Hunter Marston — 9DASHLINE

Facing battlefield losses, Myanmar’s junta may look to ASEAN for off-ramps

Written by Hunter Marston

Identifying possible mediators and key stakeholders is critical at this particular juncture, and given the present circumstances we need not let perfect be the enemy of good.

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In Forum: 2024 — The future of ASEAN

Great power politics in the Indo-Pacific has put the future and centrality of ASEAN under some doubt. How can ASEAN negotiate greater space for itself amid the intensifying great power rivalry?

9DASHLINE asks a select group of experts whether ASEAN can withstand these internal and external pressures.

Southeast Asia, Editor's Picks9DLFebruary 16, 20249dashline, DR. PRASHANTH PARAMESWARAN, GORDON CONOCHIE, NAZIA HUSSAIN, Hunter Marston, ASEAN, great power politics, Myanmar Coup, South China Sea, Cambodia, China, Philippine, In Forum: 2024 — The future of ASEAN

Best of 2023: Responding to China

In 2023, policymakers worldwide invested an unprecedented amount of time and resources in developing strategies for their relations with China. This heightened focus was prompted by the significant influence of Beijing's domestic, foreign, and security policies on the economies and politics of other countries.

We present some of our most-read analyses on different countries’ evolving strategies towards China featured in the past year.

Editor's Picks9DLJanuary 5, 2024Best of 2023: Responding to China, 9DASHLINE, THE EU’S ANTI-COERCION INSTRUMENT — A NEW STEP IN EU-CHINA ESCALATION?, Sjorre Couvreur, GERMANY’S NEW CHINA STRATEGY – A ROADMAP FOR CLIMATE FOREIGN POLICY, Belinda Schäpe, A LAW TO REIN IN TECH FIRMS: THE US IS RESTRICTING CHINA BY EMULATING IT, Wendy Chang, Antonia Hmaidi, DECOUPLING FROM CHINA IS NOT SO EASY FOR JAPAN AND KOREA, CHANG-MIN LEE, NZ: MAORI FOREIGN POLICY TO MANAGE INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA, Bonnie Holster, NICHOLAS ROSS SMITH, SOUTHEAST ASIAN MARITIME STATES ARE HEDGING TO STAY AFLOAT AMIDST US-CHINA RIVALRY, Hunter Marston

Southeast Asia’s security partnerships stronger and more diverse at the end of 2023

Written by Hunter Marston

Japan has emerged as a critical partner of choice for Southeast Asian countries, particularly in its efforts to build maritime and coast guard capacity for frontline states in the South China Sea, including the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Webinar: Maritime security and hedging in the South China Sea

WEBINAR: In partnership with La Trobe Asia, consortium lead for the Blue Security program we invite you to the launch of the third paper in the Maritime Affairs Series.

Written by Hunter Marston, Bich Tran, Elina Noor and Richard Javad Heydarian, ‘Fair Winds and Following Seas: Maritime Security and Hedging in the South China Sea’ explores the maritime security strategies of Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

News9DLSeptember 22, 20239DASHLINE, Webinar: Maritime security and hedging in the South China Sea, South China Sea, Hunter Marston

Southeast Asian maritime states are hedging to stay afloat amidst US-China rivalry

Written by Hunter Marston

As US-China rivalry hardens, becoming more zero-sum, and China continues to challenge the territorial sovereignty of maritime Southeast Asian states, it will become increasingly difficult to sustain such hedging policies.

Eyes on Asia: Shangri-La Security Dialogue's role in managing great power rivalry

Written by Hunter Marston

For Singapore, the advantages are inordinate. As a tiny island nation, the annual conference allows the country to exercise a degree of influence and statecraft on the world stage that its material resources and capacity might not otherwise grant it.

Two years after coup, Myanmar junta adapts to isolation

Written by Hunter Marston

Western aid is far away and will remain hostage to both Myanmar’s immediate neighbours, with whom they must coordinate, and broader concerns about security on the European continent, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will grip Western leaders’ attention for the foreseeable future.

ASEAN enters 2023 in a moment of crisis

Written by Hunter Marston

Some experts suggest Indonesia is likely to propose adopting a seven-vote threshold instead of requiring all ten members to agree on passing a measure. This would go a long way to making the institution more agile, responsive, and decisive.

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2023: Myanmar’s prospects for peace

With state of emergency set to end at the end of January and the military junta pledging to hold general elections by August 2023, 9DASHLINE asks experts what we should expect from the upcoming elections in Myanmar and whether there is any prospect for peace in the country.

Editor's Picks, South Asia9DLJanuary 9, 20239dashline, 2023: Myanmar’s prospects for peace, Nicola Williams, Ian Chong, Hunter Marston, Abigail Chen, Sreeradha Datta, Myanmar Coup, Myanmar's junta, Myanmar coup, military coup, state of emergency, National Unity Government, NUG, track-one negotiation process, ethnic resistance organisations, political strategies, military strategies, legitimacy, armed groups, general election, free and fair elections, National League for Democracy, NLD, opposition politicians, political prisoners, violence, reconciliation, peace, peace process, Union Solidarity and Development Party, USDP, Shan National League for Democracy, SNLD, People’s Defence Forces, State Administration Council, SAC, party boycotts, domestic resistance, diplomatic repercussions, ASEAN, five-point consensus, ASEAN envoy, malaysia, geopolitical interests, military leaders

Taking stock and looking ahead with 9DASHLINE

As we say farewell to an incredibly rewarding year and look forward to taking a brief but well-deserved break, 9DASHLINE’s leadership — David MacSweeney, Dr Manali Kumar, and Dr Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy — answer some frequently asked questions about our goals and hopes for the platform in 2023.

News9DLDecember 23, 20229DASHLINE, Hunter Marston, Tereza Novotna, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Manali Kumar, David MacSweeney, La Trobe Asia, Kubernein Initiative, indo-pacific, europe, Feminist Foreign Policy, Brussels, Berlin, Korea, Taiwan

With ASEAN Snub, Myanmar junta signals return to Cold War isolationism

Written by Hunter Marston

The junta knows it needs the support of Moscow and Beijing in the UN Security Council to prevent international action such as an arms embargo, which has failed to pass given their veto powers.

2022: Does ASEAN have a leadership deficit?

Although Indonesia, which accounts for half of ASEAN’s size and wealth, is the natural leader of the grouping when it does not actively lead, the group is further weakened.

The team behind 9DASHLINE

As we bid adieu to a busy and rewarding year for our team, 9DL’s leadership — David MacSweeney [Founder], Dr Manali Kumar [Editor-in-Chief], and Dr Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy [Head of the Associates’ Network] — answer some frequently asked questions.

Myanmar’s divided state leaves thousands of its people in the lurch

Written by Hunter Marston

Until some sort of political solution is achieved, Myanmar’s civilian population will remain torn between the current chaos of poverty and armed conflict on the one hand, and an as-yet-unrealised future built on principles of democracy and federalism towards which they are striving.

9DASHLINE announces exciting new partnership with New Mandala

We are delighted to announce our partnership with New Mandala currently hosted at the Australian National University’s (ANU) Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs.

News9DLNovember 10, 2021New Mandala, 9DASHLINE, Australian National University, ANU, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, 9DL, Hunter Marston, Elly Kent