In view of China’s pin-prick strategy, the world’s third-largest democracy is developing some military teeth.
Chinese “Might Have Beens”: Big Opportunities Missed
The centenary of the Chinese Communist Party makes this a good time to consider some Chinese “might have beens” and their relevance today.
Hong Kong and Beijing: A Tale of Two Cities
The current protests show that Hong Kongers aren’t just interested in money, and mainland elites worry that Hong Kong won’t remain a separate territory where they can safely store their money.
Mahathir’s Malaysian Mayhem
The relentless horse trading among Malay politicians has not only undone the result of the 2018 election, but seemingly put an end to a genuinely multi-ethnic coalition.
China Vs. Indonesia: Intra-Asian Power Games
Beyond the constant strife with the U.S., China’s assertion of global powers runs into increasing resistance even by normally acquiescent Asian nations.
Beyond Hong Kong: Unrest in Indonesia
The once reformist President Joko Widodo, now in his second term, gets swallowed up by the bureaucracy and overall Indonesian politics.
Southeast Asia: From Trade Wind to Typhoon
Trade brought prosperity to many of the trading sultanates which lined the coast of the archipelago and peninsula.
Southeast Asia: Three Interventions
China’s rise, the spread of Islam and the arrival of Europeans had a profound effect on the region.
Southeast Asia: Sumatra and Java in their Prime
Chinese Buddhists traveled to Sumatra to improve their learning before proceeding to India and Sri Lanka.
Asia Got Religion
Religion is proving an increasingly divisive factor in the politics of Asian nations.