2024-03-17 21:00
The ASEAN–Australia special summit hosted earlier this month by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Melbourne cleared the bar for success that Australia’s pr… Read More
Blog Directory > Politics Blogs > East Asia Forum politics Blog >
East Asia Forum Blog
eastasiaforum.org
Tags:
taiwan
south china sea
china sea
asia pacific peace
earth
flinders university
private
australian national university
export controls
private sector
Economics, Politics and Public Policy in East Asia and the Pacific
2024-03-17 11:00
In the end, Prabowo Subianto got the cake, albeit without the icing, in Indonesia’s presidential election on 14 February. The official tally, to be announced 20 March, looks… Read More
2024-03-16 11:00
Myanmar’s 2021 military coup has given rise to significant uncertainty regarding the stability of the country. The seizure of power by the military has sparked armed resista… Read More
2024-03-15 23:00
Discussions between the US Secretary of Commerce and the Chinese Minister of Commerce in November 2023 highlight the latest complexities in the US–China trade relationship… Read More
2024-03-15 11:00
From 2012 to 2021, Beijing steadily advanced its claim to ‘historic rights’ in most of the waters, seabed, and airspace of the South China Sea, using coercion and thre… Read More
2024-03-14 23:00
Taiwan needs to build soft power, generating attraction to its values, ideas and culture to overcome disabling international challenges confronting President-elect Lai Ching-te. P… Read More
2024-03-14 11:00
Opponents of China’s solar manufacturing industry, including US and German manufacturers, believe that human rights are currently at odds with the renewable energy transitio… Read More
2024-03-13 23:00
After another decade of land takings and conflicts, the National Assembly of Vietnam has passed new amendments for its Land Law. The law’s performance not only affects the r… Read More
2024-03-13 11:00
Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election does not simply signal a change in leadership. It represents a pivotal moment in the island’s assertion of its political identity a… Read More
2024-03-12 23:00
In 2023, China’s Coast Guard (CCG) and maritime militia were deployed to the South China Sea in greater numbers, for longer periods of time and with more aggression than eve… Read More
2024-03-12 11:00
Violence in Myanmar is spreading with armed ethnic groups now confronting the Tatmadaw across different regions. 2023 saw victories by the Three Brotherhood Alliance in Shan State… Read More
2024-03-11 23:00
The equitable allocation of intergovernmental transfers is a pillar of fiscal federalism and crucial in defining a country’s socioeconomic landscape. But political interests… Read More
2024-03-11 11:00
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have not been this high since 2017, when then US president Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un exchanged threats of nuclear w… Read More
2024-03-10 21:00
Public discontent with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is palpable over a slush fund scandal involving at least 970 million yen… Read More
2024-03-10 11:00
Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is in crisis over a political slush fund scandal, which erupted in December 2023. The scandal has plunged public trust in Prime… Read More
2024-03-09 11:00
Cambodia runs on both renewable and non-renewable energy, a mix of hydropower, solar and biomass followed by coal and fuel oil. The share of renewables is forecasted to grow in 20… Read More
2024-03-08 23:00
Following Taiwan’s general elections in January 2024, where the Democratic Progressive Party won a third term, South Asian countries released a range of statements supportin… Read More
2024-03-08 11:00
As geopolitical tensions and concerns about the environment deepened, APEC’s 2023 agenda focused on fostering sustainable and inclusive development, highlighting its pivotal… Read More
2024-03-07 23:00
COVID-19 disrupted human capital formation in Asia when many countries were racing against time to escape the middle-income trap before their populations began to age. The pandemi… Read More
2024-03-07 11:00
Following Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) devastating riots in early January 2024, Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko told journalists that in September 2023 Chi… Read More
2024-03-06 23:00
While palm oil has been acclaimed for its versatility and economic viability, it has also garnered severe criticism over its significant contribution to tropical deforestation. Th… Read More
2024-03-06 11:00
In 2023, North Korea intensified its political and economic development. Pyongyang is going back to its historical roots, dedicating economic resources to the heavy industries whe… Read More
2024-03-05 23:00
On 7 January 2024 the incumbent Awami League (AL) was re-elected in Bangladesh in an election that was neither free nor fair. The election was described by the international media… Read More
2024-03-05 11:00
In just 13 months, the Cambodia–France bilateral relationship has experienced a rapid transformation. The government of new Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has continued… Read More
2024-03-05 02:00
Japan’s population began to decline after peaking at 128 million in 2008, registering 125 million in 2022. If this trend continues, Japan’s population is projected to… Read More
2024-03-04 23:00
After Pakistan’s turbulent election period, the government elected after 8 February 2024 will have to deal with the vexed problem of Pakistan’s foreign debt.
