Skip to main content
The Interpreter

Interpreter - Menu Links

  • Articles
  • Debates
  • Contributors
  • About

Published daily by the Lowy Institute

  • 29 Jan 2026
    • Aid & Development
    • Asia
    • Australia

    Conflict prevention or conflict avoidance in Australia’s foreign policy

    Grace Stanhope
    The greatest risk for the Indo-Pacific comes from fragmented peace efforts backed by competing geopolitical powers.
  • 18 Dec 2025
    • Asia
    • United States

    Washington’s China consensus is breaking

    Ali Wyne
    Two factors are forcing a re-think: Trump's diplomacy, and the realisation that China's growth cannot be halted.
  • 16 Dec 2025
    • Asia

    Vietnam’s second Doi Moi: Growth, bottlenecks, and a role for Australia

    Alexandre Dayant
    Vietnam has announced a new round of sweeping reforms to propel the nation to high-income status. But long-term boldness is meeting short-term inertia.
  • 3 Dec 2025
    • Asia
    • Maritime Security
    • France
    • Pacific Islands

    Rethinking the Indo-Pacific as a single ocean system

    Alana Ford
    The waters that connect the region matter more than the distances between its shores, and 2026 will test that principle.
  • 1 Dec 2025
    • Asia
    • Australia

    Australians risk becoming “strangers in our own region”

    Zane Goebel
    A parliamentary inquiry confronts decades of decline in language learning and cultural knowledge of the region.
  • 25 Nov 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • Malaysia
    • Thailand
    • Vietnam
    • Global Economy
    • Trade
    • United States

    Southeast Asian manufacturing: No longer immune from geopolitics

    Apoorba Banerjee
    The region’s industrial sector must adapt in a new climate of supply-chain weaponisation.
  • 21 Nov 2025
    • Asia
    • Quad
    • Diplomacy

    Quiet strength? Regional friends pitch for issues-based coalitions

    Lisa Singh
    From the Quad to trilateral arrangements, purpose-driven partnerships are delivering where multilateral institutions struggle.
  • 13 Nov 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • China
    • Philippines
    • Timor-Leste

    Where the Philippines might lead ASEAN

    Richard Javad Heydarian
    Will Manila shake off its “deputy sheriff” badge to become the anchor of a new coalition in Southeast Asia?
  • 28 Oct 2025
    • Asia
    • Defence & Security
    • United States

    America shouldn’t pivot to Asia

    Jennifer Kavanagh
    More US military investment in Asia has escalated tensions and isn’t necessary for US or allied interests.
  • 22 Oct 2025
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Europe
    • Global Economy
    • Diplomacy
    • The Americas

    Geopolitics and making sense of the NEWS: North, East, West, South

    Abhinandan Kumar
    More than geography, the coordinates of a state are borne of ideology, history and power perceptions.
  • 15 Oct 2025
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Review

    Is this the Asian Century?

    Sam Roggeveen
    A new book that cuts through hype, ignores moods and intellectual trends, and focuses on the epochal forces shaping the region.
  • 8 Oct 2025
    • Asia
    • Indonesia
    • Europe
    • Global Economy
    • Trade
    • WTO

    Europe notches an early win in Indonesian free trade deal

    Henry Storey
    EU trade with Southeast Asia has been undercooked, but a recent agreement augurs well for others in the pipeline.
  • 3 Oct 2025
    • Asia
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • Malaysia
    • Taiwan
    • Trade
    • United States

    America’s EV plan needs Southeast Asia more than it admits

    Apoorba Banerjee
    Unless the US wants to pay more and wait longer, it should secure trusted capacity from non-Chinese supply chains.
  • 1 Oct 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Intelligence and security

    Australian conflict prevention – from statements to strategy?

    William Leben , Martina Zapf
    Australian tunnel vision on potential China–US conflict may blind us to pressing risks closer to home.
  • 1 Oct 2025
    • Asia
    • China
    • Technology
    • United States

    How Trump’s $14 billion TikTok tug-of-war affects Asia

    Akhmad Hanan
    With Western nations cracking down on the wildly popular app, does Beijing have its sights set on the developing markets?
  • 30 Sep 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • Defence & Security
    • Ukraine
    • Technology

    Time for an ASEAN agreement on lethal AI

    Ngô Di Lân
    The use of autonomous weapons in the region’s flashpoints could narrow the window for human intervention to seconds.
  • 22 Sep 2025
    • Asia
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • Japan
    • Australia

    Complacent nation: Australia and the Asian Century

    Tim Watts
    Decades of ambition have left us with a nation still unable to speak the language of our neighbours.
  • 11 Sep 2025
    • Asia
    • Defence & Security
    • Europe

