Commentaries | FULCRUM

China’s New Coast Guard Law: Illegal and Escalatory

A Philippine coast guard ship (R) sails past a Chinese coastguard ship during an joint search and rescue exercise between Philippine and US coastguards near Scarborough shoal, in the South China Sea, on 14 May, 2019. (Photo: Ted ALJIBE/ AFP)

A new Chinese law, which gives its coast guard legal cover to fire on foreign vessels in contested waters, is worrying. States interested in the peace and stability of the South China Sea should do something about it.

America, China and Southeast Asia: Where “Win Win” Can Become a Reality

Then US Vice President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping display shirts with a message given to them by students at the International Studies Learning School in Southgate, outside of Los Angeles, on 17, February, 2012. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN/ AFP)

If China and the United States play their cards right, the two powers can avoid a hot or cold war. This will be good news for the world, in particular Southeast Asia.

President Joko Widodo’s Image Problems

Students cover their faces with Indonesian President Joko Widodo during a demonstration against a controversial new law passed last week which critics fear will favour investors at the expense of labour rights and the environment in Banda Aceh on October 14, 2020. (Photo by Chaideer MAHYUDDIN/ AFP)

The opposition’s weakness means that the Indonesian president’s recent problems carry few political costs – for the moment.

Japan’s Diplomatic Note on the South China Sea: Internationalising the Dispute Amid Chinese Pressure

Royal Australian Navy, Republic of Korea Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and United States Navy warships sail in formation during the Pacific Vanguard 2020 exercise.

Japan’s latest note verbale to the United Nations on the South China Sea was done out of its national interest. Nonetheless, it shows that Tokyo – and a growing coalition of countries – are digging in their heels to uphold the aegis of international law in the region.

State Governments and the 2021 Emergency: Unfettered Powers at the Centre

Police check documents of motorists at a checkpoint in Kuala Lumpu

Malaysia’s declared state of Emergency has given the federal government sweeping powers to intervene into the affairs of the country’s 13 states.

The Ethics of Covid-19 Vaccination

Who should be vaccinated, and who should be vaccinated first are the ethical and practical questions facing all governments.

Thailand’s Second Covid-19 Outbreak: Corruption and Its Consequences

Market workers and volunteers clean up around Klong Toey fresh market

Thailand is facing a second coronavirus outbreak. This time, however, the fight may be protracted because the causes stem from endemic corruption.

The Death of a Young, Moderate Charismatic Preacher

Syekh Ali Jaber had become a surprise force for moderate Islam in Indonesia.

The CPV’s 15th Plenum: “The Art of the Possible” in Vietnamese Politics

Informal but credible information indicates that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (left) will stay on as the party head and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) will be promoted as state president.

The Communist Party of Vietnam, which is set to make some historic appointments to its top echelons, shows that Vietnamese politicians know how to master “the art of the possible”.