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The Diplomat
Authors
Carl Thayer

Carl Thayer

He is a Southeast Asia regional specialist who taught at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Australian Command and Staff College, and Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Australian Defence College.

Posts by Carl Thayer
Alarming Escalation in the South China Sea: China Threatens Force if Vietnam Continues Oil Exploration in Spratlys
July 24, 2017
Alarming Escalation in the South China Sea: China Threatens Force if Vietnam Continues Oil Exploration in Spratlys
A new pattern of Chinese bellicosity?
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Alarming Escalation in the South China Sea: China Threatens Force if Vietnam Continues Oil Exploration in Spratlys
Asia Reassurance Initiative Act: A Republican Vision for Engaging Southeast Asia
July 19, 2017
Asia Reassurance Initiative Act: A Republican Vision for Engaging Southeast Asia
Can the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act find strategic ballast?
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Asia Reassurance Initiative Act: A Republican Vision for Engaging Southeast Asia
Is a New China-Vietnam Maritime Crisis Brewing in the South China Sea?
June 29, 2017
Is a New China-Vietnam Maritime Crisis Brewing in the South China Sea?
What are the implications of China’s abrupt cancellation of military border activities with Vietnam?
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Is a New China-Vietnam Maritime Crisis Brewing in the South China Sea?
Dead in the Water: The South China Sea Arbitral Award, One Year Later
June 28, 2017
Dead in the Water: The South China Sea Arbitral Award, One Year Later
Revisiting the July 2016 award on the South China Sea disputes between the Philippines and China.
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Dead in the Water: The South China Sea Arbitral Award, One Year Later
After the Ruling: Lawfare in the South China Sea
August 03, 2016
After the Ruling: Lawfare in the South China Sea
The historic ruling sets the stage for future diplomatic, political, and military contestations.
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After the Ruling: Lawfare in the South China Sea
Revealed: The Truth Behind ASEAN's Retracted Kunming Statement
June 19, 2016
Revealed: The Truth Behind ASEAN's Retracted Kunming Statement
New details on the June 14 meeting between ASEAN and China shed light on the imbroglio surrounding ASEAN's statement.
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Revealed: The Truth Behind ASEAN's Retracted Kunming Statement
The ASEAN-China Special Meeting Mystery: Bureaucratic Snafu or Chinese Heavy-Handedness?
June 17, 2016
The ASEAN-China Special Meeting Mystery: Bureaucratic Snafu or Chinese Heavy-Handedness?
Was ASEAN consensus undermined or is there a more mundane bureaucratic explanation for the confusion surrounding the statement?
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The ASEAN-China Special Meeting Mystery: Bureaucratic Snafu or Chinese Heavy-Handedness?
Obama’s Visit to Vietnam: A Turning Point?
May 31, 2016
Obama’s Visit to Vietnam: A Turning Point?
The visit did result in the lifting of the arms embargo, but the context is far wider.
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Obama’s Visit to Vietnam: A Turning Point?
Australian Intelligence: China Poised to Take 'Decisive and Provocative' Action in the South China Sea
April 15, 2016
Australian Intelligence: China Poised to Take 'Decisive and Provocative' Action in the South China Sea
U.S. and Australian intelligence agencies voice concern about China's recent moves in the South China Sea.
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Australian Intelligence: China Poised to Take 'Decisive and Provocative' Action in the South China Sea
After Natuna Incident, South China Sea Tensions Likely to Get Worse Before They Get Better
March 22, 2016
After Natuna Incident, South China Sea Tensions Likely to Get Worse Before They Get Better
Indonesia is set to follow a passive and dependent policy in the region.
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After Natuna Incident, South China Sea Tensions Likely to Get Worse Before They Get Better
Why Vietnam's Foreign Policy Won't Change After Its Party Congress
December 08, 2015
Why Vietnam's Foreign Policy Won't Change After Its Party Congress
Exploring myths and misconceptions regarding Vietnam's approach to China and the United States.
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Why Vietnam's Foreign Policy Won't Change After Its Party Congress
Vietnam Is Changing... And So Is the Balance of Power in Asia
October 02, 2015
Vietnam Is Changing... And So Is the Balance of Power in Asia
