Indonesia’s plan to generate 100 GW of solar energy is laudable. However, there are serious concerns about implementation.
Category Archives: Commentaries
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.
Unleashing Officials, Unlocking Funds: PM Le Minh Hung Confronts Vietnam’s Economic Challenges
Vietnam’s new prime minister needs to disburse idle public funds. His previous role helming the Communist Party’s personnel system should help him galvanise officials who prioritise an overly cautious approach over rapid progress.
To Lam’s Regional Tour: From Hedger to Shaper
To Lam’s regional tour of Southeast Asia shows that Hanoi is shifting to a posture of shaping the rules of the game, rather than merely seeking to mitigate the risks of a fluid strategic environment.
The Myanmar Military’s “New” Narrative: Caveat Emptor
The new Myanmar regime’s narrative about promoting stability and strengthening international relations belies the instability and devastation its coup unleashed on the country.
Southeast Asia’s High-Income Aspirants Should Focus on Quality of Growth
The vast minority of middle-income countries graduate to high-income status. Past strategies that prioritised physical capital must give way to a quality of growth approach premised on investment in human and natural capital.
Beyond Bamboo Diplomacy: Vietnam’s Shrinking Room for Manoeuvre
Vietnam’s foreign policy has typically been described as bamboo diplomacy. This still holds true, but decision-making is increasingly being constrained by domestic considerations.