26 Apr 2023
Quad should ask ASEAN to a diplomatic dance
For all the talk of hedging, Southeast Asian nations have long worried about China’s ambition to dominate the region.
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22 Mar 2023
Can ASEAN forge a political solution in Myanmar?
Indonesia and Australia have different but equally critical roles in bringing the junta to the negotiating table. -
21 Mar 2023
Japan seeks an improved climate in relations with ASEAN
A new blueprint for economic ties between Tokyo and Southeast Asian nations has a focus on sustainable development. -
9 Feb 2023
With caution and tact: How Asian countries voted on Ukraine at the UN
A resolution forces nations to show their hand. After Russia’s invasion, consistency has not been to everyone’s liking. -
24 Jan 2023
Japan and ASEAN: 50 years of maritime strategy
Collaboration on ending illegal fishing and piracy in the region is important. But there are also bigger fish to fry. -
30 Nov 2022
Supporting the kind of region we want
In tougher strategic times, ASEAN stands as a crucial forum to ensure competition doesn’t tip into confrontation. -
17 Nov 2022
Economic diplomacy: Charging up old ties with Jakarta
Australia has stepped up a trade diversification push despite the first moves towards reconciliation with China. -
15 Nov 2022
Putting food at the heart of China-Indonesia relations
Beijing sees Indonesia as a major contributor to its food security and this has found receptive ears in Jakarta. -
9 Nov 2022
Countdown to Asia’s summit season
Conflict in Myanmar and Ukraine against a backdrop of US‑China tension – a crowded agenda will unfold in coming weeks. -
13 Sep 2022
Why Indonesia’s engagement with Pacific countries matters
Sovereignty, trust and mutual benefit are all at stake when so many regions come together under the Indo-Pacific banner. -
13 Sep 2022
Has Southeast Asia warmed to AUKUS one year on?
The shock of surprise has faded and a new tone from new voices may ease some concerns. But objections remain. -
9 Sep 2022
US-China rivalry in Southeast Asia need not be a zero-sum game
The big powers should pay more attention to the cooperative instincts of regional partners. -
6 Sep 2022
Debating Southeast Asia’s future
Insights from six of the region’s most interesting economic thinkers show the pathway to collective growth is not clear. -
5 Sep 2022
José Ramos-Horta's Australian visit: a checklist
The Greater Sunrise LNG field will top his agenda, along with economic diversification and ASEAN membership. -
25 Aug 2022
A new Marcos gets down to business
After an easy election win, the Philippine president is facing challenges at home and abroad. -
4 Aug 2022
Does ASEAN really need an official “second language”?
Privileging one voice over another in Southeast Asia would be a mistake. -
27 Jul 2022
Economic diplomacy: The Pacific beats ASEAN for nervous investors
Abe Shinzo’s passing and the Timor oil spy case dismissal reveal new thinking about what national security means. -
26 Jul 2022
ASEAN and pandemic recovery: Economy before strategic rivalry
Southeast Asia needs international support to rebuild from Covid. But help should not come with strings attached. -
26 Jul 2022
Log-jam in the Indo-Pacific economic policy space
It’s time for APEC to hit the refresh button to remain relevant in the region. -
27 Jun 2022
Why Australia shouldn’t put all its eggs in the Quad basket
The regional security pact is yet to prove its worth. Options must be kept open, with minilaterals top of the list. -
3 Jun 2022
Labor should create a “Regional Carbon Bank” for ASEAN and the Pacific
An urgent demand for clean electricity infrastructure requires needs a dedicated, multilateral agency in support. -
24 May 2022
Engaging with Southeast Asia: more than aid
The sentiment is right, Australia needs to strengthen ties with the region. But don’t rely on aid to deliver. -
17 May 2022
AUKUS: More than meets the eye
A series of small, overlapping initiatives are combining to bolster the security architecture of the Indo-Pacific. -
16 May 2022
Scoring Biden’s ASEAN summit
Good for ties with Southeast Asia, but a so-so agenda suggests US influence in the region will continue to decline. -
5 May 2022
Economic diplomacy: Trade shifts challenge a new government
“Friendshoring” offers a half-way house between reshoring production and diversifying markets in a deglobalising world. -
20 Apr 2022
Strategic divergence: Australia’s Southeast Asia challenge
Australia’s next government needs to find ways to relate to the region that don’t depend on geopolitical alignment. -
15 Apr 2022
Taming troubled waters
Looking from Vietnam, multi-layer joint efforts to ensure maritime security are welcome in the South China Sea. -
8 Apr 2022
Britain in Southeast Asia: How to keep old friends newly engaged
Are there too many Indo-Pacific inputs right now from various European actors, individually and collectively? -
6 Apr 2022
Protecting law and order at sea means educating people on their rights
Broad understanding about the need to balance and compromise interests will strengthen the system of international law. -
4 Apr 2022
Cause and effect: The right security architecture for the Indo-Pacific
Limitations in the established rules and forums have led the region to innovate. -
25 Mar 2022
Stiffening the ASEAN spine in the South China Sea
Any “minilateral” grouping among Southeast Asian nations must be mindful of its internal contradictions. -
25 Mar 2022
What counts for victims of trafficking?