All signs point to intense internal debate on leadership and foreign policy.
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Vietnam Is Changing... And So Is the Balance of Power in Asia
8 Developments in US-Vietnam Relations Show Emerging Partnership
July 13, 2015
8 Developments in US-Vietnam Relations Show Emerging Partnership
US-Vietnam relations are neither an alliance nor a strategic partnership yet.
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8 Developments in US-Vietnam Relations Show Emerging Partnership
Is Vietnam Pivoting Toward the United States?
July 06, 2015
Is Vietnam Pivoting Toward the United States?
In an unprecedented move, the secretary-general of Vietnam's Communist Party will visit the United States.
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Is Vietnam Pivoting Toward the United States?
Who Is the Biggest Aggressor in the South China Sea? (A Rejoinder)
June 21, 2015
Who Is the Biggest Aggressor in the South China Sea? (A Rejoinder)
China's track record in the South China Sea is markedly different from those of the other claimants.
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Who Is the Biggest Aggressor in the South China Sea? (A Rejoinder)
No, China Is Not Reclaiming Land in the South China Sea
June 07, 2015
No, China Is Not Reclaiming Land in the South China Sea
Rather, China is slowly excising the maritime heart out of Southeast Asia.
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No, China Is Not Reclaiming Land in the South China Sea
Australia and Vietnam Enhance Their Comprehensive Partnership
March 17, 2015
Australia and Vietnam Enhance Their Comprehensive Partnership
Both sides also agreed to raise bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in the future.
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Australia and Vietnam Enhance Their Comprehensive Partnership
Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay Caught in US-Russia Crossfire
March 13, 2015
Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay Caught in US-Russia Crossfire
How will Hanoi respond to U.S. pressure to curtail flights of Russian refueling aircraft out of Cam Ranh Bay?
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Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay Caught in US-Russia Crossfire
The Philippines and Vietnam Forge a Strategic Partnership
March 10, 2015
The Philippines and Vietnam Forge a Strategic Partnership
Could this form the basis of multilateral maritime security cooperation?
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The Philippines and Vietnam Forge a Strategic Partnership
The Rebalance in Southeast Asia: Not About Containment
February 27, 2015
The Rebalance in Southeast Asia: Not About Containment
Far from trying to “contain” China, the U.S. is focusing on a wide array of initiatives with regional actors.
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The Rebalance in Southeast Asia: Not About Containment
The Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam Race to South China Sea Defense Modernization
January 23, 2015
The Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam Race to South China Sea Defense Modernization
Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam are all striving to bolster their maritime capabilities.
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The Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam Race to South China Sea Defense Modernization
China and Vietnam Eschew Megaphone Diplomacy
January 02, 2015
China and Vietnam Eschew Megaphone Diplomacy
The two rivals agree to "properly settle" their maritime disputes.
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China and Vietnam Eschew Megaphone Diplomacy
Indonesia: Playing With Fire in the South China Sea
December 18, 2014
Indonesia: Playing With Fire in the South China Sea
Indonesia's new president could jeopardize bilateral relations and ASEAN unity with his maritime "shock therapy."
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Indonesia: Playing With Fire in the South China Sea
India and Vietnam Advance Their Strategic Partnership
December 11, 2014
India and Vietnam Advance Their Strategic Partnership
India and Vietnam are expanding their strategic partnership from energy and trade to defense and space -- and beyond.
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India and Vietnam Advance Their Strategic Partnership
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Interview: Tigran Sargsyan on the Eurasian Economic Union
October 18, 2017
Interview: Tigran Sargsyan on the Eurasian Economic Union
The chairman of the EEU's Eurasian Economic Commission talks about the trade bloc's past, present, and future.
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