    How uncertainty about US strategy complicates Europe’s approach to the Indo-Pacific

    Gesine Weber
    Washington’s posture could challenge European interests and planning.
  • 10 Sep 2025
    • Asia
    • Defence & Security
    • United States

    America’s “Department of War” puts Asia’s peace at risk

    Akhmad Hanan
    The US military rebrand exposes uncomfortable truths about American power that could reshape regional relationships.
  • 9 Sep 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • Australia
    • Australian trade, investment & economy
    • Diplomacy

    The messy truth: Australia’s reputation in Southeast Asia

    Lindsay R. Dodd
    When it comes to soft power, a little more humility and a lot less swagger would work in Canberra’s favour.
  • 4 Sep 2025
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security

    Does Australia’s US alliance doom our Asian relationships to fail?

    Susannah Patton
    In fact, there’s a strong case to be made that Australia’s relationships with regional countries have never been better.
  • 13 Aug 2025
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • United States

    Can Australia rally the Indo-Pacific allies?

    Richard Maude
    Trump's unpredictable foreign policy opens the door for energetic Australian diplomacy to strengthen regional alignment.
  • 7 Aug 2025
    • Asia
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • Russia
    • Technology
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Africa

    How Burkina Faso’s strongman became the Indo-Pacific’s unlikely hero – and other tales of disinformation

    Jennifer Williams , Nava Nuraniyah , Jordon Borg , Julian Droogan
    Digital disciples are spreading false narratives in an effort to exploit anti-Western sentiment across the region.
  • 23 Jul 2025
    • Asia
    • Philippines
    • Singapore
    • Defence & Security
    • Maritime Security

    Japan wants to offload six destroyers, but should the Philippines take them?

    Vincent Kyle Parada
    With Manila’s military modernisation occurring at breakneck speed, the infrastructure struggle will be real.
  • 22 Jul 2025
    • Aid & Development
    • Asia
    • Climate change

    Climate disasters drain Southeast Asia’s shrinking aid budgets

    Grace Stanhope , Alexandre Dayant
    The 2025 Lowy Institute Southeast Asia Aid Map reveals relief spending has soared while prevention investment stagnates, forcing hard choices for development partners.
  • 16 Jul 2025
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Energy

    If infrastructure is the new oil, Australia is in a winning position

    Melinda Stuart
    By investing in Southeast Asia’s sustainable development, Australia can help shape regional growth and prosperity.
  • 19 Jun 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • Australia

    No Trump photo-op for the PM but a reminder where Australia’s future lies

    Leigh Howard
    The cancelled G7 meeting is a timely reminder that Australia’s most promising opportunities lie in deeper engagement with our region.
  • 10 Jun 2025
    • Asia
    • Defence & Security

    The logic of neutrality in the Indo-Pacific

    Vincent So
    Regional governments use deliberate ambiguity to extract benefits from both United States and China while avoiding costly commitments to either.
  • 3 Jun 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • India
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • Trade
    • United States

    The tariff war that’s accelerating Asia’s trade transformation

    Vu Lam
    As the deadline for suspension looms, regional economies are looking to patch the vulnerabilities of regional economic architecture.
  • 2 Jun 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • China
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United States

    No one’s world: The Global South is navigating a post-American order

    Alldo Fellix Januardy
    Global influence no longer flows solely from dominant capitals – and power itself is changing shape.
  • 29 May 2025
    • Asia
    • Defence & Security

    The wrong time for a collective defence pact in Asia

    Bec Strating
    Trump’s unpredictability is already an obstacle. And diverse interests make bilateral flexibility better than rigid military blocs.
  • 29 May 2025
    • Asia
    • Defence & Security
    • United States

    Pete Hegseth’s impossible mission to reassure Asian allies at Shangri-La

    William Choong
    Whatever the Defence Secretary might say, it’s the actions of his boss that catch most attention.
  • 28 May 2025
    • Asia
    • Defence & Security
    • Diplomacy

    Why Northeast Asia risks repeating Europe’s 19th-century mistakes

    Ju Hyung Kim
    Compelling strategic lessons lie in institutional decay, alliance uncertainty, and deterrence gaps that mirror historical dangers.
  • 15 Apr 2025
    • Asia
    • Malaysia
    • Singapore
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • United Kingdom
    • New Zealand

    Asia without America? History shows Australia can be confident shaping regional security

    Rahman Yaacob
    The Five Power Defence Arrangements makes for a case in point.
  • 3 Apr 2025
    • Asia
    • Global Economy
    • Trade

