ARTICLES

7 Apr 2025

Australia Rues “Extreme Strategic Loneliness”

Nick Bisley

Fulcrum editor William Choong discusses Australia’s strategic choices amid intensifying Sino-US rivalry and increased geopolitical flux with Prof Nick Bisley.

26 Dec 2023

2023 Top 10

Making Sense of Cambodia’s Reaction to AUKUS

Chansambath Bong

Cambodia’s reaction to the trilateral nuclear-technology sharing deal between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States can best be described as lukewarm. It would be an oversimplification to say that AUKUS will have no adverse effects on Southeast Asia.

2023 Top 10 AUKUS Cambodia

18 Apr 2023

Making Sense of Cambodia’s Reaction to AUKUS

Chansambath Bong

AUKUS Cambodia

10 Apr 2023

If At First You Don’t Succeed: Australia Woos the Indo-Pacific on AUKUS

Blake Herzinger|Alice Nason

Australia made extensive diplomatic overtures to Asia prior to its March update about the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine arrangement with the United Kingdom and the United States. Canberra appears to have gained some traction in the region, but it should not rest on its laurels.

ASEAN-Australia Relations AUKUS Australia Indo-Pacfic

26 Oct 2022

The United Kingdom and the Indo-Pacific: “Tilting” or Tottering?

Joanne Lin|William Choong

The United Kingdom (U.K.) has launched a robust “tilt” towards the Indo-Pacific. To its credit, it has executed a series of high-profile diplomatic engagements and military deployments to the region. The question, however, is not about London’s desire to engage with the dynamic region but whether this tilt can be sustained.

AUKUS Indo-Pacfic Security U.K.

26 Jul 2022

The U.S.-China Strategic Competition in the Pacific: Something ASEAN Needs to Watch

Daljit Singh

Beijing’s recent moves to establish security cooperation with Pacific Island states have riled the U.S. and Australia. ASEAN needs to watch the ongoing great power competition there closely to draw lessons for its own security.

ASEAN AUKUS Australia China Maritime Security Pacific Islands Quad Security U.S.

10 Jun 2022

The Need for Power Balance Amidst Rising Great Power Contestations

Daljit Singh

ASEAN and its constituent states must not neglect the crucial importance of maintaining a balance of influence and power between the great powers to secure space for their own independence.

ASEAN AUKUS China-U.S. Relations Quad Security

23 Feb 2022

The State of Southeast Asia Survey

Southeast Asians’ View of Quad and AUKUS: Some Thaw, But Not Yet Warm

William Choong

In recent years, the United States has sought to involve its middle-power friends and allies in various regional initiatives to counter a rising China. Southeast Asia continues to have mixed feelings about this.

ASEAN AUKUS Quad

22 Oct 2021

Southeast Asian Responses to AUKUS: Arms Racing, Non-Proliferation and Regional Stability

William Choong|Ian Storey

AUKUS is a wake-up call to ASEAN that it needs to be more proactive on security issues and cannot take its centrality for granted.

ASEAN Unity AUKUS Australia China Quad South China Sea Southeast Asia U.S.

13 Oct 2021

‘Global Britain’ and Southeast Asia: Progress and Prospects

Ian Storey|Hoang Thi Ha

Southeast Asia is crucial to the United Kingdom’s (UK) ‘tilt’ to the Indo-Pacific. It has achieved notable progress in strengthening its diplomatic, economic and security engagement with the region.

ASEAN Asean Trade AUKUS Indo-Pacfic