Pakist… Read More
2024-03-03 21:00
This week Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host ASEAN heads of government in Melbourne for the second ASEAN–Australia Special Summit on Australian soil… Read More
2024-03-03 11:00
Australia hosts its second home-based summit with ASEAN leaders in Melbourne this week at a time when, more than ever, it wants and needs ASEAN to be an effective anchor for the s… Read More
2024-03-02 11:00
If minilateralism is the ‘way to get things done’ in the Indo-Pacific — whether in the security, diplomatic, defence or economic spheres — then what Japan… Read More
2024-03-02 04:00
In Mongolia, the economy continues to recover from COVID-19, partly due to the completion of underground construction at the giant Oyu Tolgoi copper mine and record-high coal expo… Read More
2024-03-01 23:00
Judging by its macroeconomic indicators, the Indian economy performed well during 2023. In January 2024, the country’s National Statistical Office estimated that the growth… Read More
2024-03-01 11:00
On 13 January 2024, Taiwan conducted its Presidential and Legislative Yuan elections. The elections, especially the presidential election, were seen as a watershed event amid incr… Read More
2024-03-01 04:00
Timor-Leste’s last political cycle had two electoral episodes — the presidential elections in 2022 and the parliamentary elections in 2023. In both elections, the publ… Read More
2024-02-29 23:00
Middle powers such as Australia and Japan have leveraged minilateral relationships to achieve shared security and economic objectives. But since the minilateralism pursued by Canb… Read More
2024-02-28 11:00
Pacific Islanders, stewards of the world’s largest ocean, are staring down the dire effects of climate change as ocean warming, severe cyclones and mass coral reef bleaching… Read More
2024-02-27 23:00
The rise of minilateral initiatives in the Indo-Pacific has attracted worldwide attention as it appears to be a response to the region’s changing balance of power. Yet such… Read More
2024-02-27 11:00
Myanmar remains fundamentally damaged by the military coup that took place in 2021. Nearly half of the population has been forced below the poverty line. Meagre growth of 2 t… Read More
2024-02-26 23:00
According to the 2018 Composite Water Management Index report by the National Institution for Transforming India, India is facing the worst water crisis in its history. Approximately 600 mil… Read More
2024-02-26 11:00
Since invading Ukraine, Russia has used a combination of incentives and threats to align Central Asian countries with its interests. Russia has also converged with China as an ada… Read More
2024-02-25 21:00
If re-elected, Donald Trump has promised a 10 per cent tariff on all goods coming into the United States — a tax on imports — and a 60 per cent tariff on Chinese goods… Read More
2024-02-25 11:00
The World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) 13th Ministerial Conference takes place in Abu Dhabi on 26–29 February. It is expected to include a deal providing transparency an… Read More
2024-02-24 11:00
Fragmentation in global trade is not new. With the slow development of multilateral trade rules at the World Trade Organization (WTO), governments have turned to free trade agreem… Read More
2024-02-24 04:00
After expanding by 2.6 per cent in 2022, South Korea’s economy cooled in 2023. Waning global demand for South Korean exports, continuing geopolitical challenges and weakenin… Read More
2024-02-23 23:00
ASEAN is the world’s economic dark horse and is on its way to becoming a global centre of growth. As ASEAN member states are generally dependent on trade, it is worth examin… Read More
2024-02-23 11:25
Under mounting security pressure caused by China’s muscle flexing in the South China Sea and the possibility of Beijing’s economic coercion, Vietnam has adopted a caut… Read More
2024-02-23 04:00
Historically, South Korea has been more of an importer of transnational higher education than an exporter. This is exemplified by the array of international university branch camp… Read More
2024-02-22 23:00
In Maldives, domestic politics is often significant enough to supersede foreign influence and privilege independent approaches to development cooperation. President Dr Mohamed Mui… Read More
2024-02-22 11:00