    Trump’s tariffs: Australia hit with a stick while our region was clobbered

    Roland Rajah
    The entire export-driven development model of Southeast Asia is now at serious risk.
  • 31 Mar 2025
    • Asia
    • China
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Technology

    Yes, some of China’s educated youth just asserted sovereignty over Australia

    Shijie Wang
    Online platforms reveal a fervent nationalism that has repercussions for the future of the region.
  • 20 Mar 2025
    • Asia
    • Indonesia
    • Vietnam
    • Climate change
    • Sustainability

    Southeast Asia’s critical role as a green industrial leader

    Trang Nguyen , Jannata (Egi) Giwangkara
    The region’s industrial transformation remains the key for long-term economic prosperity – and the world’s climate goals.
  • 12 Mar 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • Japan
    • Singapore
    • Australia
    • Climate change
    • Sustainability
    • Technology

    Artificial intelligence and sustainability in the Asia-Pacific

    Melinda Stuart
    With the right strategies, AI and clean energy can work in harmony, driving progress without compromising the planet.
  • 7 Mar 2025
    • Asia
    • Sex and Gender
    • Sustainability

    Getting dads to care: A key to equality in Asia

    Ramona Vijeyarasa
    Declining birth rates, growing elderly populations and notable gender gaps in workforce participation are just some reasons for reform across the region.
  • 28 Jan 2025
    • Aid & Development
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • Timor-Leste

    ASEAN’s new developmental divide

    Grace Stanhope
    The admission of Timor-Leste will recall quarter-century-old unease about the development gap within the association.
  • 3 Jan 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • Australia
    • Australia and Asia

    Australia and ASEAN: A storied history

    Sue Thompson
    After 50 years of dialogue, the relationship has matured on economic, political, and strategic interests.
  • 27 Dec 2024
    • Asia
    • Quad
    • Diplomacy

    The rise and endurance of minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific

    Sarah Teo
    Will small groupings of nations last? Bet on self-interest.
  • 24 Dec 2024
    • Asia
    • Environment
    • Sustainability

    Beyond borders, beyond loss: How regional cooperation can safeguard Asia’s biodiversity

    Mohd. Yunus
    The threats to migratory species is urgent and can only be tackled together.
  • 17 Dec 2024
    • Asia
    • Cyber Warfare
    • Digital Disruption

    Indo-Pacific: A blueprint for democracy in the digital age

    Alana Ford
    From political activism to cyberattacks, the rise of technology is changing the face of regional engagement.
  • 29 Nov 2024
    • Asia
    • China
    • Japan
    • Malaysia
    • South Korea
    • Australia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States

    As traditional “Anglo” international education destinations falter, Asia-Pacific countries look closer to home

    Angela Lehmann
    Chinese students are largely driving the surge in international students choosing universities across the region.
  • 14 Nov 2024
    • Asia
    • China
    • Indonesia

    Check, but not check-mate: Indonesia’s nine-dash line mistake

    Ristian Supriyanto
    China has won a diplomatic battle with Indonesia, but not the war over maritime claims in the South China Sea.
  • 12 Nov 2024
    • Asia
    • South China Sea

    Has Indonesia fallen into China's nine-dash line trap?

    Aristyo Rizka Darmawan
    A new Indonesia-China joint statement betrays Indonesia’s national interest and looks like a big win for Beijing.
  • 24 Oct 2024
    • Asia
    • Australia

    Australia: Migration no easy fix for Asia literacy

    Leigh Howard
    The business community – not just those exporting or operating within the region – needs to keep pace with the scale of change.
  • 4 Oct 2024
    • Asia
    • China
    • China's Government
    • The Trump Presidency
    • United States
    • US Elections

    A Trump win splits the East Asian triangle

    Richard McGregor
    Much commentary about China and the US election has suggested Beijing prefers Trump. In fact, the opposite might be the case.
  • 24 Sep 2024
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • Timor-Leste
    • Australia

    Timor-Leste joins the Asia Power Index

    Jack Sato , Susannah Patton
    Despite its small size, the Southeast Asian nation should not be underestimated.
Pagination
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • Current page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5
  • Page 6
  • Next page ››

Subscribe to The Interpreter

Get the latest commentary and analysis on international events from experts at the Lowy Institute and around the world.


The Interpreter features in-depth analysis & expert commentary on the latest international events, published daily by the Lowy Institute.

© Copyright 2025 Lowy Institute

  • Debates
  • Contributors
  • Articles
  • About
  • Terms of Use
  • Log In
  • My bookmarks