ARTICLES

Mekong River at Sangkhom district in the northeastern Thai province of Nong Khai

1 Jun 2021

The Mekong River Ecosystem in Crisis: ASEAN Cannot be a Bystander

Hoang Thi Ha|Farah Nadine Seth

Despite being the premier regional organisation in Southeast Asia, ASEAN remains a bystander in the imminent collapse of the Mekong River ecosystem. The successful mainstreaming of transboundary haze pollution in ASEAN’s legal and institutional frameworks are instructive for invigorating ASEAN’s engagement in the Mekong issues.

25 May 2021

Fighting Covid-19: China’s Soft Power Opportunities in Mainland Southeast Asia

Chheang Vannarith

In mainland Southeast Asia, the Chinese government’s effective measures to curb the pandemic outbreak at home and the provision of Covid-19 assistance to regional countries have enhanced China’s soft power. Most of the mainland Southeast Asian countries, except Vietnam, have been receptive to China’s Covid-19 diplomacy.

ASEAN ASEAN-China Relations China COVID-19 Southeast Asia Vaccine Diplomacy

10 May 2021

The ASEAN Way: Zen and the Art of Great Power Maintenance

William Choong

Recent official rejections of China’s “nine dash line” claims in the South China Sea by Southeast Asian disputant states are not about closer alignment with the US.

ASEAN ASEAN Neutrality ASEAN-China Relations U.S. Foreign Policy

27 Apr 2021

ASEAN Emergency Summit: In the Hot Seat

Sharon Seah

One can assess ASEAN’s recent emergency meeting in Jakarta in two ways. One scenario is cautiously optimistic; the other would be tantamount to pure fatalism.

ASEAN ASEAN Neutrality ASEAN-China Relations Myanmar Myanmar Politics U.S. Foreign Policy

7 Apr 2021

Facing the Ire of 1.4 Billion Chinese Consumers: Cottoning on to Supply Chain Risks

Xiaojun Li

Chinese consumers’ boycott of Western fashion brands for their position on cotton sourced from Xinjiang is a sequel to a long-running series of actions against foreign companies. Southeast Asian firms should take note, and act accordingly.

ASEAN-China Relations China Human Rights

6 Apr 2021

International Law Matters in the South China Sea

Aristyo Rizka Darmawan

China is trying to rewrite international law in the South China Sea.

ASEAN-China Relations China South China Sea

11 Feb 2021

Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year or “China’s New Year”? The Rise of (China’s) Identity Politics

Leo Suryadinata

In multi-ethnic Southeast Asia, the term “Lunar New Year” is more befitting than “Chinese New Year”. The traditional celebration has always transcended ethnicity and national identity.

ASEAN-China Relations China Identity Politics Southeast Asia

27 Jan 2021

China’s New Coast Guard Law: Illegal and Escalatory

Aristyo Rizka Darmawan

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.

ASEAN-China Relations China-U.S. Relations International Relations South China Sea

26 Jan 2021

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

Nguyen Hong Thao

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.

ASEAN-China Relations Japan South China Sea

22 Jan 2020

China’s Emphasis on Ties with Southeast Asia

Lye Liang Fook

Beyond strengthening bilateral ties between China and Myanmar, Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit is a signal that China is likely to place more emphasis on developing and strengthening ties with Southeast Asia in 2020.

ASEAN-China Relations China