ARTICLES

24 Jun 2024

The Pentagon’s Disinformation War: Undermining Health and Alliances in Southeast Asia

Nuurrianti Jalli

Recent revelations that the US’ Pentagon waged a disinformation campaign against Chinese COVID-19 vaccines in Southeast Asia should shake the region out of any naïve assumptions that the great powers would protect anyone else’s interests but their own as they fight for supremacy.

7 Jan 2022

Vietnam’s High Vaccination Rates: So What?

Dien Nguyen An Luong

The Vietnamese government can rightly be proud of the great strides made in its vaccine rollout, but needs to do better in addressing the economic fallout of the pandemic.

COVID-19 Vaccine Diplomacy Vietnam Vietnamese Politics

19 Nov 2021

Cambodia and Covid-19: Last to Lock Down, First to Open Up

Bradley J. Murg

Cambodia, a lower middle-income country, has enjoyed relative success in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. Hopefully, its chairing of ASEAN next year will provide the nudge to form a regional travel bubble.

Cambodia COVID-19 Vaccine Diplomacy

22 Sep 2021

China’s Vaccine Diplomacy in Malaysia: Problems and Prospects

Peter T. C. Chang

In Malaysia, Pfizer is the vaccine of choice, anchoring the national immunisation program as China’s boosters are relegated to a supporting role. The downgrading notwithstanding, China’s vaccine diplomacy remains a prime mover in the unfinished worldwide battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

China Malaysia Vaccine Diplomacy

13 Sep 2021

Ideology Versus Pragmatism: Vietnam’s Statecraft towards China and America

Huynh Tam Sang|Pham Do An

China is seeking to drive a wedge between Hanoi and Washington, even as Vietnam-US relations continue to flourish. Hence, Vietnam’s striking a balance between its ideological cohesiveness with China and pragmatic ties with the US is being put to the test.

China Indo-Pacfic U.S. U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vaccine Diplomacy Vietnam

16 Aug 2021

Vaccine Diplomacy in Southeast Asia: Russia Squanders its Sputnik Moment

Ian Storey

For a country that was first off the blocks, Russia has a long way to go if it wants to catch up with China and the United States in the game of vaccine diplomacy

COVID-19 Health Russia Southeast Asia Vaccine Diplomacy

28 Jun 2021

Give It Another Shot, Uncle Sam

Charles Dunst

As it pertains to Washington’s relations with Southeast Asia, the Biden Administration is not faring much better than its predecessor. A low-hanging fruit would be the supply of Covid-19 vaccines.

ASEAN China-U.S. Relations COVID-19 Southeast Asia U.S. Vaccine Diplomacy

17 Jun 2021

Giving Chinese Vaccines A Shot

Khairulanwar Zaini

As Southeast Asian countries look for Covid-19 vaccines to protect their populations, two things matter: reliability and availability. For now, China — rather than Western sources — ticks the correct boxes.

China COVID-19 Southeast Asia Vaccine Diplomacy

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