The New US Perception of China
The American perception of China has gone through an intriguing transition over the last century. Once, compassion was dominant. Today, increasing hostility is prominent with rumbles of a serious trade war in the air.
Politics,Southeast Asia
Mahathir: The Strongman Returns
On the morning of May 10, 2018, Malaysians woke up to the return of their long-time political strongman Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. Mahathir had a decisive victory and it seemed voters in rural as well as urban areas were in favor of bringing him back.
Politics,China,Southeast Asia
China-ASEAN Relations: Adjustment and Cooperation Needed
Politics,Economy,Southeast Asia
ASEAN Summit Discusses Smart Cities Network and Trade Tensions
Politics,China
Politics,Economy,East Asia
East Asian Integration and Trump’s Trade Protectionism
Major players in global trade will consider possible countermeasures and strategies to moderate the medium- and long-terms impacts of Donald Trump’s trade protectionism. Amid the trade war, China, Japan, and South Korea are reviving the delayed agenda of East Asia integration.
Politics,Economy,China
China’s New Arctic Policy Needs Close Analysis
Now that the dust has settled on China’s big policy announcement, it is time to take a fresh look at China’s Arctic Policy and assess what it means for the US and the other five states that have a coastline on the Arctic Sea: Canada, Greenland (Denmark), Russia, Norway, and Iceland.
Politics,East Asia
The Tug of War between Taiwan and the PRC
After the Taiwan Travel Act is signed, Taiwan’s independence activists and supporters are elated. After decades of struggle, the tug of war has now become a contest between Taiwan and the PRC.
Politics,China
Xi Jinping and the Removal of Presidential Term Limits in China
China scrapped its presidential two-term limit, allowing President Xi Jinping to seek a third term in 2022. The change was criticized by numerous Western pundits as “dangerous,” “regressive,” and “potentially disastrous.” Are such criticisms warranted?
Politics,Security,South Asia
The Pakistan Puzzle: How Will Trump Deal with It?
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi recently met with US Vice President Mike Pence. One of the challenges which the US is facing is that despite taking tough measures on Pakistan lately, there has been no visible change in Islamabad’s approach towards terror groups.
Politics,Society,South Asia
Civic Activism Gains Momentum in Afghanistan
The people of Afghanistan have made use of democratic practices, such as popular sit-ins, social media activism, and even satire, as ways to make themselves heard even if their faith in the government and the administration continues to diminish by the day.
Politics,Southeast Asia
Withdrawing from the ICC: What Now for the Philippines?
On March 16, 2018, the Philippines began the process of its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court. The decision ultimately discredits the Philippines’ democratic credentials that are supposedly grounded on the ideals of human rights.
Politics,Society
What is Structural Blindness?
The recent discovery of a hitherto-unrecognized human organ, the interstitium, has provided an example of the phenomenon of structural blindness: the inability of people to see something not because of a defect in their eyes, but because of a long-standing feature of the world.
