Southeast Asia deepens hedging amid Trump 2.0 turbulence

Written by Hunter Marston

Southeast Asian anxieties with the Trump administration’s turn toward protectionist trade policies were evident in the May 2025 ASEAN Summit, when the regional bloc expressed ‘deep concern’ with US tariffs.

Gender parity in Southeast Asia: An imperative for democracy, political empowerment, and growth

Written by Farwa Aamer

Economic marginalisation, including limited access to higher-paying jobs and decision-making roles, often constrains women's ability to advance politically, creating a cycle where economic disadvantages also feed into underrepresentation in political leadership.

Nobody likes a bully: China’s grip over the South China Sea is slipping

Written by Jonathan Dorsey

China is not just bullying its SCS neighbours but is also targeting those perceived to impede its regional dominance, with the United States Navy (USN), Japan Self-Defense Force, and even Canada having been subjected to risky encounters.

Australia reaches out to Southeast Asia through development and economic partnerships

Written by Melissa Conley Tyler

Whether it is helping link civil society organisations or stimulating Australian business to wake up to opportunities in the region, the Australian government will need to engage many tools of statecraft to achieve its strategic goal of deep partnerships with Southeast Asia.

Decentering ASEAN in the Quad’s Indo-Pacific strategy

Written by Rohan Mukherjee

ASEAN can then continue to hold together and take a middle path, offering security cooperation to the Quad, economic cooperation to China, and institutionalised opportunities for diplomacy all around. The Quad for its part can continue growing its footprint without maintaining the pretence of ASEAN centrality and the need to convince smaller regional states to irrationally become the tip of the spear aimed at China.

Russia’s conduct in the South China Sea

Written by Nivedita Kapoor

In the long term, Russia has the potential to become a regional energy supplier as well as provide connectivity via the Arctic Northern Sea Route (instead of via the Straits of Malacca), which could mitigate the contradictions in the SCS.

US-China relations: Biden’s first 100 Days

Written by Beverley Loke

On the whole, Biden has demonstrated consistency between discourse and deeds. His achievements in renewing America’s global role and rejuvenating a liberal rules-based order undergirded by Washington’s leadership have not been trivial.

COVID is forcing millions of girls out of school in Southeast Asia and the Pacific

Written by Katrina Lee-Koo

Building resilient communities is essential, as COVID sits among climate change, political instability, regional forced migration and other crises that will continue to challenge the region. Women and girls will be at the forefront of addressing all of these crises.

From bargaining chip to regional partner: Taiwan-US relations post 2020 election

Written by Kuan-Ting Chen

Whoever occupies the White House after November has now clearly experienced first-hand that Taiwan can indeed help. With enough work already carried out here in Taipei, Washington has an unparalleled opportunity to elevate the status of this small but mighty nation to a regional leader — in line with its own goals for engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.

The Myanmar challenge in China’s “String of Pearls” strategy

Written by Don McLain Gill

In a surprising turn of events, the government of Myanmar has decided to involve international partners in the mega Yangon City Project, which is a key element of the Beijing-funded China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC).

South Asia9DLAugust 12, 2020Myanmar, South East Asia, South Asia, China, CMEC

The rise of the CLMV countries and India’s regional role

Written by Kannan R Nair

Despite two decades of the Look East Policy and a more assertive Act East policy under Narendra Modi, New Delhi has not truly explored the potential of promoting increased cooperation and economic ties with the Mekong subregion.

Pacific9DLJuly 10, 2020India, democracy, South East Asia, China, Myanmar, Vietnam

Myanmar: a young democracy with a long way to go

Written by Uday Bakhshi

The power struggle between the NLD and the Tatmadaw is a major source of political instability in Myanmar. At the crux of this is the 2008 military-drafted constitution, which allows the Tatmadaw to appoint 25 per cent of the members of the bicameral Assembly of the Union, effectively giving it veto powers.

South Asia9DLJuly 9, 2020Myanmar, South East Asia, South Asia, China, democracy

Is China the sole culprit for the Mekong River Basins’ woes?

Written by Ambika Vishwanath

The Mekong River has been stressed with a number of water related events in the last two decades, some natural, many man-made. Beijing is committed to developing the Mekong basin and promises upstream activity will not hamper downstream flow, though that is not always the case.

East Asia9DLMay 25, 2020China, South East Asia, Mekong

Act East Policy: Why India-Vietnam strategic cooperation matters

Written by Niranjan Marjani

The strategic cooperation between both the countries is important for their bilateral relations. But it is also important for India’s outreach to Southeast Asia and for the success of Act East Policy.

South Asia9DLApril 2, 2020India, Vietnam, South East Asia, South China Sea, Indo-Pacific