Has Team Marcos Justified Its Economic Swagger?
A few weeks ago, the Philippines’ Finance Secretary Ralph Recto took to the stage and made a bold declaration. By 2033, he claimed, the country’s economy could triple in size, reaching upwards of a...
View ArticleUS Diplomat Reportedly Met Myanmar Naval Officer in Vietnam
A senior U.S. official met with a high-ranking member of the Myanmar armed forces last week in Vietnam, suggesting a possible shift in Washington’s approach to the country’s conflict. Daniel...
View ArticlePhilippines Says it Wants ‘Dialogue’ With China Following Maritime Clash
The Philippines is committed to working with China to manage tensions in the South China Sea after a clash earlier last week that saw a physical confrontation between personnel from the two nations,...
View ArticleCan Vice President Sara Duterte Lead the Philippine Opposition?
Immediately after the resignation last week of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte as education secretary and vice chairperson of the government’s anti-communist task force, her supporters claimed...
View ArticleCounterterrorism in Af-Pak: Can the US ‘Do More’?
Last month, the U.S. State Department issued a joint statement on the Pakistan-U.S. Counterterrorism Dialogue, held on May 10. The statement highlighted the cooperation between the two sides “in...
View ArticleA Seasoned Diplomat For Phnom Penh
At the entrance to 156 Mao Tse Toung Boulevard, a blue gate decorated with a Taoist symbol of good fortune greets visitors. China’s embassy in Phnom Penh is getting ready to welcome a new occupant....
View ArticleEcological Disasters in Sikkim: A Skewed Security-Development Balance in the...
On June 9, the state of Sikkim in Northeast India was hit by a major landslide caused by heavy rainfall, wreaking havoc among the population. The incessant rainfall and subsequent landslides continued...
View ArticleThailand Is the Myanmar Military’s Gateway to the Global Financial System,...
Thailand has emerged as the leading source of banking services to Myanmar’s military junta, and a key financial conduit for the procurements of arms and other military equipment, as Western sanctions...
View ArticleMore Than a Ranking
On Monday, the U.S. Department of State released its Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, a monumental annual undertaking to comprehensively document the global status quo for human trafficking and...
View ArticleFormer Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Mulling Senate Run
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte plans to run for a Senate seat at next year’s mid-term elections along with his two sons, his daughter said this week, following the collapse of his family’s...
View ArticleHow Big Is the Philippines’ Online Gambling Problem?
The online gambling industry in the Philippines, which includes many companies known as Philippine Online Gaming Corporations (POGOs), took root and thrived during the administration of President...
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Afghan Hopes Are Riding on the Doha Conference
In the sweltering heat of Qatar, Mariam (not her real name) made the spontaneous choice to join me for a cup of tea. We planned to meet at the Pearl, nestled in Doha’s esteemed West Bay. The afternoon...
View ArticleSoutheast Asia’s Real Choices Lie Beyond the ‘Swing State’ Paradigm
Southeast Asian states have understandably continued to resist the need to make aggregate choices amid growing U.S.-China competition, even as there is increasing scrutiny from both Beijing and...
View ArticleMyanmar’s Junta Is Also Losing on the Supermarket Shelves
Food queues have been piling up in the supermarkets of Yangon – perhaps as rapidly as the beleaguered military beats its retreat from the states that surround Myanmar’s largest city – after another...
View ArticleKyrgyzstan’s Hot (Mess) Transport Summer
Bishkek, a city of just over a million people, should ostensibly not be difficult to get around. Its center is a neat grid; its offshoots can be navigated with a hop, skip, and jump across major...
View ArticleWhy Is China Stockpiling Key Resources?
Is China getting ready to invade Taiwan? This is one of the questions that prompted a hearing this month by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a government-funded organization that...
View Article4 Ways China Gets Around US AI Chip Restrictions
The recently concluded Computex 2024 in Taipei gathered the world’s most renowned computer manufacturers, and invited an unprecedentedly large number of CEOs of chip manufacturers to be its keynote...
View ArticleHow Nepali Cricket Is Becoming a Beacon of Hope and Soft Power
Nepal’s participation in the 2024 T20 International World Cup ended with three defeats and one abandoned match. Though some moments drew international attention to Nepali cricket, the team wrapped up...
View ArticleHow Can Australia Confront ‘Hostage Diplomacy’?
This week the Australian Senate referred an inquiry into the wrongful detention of Australian citizens by foreign governments to the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Reference Committee. The inquiry...
View ArticleModi Government Begins Third Term on Combative Note
The 18th Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of Parliament, kicked off on a discordant note this week, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government and the...
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