Bangladesh hopes to build a smart economy which will allow it to become a developed and prosperous country by 2041. While digitalisation has a lot to offer, there are certain area… Read More
2024-02-21 23:00
Over the last 25 years, Canberra has preferred a strategy of ‘riding two horses’ rather than choosing between its biggest customer, Beijing, and its strongest ally, Wa… Read More
2024-02-21 11:00
The Indo-Pacific is being transformed by a resurgence of so-called ‘minilateral’ forms of regional cooperation. Whereas state-to-state cooperation was once generally e… Read More
2024-02-21 04:00
When the Papua New Guinean (PNG) parliament convened on 13 February 2024, the opposition submitted a notice for vote of no confidence against Prime Minister James Marape, naming E… Read More
2024-02-20 23:00
The most striking aspect of Pakistan’s economy in 2023 was that it was bifurcated into two very distinct halves. As the 2022–23 financial year was coming to a close in… Read More
2024-02-20 11:00
The systematic implementation of Japan’s Tourism Strategy by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has positioned Japan as a global tourism hub, drawin… Read More
2024-02-20 04:00
Human trafficking is a global, non-traditional security threat, affecting nearly 50 million individuals in 2021. This issue is especially prominent for ASEAN countr… Read More
2024-02-19 23:00
In 2024, as Timor-Leste prepares to mark 25 years since its vote for freedom from Indonesia both its many achievements and potentially existential risks are both plain to see… Read More
2024-02-19 11:00
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan had a good run in 2023. Bucking the trend of the past decade, the region did not experience major conflicts, attempts at regim… Read More
2024-02-18 21:00
In the wake of Prabowo Subianto’s landslide victory in Indonesia’s presidential election on 14 February, many are waiting with trepidation to see whether Prabowo&rsquo… Read More
2024-02-18 11:00
On 8 February 2024, millions of Pakistanis emphatically responded through the vote in the general elections to months of repression and the systematic persecution of former prime… Read More
2024-02-17 11:00
While Nepal’s coalition government under Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) remained stable in 2023, domestic politics was ove… Read More
2024-02-17 04:00
After nearly four years of preparation and four long months of intense campaigning, the Indonesian presidential election finally took place on 14 February 2024. It resulted in a l… Read More
2024-02-15 23:00
South Korea has the worst fertility rate in the world. Some link the country’s demographic collapse to the emergence of feminism, citing that it instils bitterness into the… Read More
2024-02-14 11:00
Vietnam’s economy emerged from COVID-19 with a surprisingly high 8 per cent annual growth rate at the end of 2022, but took a gloomy U-turn in the first half of 2023, plague… Read More
2024-02-13 23:00
Brunei’s post-pandemic recovery has been weaker than expected. The economy grew only marginally in 2023 — after contracting the previous two years — with the leve… Read More
2024-02-13 11:00
In the third year under military rule, Myanmar faced greater socioeconomic hardship caused by intensified conflict across the country, severe macroeconomic instability and natural… Read More
2024-02-13 04:00
The Malaysian economy has proved its resilience yet again, achieving a growth rate of 3.3 per cent in the third quarter of 2023. Though this was a reasonable rate given the rather… Read More
2024-02-12 23:00
As the 2024 Indonesian presidential election heated up, the country’s electoral commission hosted the third round of five presidential candidates’ debates on 7 January… Read More
2024-02-12 11:00
In October 2023, Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party adopted a ‘Strategy for Safeguarding the Fatherland in the New Situation’. Reiterating an appraisal underlying… Read More
2024-02-11 21:00
Leaving aside the genuine concerns about the quality of democracy in Indonesia, there’s no denying that there’s still a tremendous quantity of it. On 14 February almos… Read More
2024-02-11 11:00
As Indonesians prepare to cast votes for a new president on 14 February, the question isn’t whether Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto will win, but how.
