blackbox – Page 8 – FULCRUM

Ideology as Scaffolding: Vietnam’s Socialist Rhetoric Under To Lam

Can substance support rhetoric in Vietnam’s growth story, as its ruling Party prepares to mark its centennial in power?

How Should Southeast Asia Respond to Carney’s Davos Clarion Call?

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posited that the world order was not experiencing a “transition” but rather a “rupture” from the global system established in the aftermath of the Second World War. For Southeast Asia, and its primary institutional forum – ASEAN – this means recognising that some of its most cherished principles might no longer be entirely valid and reassessing traditional assumptions about regional cohesion and commonality of interests.

Nuclear Energy Renaissance in Southeast Asia: A Role for China?

As Southeast Asian countries ponder the use of nuclear power, China looks set to be a key player.

Southeast Asia and the Third Gulf War: Impact, Responses and Implications

This Long Read examines the Iran war’s impact on Southeast Asia’s energy and food security, the measures regional governments have implemented to ease the situation, and assesses the geopolitical implications for the region.

A Very Stable Summit: Southeast Asia’s Best Hope for the Trump-Xi Meeting

The US and China will prioritise stability amid internal economic pressures and global volatility — presenting more opportunity for Southeast Asia to diversify trade and investment beyond the superpowers.

The Silver Lining in the Demographic Deficit

Policymakers have sought to mitigate the negative effects of aging by addressing labour shortages. A better way would be to look at total factor productivity

India’s Engagement with ASEAN: Outreach Does Translate into Positive Perceptions

India’s diplomatic outreach to key Southeast Asian countries belie the fact that many of the same countries view New Delhi with low confidence.

BT or Not BT: Vietnam’s Infrastructure Development Dilemma

Vietnam has revived Build-Transfer projects five years after banishing them for corruption risks. The efficiency and development reasons are clear — as are the perils that demand stronger institutions.

Why Not All Indonesian Muslims Support Iran

Most Indonesian Muslims are against the US-Israeli war against Iran. But some of them evince anti-Iran sentiment stemming from their belief that Shi’a Islam is a heretical sect.