Category: Feature
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How the Biden Administration Can Support Taiwan
The Biden administration entered office at a critical inflection point for the United States. President Joe Biden inherited a world order and in particular an Indo-Pacific region that is undergoing profound change with China’s rise and an ongoing geopolitical shift toward Asia. The new administration has begun laying out its agenda to address the issues…
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China pushes back against critics of its policies in Xinjiang
N OT LONG before the Beijing Olympics of 2008, the Chinese government carried out a vicious crackdown on demonstrations in Tibet. Foreign media drew attention to it, and people outside China held protests. A Chinese academic popularised the idea of “three afflictions”: two that China had faced in the past (“being beaten” by foreign powers…
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US, Philippines discuss Chinese ‘swarming’ in South China Sea
Manila says Chinese ‘maritime militia’ vessels now scattered in an even wider area within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Senior officials from United States and the Philippines discussed their concerns over ongoing Chinese activities in the disputed South China Sea during a call on Wednesday, the White House said, amid reports Chinese “militia” ships had…
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Relief tinged with scepticism – Asia is hungry for reassurance from Joe Biden
“W E ARE ALL heaving a sigh of relief,” says a South-East Asian diplomat, about the exit of President Donald Trump. Never has America’s ability to underpin Asia’s stability and prosperity been so doubted by the region’s leaders and policymakers as over the past four years. Unfortunately for America’s standing in the region, the diplomat…
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South Korean Director Kim Ki-Duk Passes Away; Here’s A Look At Some Of His Best Movies
Korean director Kim Ki Duk, who was one of the best-known directors of the Korean film industry, died due to Covid-19 complications at the age of 59 in Latvia, according to a report by Variety. Fans and others from the film fraternity grieved over Kim ki Duk’s death. The late filmmaker had made numerous films…
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5 Predictions for Beijing’s Assault on Internet Freedom in 2021
China has long been home to the world’s most sophisticated system of internet controls. Indeed, in Freedom House’s “Freedom on the Net 2020” report, published in October, it was ranked the lowest among the 65 countries assessed for the sixth year in a row. But even by China’s own standards, censorship and surveillance were pushed…
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Understanding Vietnam’s Military Modernization Efforts
Between 2003 and 2018, Vietnam’s military expenditure increased by some 687 percent. However, the figure itself, while impressive, does not tell the full story of how Vietnam was able to transform the military from a battle-hardened but technologically deficient force of the Vietnam War era into the relatively modern and capable military of the present.…
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Before Trump, South Korean Conservatives Also Claimed a ‘Stolen’ Election
For Korea watchers, U.S. President Donald Trump’s narrative that Democrats, backed by foreign powers, have “stolen” the election through massive voter fraud uncannily resembles a widespread conspiracy theory that emerged in South Korea following its legislative election on April 15. Both narratives suggest that the liberal/progressive parties colluded with “China” to tamper with ballots, in…
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“We Are the Destiny You Cannot Avoid”: Thailand’s Prospects for Political Change
In his speech to the protesters occupying the streets around Government House in Bangkok on the night of October 14, Anon Nampa, a key leader of the country’s recent student-led protests, warned the government and the palace: “Do not use force to disperse us. If you do, this country will never be the same. And…
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What Does a Biden Presidency Mean to Hong Kong’s Democratic Movement?
The world is now imagining a Joe Biden presidency. While this victory brings optimism to many around the globe, the picture is quite different among Hong Kong’s democracy fighters. Many in the pro-democracy camp put all their hopes on President Donald Trump for his “tough-on-China” branding. For Hong Kongers who feel they are dependent on…