How the CCP Co-opted an Ancient Buddhist Monk
Kumarajiva, a fourth-century monk and scholar responsible for translating Buddhist texts into Chinese, is venerated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for developing Mahayana Buddhism in China. He is...
View ArticleThai Court Opens Hearing Into Petition to Free Detained Uyghurs
A Thai court opened a hearing on Friday into the fate of 43 Uyghurs who have spent more than a decade in detention amid fears that the Thai authorities are preparing to deport them to China, where they...
View ArticlePhilippine Police General Files Complaint Against Ex-President for...
A senior Philippine police official has filed a criminal complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte over comments he made during a campaign rally last week, at which he jokingly threatened to...
View ArticleSingaporean Court Convicts Opposition Leader of Lying to Parliamentary Committee
A Singapore court yesterday found the country’s opposition leader guilty of lying under oath to Parliament, potentially impacting his party’s chances at the general election that is due to be held by...
View ArticleThe Nickel-based Industrial Paradox: Indonesian Resources, Chinese Profits
Indonesia’s nickel downstreaming is one of the most debated industrial policies in the world today. With strong backing from Tsingshan Holding Group and Jiangsu Delong Nickel Industry Co Ltd, two major...
View ArticleXi Jinping Holds Economic Symposium With Corporate Giants
In a bid to tackle the country’s economic challenges, top leader Xi Jinping recently met with China’s private sector giants. He attempted to downplay the issues, stressing that “some difficulties and...
View ArticleThe China-Russia Relationship: A Marriage of Convenience
Since April 1997, when Russian President Boris Yeltsin and China’s leader Jiang Zemin first announced their intention “to promote the multipolarization of the world and the establishment of the new...
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From India to Russia and Back: Escaping the Russian Army
On December 13, 2023, a group of seven Indian men gathered at a restaurant in the southeastern city of Chennai. Strangers to one another, the men drank chai and shared biryani, bonding over stories of...
View ArticleImagining Democratic Futures in South Asia
It is often said that democracy is in retreat around the world, and there is no shortage of data to make that case: electoral quality has been on the decline for years across the globe, while polls are...
View ArticleWhy Sovereign Wealth Funds Are All the Rage in Southeast Asia
Indonesia recently passed legislation paving the way for the creation of a new state-owned investment fund called Danantara. This follows the creation of another state-owned investment fund, the...
View ArticlePakistan’s Strategic Dilemmas Amid India-US Alignment
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump has raised eyebrows in Islamabad. In the joint statement issued during Modi’s trip, the two...
View ArticleSouth Korea’s Foreign Minister Holds 1st Meeting With US Secretary of State...
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 15 in Munich, Germany on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The Cho-Rubio...
View ArticleUN Report Exposes Sheikh Hasina’s Commanding Role in Possible Crimes Against...
A recent fact-finding report by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on human rights violations in Bangladesh during the July-August student-led uprising laid...
View ArticleA False Dichotomy Regarding Reform Is Prolonging Bangladesh’s Path to...
Reforms have become a buzzword in post-Hasina Bangladesh. The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, which took charge of the country on August 8, 2024, days after the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh...
View ArticleTo Outcompete China, the US Must Automate Maritime Supply Chains
The global trade landscape is facing disruption – and the United States’ infrastructure must adapt. The Trump administration’s proposed tariff hikes signal a renewed push to reshape global supply...
View ArticleTrump 2.0: Great Power Politics and the New World Order
The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation...
View ArticleTrump and the Philippines: Will the Squad Top the Quad?
The Indo-Pacific remains a shining beacon of hope in the United States’ otherwise dim foreign policy predictions. However, just like during President Donald Trump’s first term, securing U.S. interests...
View ArticleExporting Culture, Cementing Control: How the CCP Pursues Domestic Legitimacy...
On February 17, the Chinese animated film “Ne Zha 2” took its place among the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time, with its global box office haul at $1.66 billion and climbing. This milestone...
View ArticleThe Complex Road to Extradition: Will India Agree to Send Sheikh Hasina Back...
Bangladesh has formally sent all necessary documents to India to request the extradition of Sheikh Hasina and is prepared to issue a reminder when deemed necessary, Foreign Ministry spokesperson...
View ArticleImagining Democratic Futures in South Asia
It is often said that democracy is in retreat around the world, and there is no shortage of data to make that case: electoral quality has been on the decline for years across the globe, while polls are...
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