Prabowo and his r… Read More
2024-02-10 11:00
Across 2021 and 2022, India signed three free trade agreements (FTAs) with Mauritius, the United Arab Emirates and Australia. India’s FTA negotiations with the European Unio… Read More
2024-02-10 04:00
In April 2023, the Japanese government introduced a new policy offering 1 million yen (US$6770) per child to families who move out of greater Tokyo and relocate to rural areas of… Read More
2024-02-09 23:00
Prior to the upgrading of the US–Vietnam relationship to a ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ in September 2023, observers anticipated that the move would pro… Read More
2024-02-09 11:50
In 2023, Sri Lanka faced a complex interplay of economic and political challenges. Although fuel and food queues have disappeared, the dire impact of the economic crisis was inesc… Read More
2024-02-09 04:00
When the deadline for Indonesian presidential and vice presidential nominations closed on October 25 2023, three pairs were left to contest for seats. The impact of the election a… Read More
2024-02-08 23:00
Unlike other ASEAN countries, Thailand’s real GDP and GDP per capita have yet to outpace pre-pandemic figures. The Thai economy was hit hard by COVID-19 and has experienced… Read More
2024-02-08 11:00
The word to describe China’s economy in 2023 is bumpy. After an expectations-exceeding growth of 4.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2023 following three years of strict CO… Read More
2024-02-08 05:55
As 2024 begins, the United States continues its retreat from its post-World War II role as leader of a rules-based global trading system. This retreat began in 2017 with the mercu… Read More
2024-02-07 23:00
The most significant event in Taiwan in 2023 was the presidential election campaign. Amid the dramatic campaign trail, the spotlight on the electoral spectacle has overshadowed ot… Read More
2024-02-07 11:00
In 2023, Pakistan was convulsed by three crises — economic, political and security. They originated in 2021 and 2022 but became more serious, forcing the country to pay the… Read More
2024-02-07 04:00
It was a challenging year for Papua New Guinea in 2023. The government estimates that the economy grew by only 2.7 per cent in 2023, down from a projection of 4.0 per cent in… Read More
2024-02-06 23:00
China gifted Zimbabwe a new parliament building in October 2023 — a US$200 million project financed and constructed by the Chinese government. This generosity is part of a b… Read More
2024-02-06 11:00
Issues of sovereignty and self-determination continue to loom large in strategic imaginations across the Pacific. In 2023, numerous developments added to an already complex enviro… Read More
2024-02-06 08:00
Amid all the negative economic news about Japan — with its GDP in late 2023 no higher than in 2018 — there is good news. Powerful societal and technological changes ar… Read More
2024-02-06 04:00
The main story of 2023 in South Korea was that another year passed with no progress towards addressing the country’s biggest issues. Young South Koreans continue to achieve… Read More
2024-02-05 23:00
In 2023, Cambodia commenced a new chapter in its political history. The country went through the inevitable motions of elections, enabling a generational transition in government… Read More
2024-02-05 11:00
New Year’s Day marked a significant milestone for Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s three-party coalition government. It exceeded the longest term in office for… Read More
2024-02-04 21:00
There are no ‘silver linings’ in a conflict like that in Myanmar, where the civil war is still having its devastating effects on the country’s society and econom… Read More
2024-02-04 11:00
Myanmar had another terrible year in 2023. The economic, social and political damage unleashed by the 2021 coup is compounded month-by-month by the decisions of a small group of t… Read More
2024-02-03 12:21
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for his involvement in the multi-billion 1MDB corruption scandal. Yet barely two years into his… Read More
2024-02-03 11:00
The Taiwanese democratic process is a sight to behold. Final rallies by the three electoral candidates brought hundreds of thousands to the streets on the eve of the 12 January el… Read More
2024-02-02 23:00
In the context of high inflation, rising interest rates, fiscal dysfunction and geopolitical conflict, many dismal scientists predicted that the US economy would finish 2023 in st… Read More
2024-02-02 11:00
The major event in New Zealand in 2023 was undoubtedly the election and, six weeks later, the formation of a new government. Yet it remains to be seen how the new three-way coalit… Read More
2024-02-02 08:26
Indonesia has successfully outperformed many of its ASEAN peers in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) over the past five years. Yet these positive trends have yet to contr… Read More
2024-02-02 04:19
In the aftermath of the November 2022 elections, Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal secured 268 out of 270 votes in the parliament, backed by the Communist Party of Nepal (U… Read More
2024-02-01 11:00
The former leaders of South Korea’s two major political parties are set to split away and establish new parties ahead of the general election on 10 April 2024. This reflects… Read More
2024-02-01 04:00
Much like a soap opera, Indonesian politics in 2023 was full of plot twists. With less than a year until the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for February 2024, political… Read More
2024-02-01 00:24
The world has witnessed a complex tapestry of economic and technological dynamics between the United States and China, with 2023 marking a period of continued economic interde… Read More
2024-01-31 11:00
Though North Korea had yet to fully resume its pre-pandemic activities by the end of the year, Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un celebrated major successes in safeguarding and strengthen… Read More
2024-01-31 04:00
For Americans engaged with East Asia, 2023 started inauspiciously. On 28 January, a high-altitude balloon was discovered flying across North America.
Suspected of being a… Read More
2024-01-30 23:00
One of the key questions about China’s relations with Myanmar is whether Beijing is supporting the State Administration Council (SAC) military junta. To the naive eye, it se… Read More
Subscribe to East Asia Forum
Get updates delivered right to your inbox!