Archive
2020
Reality Check on Human Rights in Uzbekistan
By Hugh Williamson
Tashkent needs clear goals for a Human Rights Council term.
China Isn’t Hiding the Border Tensions With India From Its Public Anymore
By Aadil Brar
China has loosened its restrictions on reporting about the border standoff, while still practicing heavy-handed opinion shaping tactics.
US and India Hold Defense Technology Cooperation Meeting Amid Diminished Expectations
By Abhijnan Rej
American export-control laws and India’s tight defense budget have together implied more modest future goals for the DTTI.
Can Offensive Cyber and Information Control Capabilities Be Simultaneously Measured?
By Gunjan Chawla
A recent case in India suggests complications in measuring a country’s cyber power through open-source intelligence.
Hype or Hypersonic?
By Jacob Parakilas
Hypersonic weapons pose immense strategic and tactical dilemmas, but questions remain about their combat effectiveness and reliability.
Should We Be Worried About Indonesia’s Stock Market?
By James Guild
Its recent poor performance is a less pressing concern than Indonesia's capacity to regulate complex financial markets effectively.
UN Renews Push on Thai Activist’s Disappearance
By Sebastian Strangio
Correspondence reveals the Cambodian government's threadbare investigation into the apparent abduction.
Is China Escalating Tensions With Japan in the East China Sea?
By Mike Mochizuki and Jiaxiu Han
A closer look at the latest developments in the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands dispute.
With New State Department Web Page, US Ramps up Emphasis on China’s Xinjiang Abuses
By Shannon Tiezzi
The U.S.-China battle of the narratives over Xinjiang continues to heat up.
What Can Asia Expect From Suga’s Japan?
By Ankit Panda
Abe's successor will represent continuity, but faces a challenging set of internal issues.
Swiss-Uzbek Agreement a Step Toward Returning Many Millions to Uzbekistan
By Catherine Putz
Can the Uzbek government ensure that those who participated in Gulnara Karimova’s corruption do not benefit from it once more?
Kazakh Activist’s ‘Fake News’ Conviction Upheld
By Catherine Putz
What concerns the Kazakh government isn’t “fake news” but its own fear that incompetence, pointed out, will undermine the current power structures.
How Identity Politics Overshadowed Hong Kong
By Jin Kai
An interview with Wong Tsz Yuen, senior reporter at Phoenix TV, on the past, present, and future of Hong Kong through the lens of “identity politics.”
Declan Walsh on the ‘Nine Lives of Pakistan’
By Shah Meer Baloch
Declan Walsh talks about his latest book, Pakistan, regional politics, media freedom, and more.
US Envoy Lauds Pakistan’s Role in Afghan Peace Talks Process
By Associated Press
Washington's peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and a U.S. delegation visiting Pakistan praised its assistance.
Central Asia’s Refineries Under Scrutiny
By Paolo Sorbello
Kazakhstan's anti-monopoly agency fines the Atyrau refinery; Uzbekistan's Fergana refinery becomes loot for investors.
Germany’s Indo-Pacific Vision: A New Reckoning With China or More Strategic Drift?
By Coby Goldberg
Like Monday’s summit, Berlin’s regional strategy tinkers around the edges of trade policy without risking the cost of a full-fledged strategic reckoning with China.
What to Expect From Japan’s New Leader
By Duncan Bartlett
COVID-19, China, and South Korea top the agenda for new LDP President Suga Yoshihide.
Why Am I Worried About the Taliban’s Return?
By Ali Reza Sarwar
One Afghan explains why he’s concerned about the return of the Taliban to the official political arena in Afghanistan.
Indian Defense Minister Blames China for Ongoing Crisis, Suggesting India’s Military Option Remains Open
By Abhijnan Rej
Rajnath Singh’s statement before the Indian Parliament stood out for its blunt tone.
Bangladesh’s Long Road Ahead in Countering Terrorist Fundraising
By Iftekharul Bashar
Bangladesh needs to empower and enable the relevant agencies to proactively respond to terrorism financing in all forms.
US Imposes Sanctions on Chinese Company for Rights Abuses in Cambodia
By Luke Hunt
Chinese investment schemes in Cambodia “deepen corruption [and] undermine rule of law,” the US Treasury says.
Vietnam Land Dispute Trial Terminates in Guilty Verdicts
By Sebastian Strangio
After earlier signs of leniency, the Vietnamese authorities used the Dong Tam trial to send a strong message.
Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Face Chilly Political Climate
By Sebastian Strangio
The region’s authoritarian turn has made life difficult for lawmakers opposing entrenched political interests.