an ambition to create a bulwark against the emergence of a Sino-centric regional order.
Waitangi Day and Australia Day: contrasting symbolism
As debate rages about Australia's national day, across the Tasman a mix of dramatic protest and strong personal ties marks a very ‘New Zealand moment’.
Why Hillary Clinton still haunts Donald Trump
A political sideshow has cast a shadow over future policy discussion in America.
Getting away with murder: lies, damned lies, and Chinese police statistics
Serving the Party does not always equate with serving justice.
US National Defense Strategy may force Australia to get off the fence
Sometimes your closest friends, rather than your rivals, cause the biggest headaches.
Will Jakarta no longer be Indonesia’s capital?
Talk of relocating the Indonesian capital is just that – talk.
Washington's weak hand to play in Syria
US policy in Syria is full of holes without a strategic plan for once the mission to defeat ISIS concludes.
Aid and development links: Nile dams, refugees as investment, teaching salaries, and more
Links from across the aid and development field.
Erdogan’s outbursts symbolic of Turkey’s decline
Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan did not mince his words after news of a US-backed Syrian Border Defence Force.
Britain can be a power in Asia
The UK’s decline is no more pronounced than that of any Western nation.
Australia–Japan defence deal: noteworthy, not newsworthy
The 'quasi-allies' have a fundamental difference in strategic perspective.
Weekend catch-up: Korea talks, Macron’s horse, Ciobo uncorks, and more
The week that was on The Interpreter.
Digital Asia links: Bitcoin and Chinese New Year, ‘wrongful views’, mobile wallets, and more
Links on digital developments across Asia.
Japan: Shinzo Abe faces challenges across the board
Abe's ambivalent relationship with the Japanese public concerns some members of his party.
Behind the Australia–Canada ‘wine war’
Given Australia's disappointment over Canada's last-minute TPP snub, Trade Minister Steven Ciobo likely had no hesitation in lodging the complaint over wine.
Despite the controversy, the Khmer Rouge Tribunal is a success
There are many yardsticks beyond counting convictions for judging the achievements of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal.
Economic diplomacy brief: Trump turns global, Pacific aid, Chinese tourism, and more
It appears China’s economic policy-making elite (if not always Xi Jinping himself) like the certainty and stability of the Bretton Woods system.
Migration and border policy links: Stories from Manus, journeys to Europe and more
Links and updates from across the migration and border policy field.
Macron’s mission to China
Macron’s credibility as a voice for Europe is high and demands recognition by world leaders, including Xi Jinping.
Why Australia should consider sharing nuclear weapons
Nuclear sharing is an old idea worth considering as the future becomes less certain and potentially darker.