ARTICLES

13 Oct 2026

The Trap That is Thailand’s Legacy of Diplomatic Success

Pongkwan Sawasdipakdi

Bamboo diplomacy has long been the default language of Thai foreign policy. The Long Read argues that, under conditions of intensifying geopolitical competition, the very script that is remembered as Thailand’s survival method can make it harder for the country to define and pursue a distinctive strategic role.

Foreign Policy Thailand

30 Sep 2026

PAS’s Evolving International Engagement: From Islamism to Development Diplomacy?

Syaza Shukri|Norshahril Saat

Parti Islam Se-Malaysia’s (PAS) foreign policy outlook has evolved rather than fundamentally changed. While the party continues to prioritise global Islamic solidarity, governing experience has expanded its international engagement from ideological networks to state-led economic diplomacy.

15 Sep 2026

How Cambodia Can Maintain Strategic Trust with China

Chheang Vannarith

As Sino-US competition intensifies, Cambodia’s room for manoeuvre is shrinking. Phnom Penh needs to step up in its communications and engagement.

Cambodia Cambodia-China Relations China Foreign Policy

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam to Beijing, China, on 15 April 2026. (Photo by Shen Hong / XINHUA / Xinhua via AFP)

20 Apr 2026

From Partnership Expansion to Strategic Coherence: Vietnam’s Next Foreign Policy Challenge

Nguyen Chi Thanh

Vietnam’s pursuit of Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships has long been part of its foreign policy calculus. The challenge now is maintaining coherence across this wider network.

Foreign Policy Vietnam Vietnamese Politics

5 Mar 2026

Enlarging the “Gong” for a Bigger Boom: Vietnam and Strategic Autonomy

Nicholas Chapman

Vietnam’s foreign policy is evolving from a position based on integration and multilateralism to one based on strategic autonomy.

Foreign Policy Vietnam Vietnamese Economy Vietnamese Politics

US President Donald Trump (R) receives General Secretary To Lam (L) at the White House following the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace for Gaza. (Photo Việt Nam News / Facebook)

4 Mar 2026

Vietnam’s Gaza Board of Peace Gambit: To Lam’s Confident New Foreign Policy

Hoang Thi Ha

Vietnam’s decision to join the Trump-led Gaza Board of Peace speaks less about its Middle East policy and more about its evolving foreign policy.

Foreign Policy U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam

7 Nov 2025

Towards a Robust Philippines-Canada Security Partnership in the Indo-Pacific

Don McLain Gill

The Philippines and Canada have deepened their strategic partnership, but there is still some way to go before the relationship approaches levels that Manila enjoys with other regional partners.

Canada Foreign Policy Philippine Philippine Politics

30 Oct 2025

To Lam’s Foreign Policy Leadership in the “Era of National Rise”

Hoang Thi Ha|Pham Thi Phuong Thao

Since assuming power in August 2024, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam has pursued bold reforms with urgency. Economic diplomacy has been a central focus, aimed at mobilising international resources for economic restructuring and technological upgrading. He has also engaged Washington, traditional partners China and Russia, and other major powers with equal vigour, pursuing pragmatic multi-alignment to advance national interests.

Foreign Policy Vietnam Vietnamese Economy Vietnamese Politics