Vietnam has a chance to prevent a potential disaster in Cuba, given its unique position.
Category Archives: Commentaries
What Do the US Forced Labour Tariffs Mean for Southeast Asia?
Faced with possible US forced labour tariffs, Southeast Asian countries should remember that the Trump administration’s underlying objectives are to reconstitute the reciprocal tariff regime, discourage economic linkages with China and reduce trade surpluses with the US.
Indonesia’s Democratic Transition and Stalled Military Reform
Deepening political constraints and narrowing space for civil society are stalling the Indonesian Armed Forces’ already limited reform agenda.
Myanmar’s Overvalued Exchange Rates Are a Recipe for Economic Deterioration
Myanmar’s people will continue to suffer under the ‘new’ government’s vague economic direction.
Prabowo’s Nickel State: Indonesia’s Search for Power
Will the Prabowo administration’s agenda of centralisation and state control over the nickel sector build lasting industrial capacity, or be even more extractive?
Indonesia’s 100 GW Solar Ambition: Can Rural Cooperatives Bridge the Gap?
Indonesia’s plan to generate 100 GW of solar energy is laudable. However, there are serious concerns about implementation.
Sino-US Action Against Drugs Keeps Functional Cooperation High
China and the US have been working together to combat illicit drug activities. This will have a significant impact on Southeast Asia.
Light Footprint, Strong Signal: Rethinking US-Cambodian Cooperation
There is a window of opportunity for Cambodia to re-engage with the US. Bilateral military exercises constitute a good option.
China and the US: Who Will Better Understand Southeast Asia?
The US appears to be losing to China in the race to understand Southeast Asia. The real test, however, centres on whether a country can sustain the institutions to study the region critically.
Indonesia’s Resource Nationalism Is Testing Its Relationship with China
The interests of Chinese investors and the Prabowo administration are increasingly misaligned.