Archive
November 2020
China Points Finger at Imported Food Packaging as It Casts Doubt on COVID-19 Origins
By Associated Press
China’s new focus on testing packaging comes amid a media push to claim that frozen food imports brought the virus to Wuhan in the first place.
UN Working Group Finds Serikzhan Bilash’s Detention by Kazakhstan Arbitrary
By Catherine Putz
Bilash headed a group advocating for greater attention to the ethnic Kazakhs detained in China’s camps in Xinjiang. It got him in trouble with the Kazakh government.
A Financial Alliance Won’t Help China and Russia Dethrone the US Dollar
By Francis Shin
Even a joint effort from China and Russia won’t be enough to shield them from U.S. economic influence.
China’s Xi Finally Congratulates US President-Elect Biden
By Shannon Tiezzi
Xi's call came shortly after the official transition process began.
Europe as a Major Military Power in Asia? Don’t Bet on It
By Jacob Parakilas
Despite symbolic assertions, European countries face fundamental constraints in establishing a larger military footprint in Asia.
Indian Defense Forces Establishing Greater Presence Along China Border in Arunachal Pradesh
By StoriesAsia
India also remains concerned about Chinese infrastructure growth and relocation activities across the LAC.
Hong Kong Voices in American Politics
By Maggie Shum and Victoria Tin-bor Hui
Preliminary survey results suggest President-elect Biden has some convincing to do to win the confidence of Hong Kong Americans.
Biden Must Not Give in to North Korea’s Demand for Early Sanctions Relief
By Mathew Ha
Diplomatic success will require better sanctions enforcement, not looser sanctions.
Banking Consolidation Continues in Kazakhstan
By Paolo Sorbello
A bank close to Nazarbayev buys a competitor, while smaller lenders continue to fall.
Understanding Vietnam’s Military Modernization Efforts
By Bich Tran
The country's armed forces have come a long way since the years following the Vietnam War.
Explaining Southeast Asia’s Addiction to the Death Penalty
By Sebastian Strangio
The region remains a global outlier in terms of the use of capital punishment.
Can COVID-19’s Impact on Democracy in Southeast Asia be Reversed?
By Joshua Kurlantzick
As authoritarian leaders in many Southeast Asian countries use the pandemic to consolidate their hold, what needs to be done to buck the trend?