Sharing data is key to combatting human rights abuses against vulnerable groups from the ASEAN region. -
21 Mar 2022
Does the Quad Plus add up?
The four-way security group should walk its talk about an inclusive region by stepping up dialogue with other countries. -
7 Mar 2022
Reading Southeast Asia on Ukraine
Russia’s invasion has unified the West with new clarity, yet exposed ambiguity and uncertainty in Southeast Asia. -
7 Mar 2022
The Ukraine crisis and Timor-Leste
The small country’s decision to stand against Russia underscored its democratic credentials in a region without many. -
24 Feb 2022
Economic diplomacy: Slow dividends for Australia from ASEAN spending
Amid the Ukraine sanctions showdown, an Indian trade deal looms as a pre-election win for the Morrison government. -
16 Feb 2022
Joe Biden’s new Indo-Pacific Strategy: A view from Southeast Asia
Rather than trying to push ASEAN to confront China, the White House has made an important gesture for unity. -
31 Jan 2022
ASEAN and Myanmar: No sign of progress
Despite aiming to promote regional stability, the grouping has struggled to find consensus after the coup in Naypyidaw. -
30 Dec 2021
The junta takes back Myanmar – Best of The Interpreter 2021
A coup in February sparked countrywide protests and challenged the region to respond. -
5 Nov 2021
Australia’s chance to dream with Southeast Asia
As a United States ally, Canberra can be a bridge between the region and Washington. -
22 Oct 2021
ASEAN muddles through on Myanmar
An interesting regional precedent is set by the decision to stop the junta leader attending upcoming summit meetings. -
20 Oct 2021
If pushed far enough, would Myanmar leave ASEAN?
Some generals once feared joining the regional body would expose Myanmar to foreign pressures. -
21 Sep 2021
AUKUS and the CPTPP: It’s all about China
Security deterrence is only one factor in the new and fast-moving geostrategic environment of the Indo-Pacific. -
15 Sep 2021
US engagement in Southeast Asia: How much will be enough?
Complaints about America’s attention to the region need to be put in proper context. -
17 Aug 2021
UK’s Indo-Pacific tilt – not just for the good times
Britain’s renewed enthusiasm in Southeast Asia means, among other tasks, negotiating the idiosyncrasies of ASEAN. -
22 Jul 2021
US-China rivalries: What matters for ASEAN
Southeast Asian nations have learned to be wary of big powers offering promises of security in return for loyalty. -
2 Jul 2021
Playing catch-up: Britain’s re-engagement with Southeast Asia
UK Foreign Secretary manages a mid-pandemic whistle-stop tour of Asian nations in a bid to promote “Global Britain”. -
10 Jun 2021
Myanmar pushes ASEAN to the brink
But there are lessons from other regional organisations in responding to a coup and political crisis. -
9 Jun 2021
Malaysia – and no Southeast Asian nation – should be bullied by China
An incursion by Chinese aircraft into Malaysian airspace is yet another reminder of Beijing’s belligerence. -
4 Jun 2021
Finding a new approach to water security in Southeast Asia
Disaster governance systems can help overcome barriers to securing water across the region.