Agreeable Neutrality: Russia-Central Asia Engagement During the Ukraine War By Dr Kirill Nourzhanov 01 June 2023Western economic leverage aimed at Central Asian economies could spell trouble for the Kremlin. For now, Vladimir Putin as succeeded in creating a positively neutral environment for Russia-Central Asian relations. Read More
Local Currency Settlement - An “Asianised Way” in trade? Nadia Maunsell29 May 2023There is a deep and growing preference among Asian countries to settle trade deals in their local currencies. This follows an acknowledgement by […] Read More
Thailand’s Orange Wave: Progressives, Conservatives, and Monarchy By Dr Kevin Hewison 22 May 2023In their reaction to a whopping election defeat, Thailand’s conservatives want to diminish the electorate’s votes in the defence of the monarchy. This unambiguous politicisation of the crown by its supporters is a perilous strategy, stokes republicanism, and may put the monarchy at risk. Read More
The Washington Declaration and the Deepening of China’s Security Anxieties By Dr Stephen Nagy 17 May 2023On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the ROK-US alliance, South Korea and the US further strengthened their relationship by agreeing to the Washington Declaration. To Beijing, the declaration adds another layer to what it sees as a threat to the Party's very existence. Read More
Finland Changes Leaders and Joins NATO: An Unexpected Lurch or a Logical Step Forward? By Dr Stephen Hoadley 10 May 2023Finland's smooth application into NATO owes greatly to its professional military forces and long association and training with NATO members. Its long border with Russia, however, dictates a much more relaxed NATO presence in the high Nordic country. Read More
Book Review: Who lost Russia? From the Collapse of the USSR to Putin's War on Ukraine By John West 10 May 2023Relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated drastically since the optimistic days of the 1980s and 90s. This is no doubt due to miscalculations and misunderstandings on both sides, according to Peter Conradi. Read More
China’s National Memory Laws and the War on Storytelling By Guang Yang 03 May 2023Fighting historical nihilism has been high on the list of Xi Jinping's fight for regime security. As China reverts increasingly backwards into an era of thought control and totalitarian rule it is once again the people that suffer. Read More
RMB Internationalisation: A long March Towards De-Dollarisation By Dr Benjamin Green 27 April 2023Recent reports highlighting RMB internationalisation as an impending push towards global de-dollarisation should be understood within the bounds of the RMB’s current limitations. This will be a slow progression towards alternative viability rather than a pressing challenge to USD hegemony. Read More
Rising Tides, Shifting Sands: Rethinking Australia’s Foreign Policy Towards China By Marina Zhang 21 April 2023Australia must meet the challenges of China by first understanding the ongoing and complex changes taking place in the land 1.4 1.4 billion people. This won't be easy, but the path to learning will likely be engaging. Read More
Professor Edward Alpers 18 April 2023Professor Edward Alpers studied African History at Harvard College and received his Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of […] Read More
Taiwan’s Presidential Trips Show its Marginalisation in Debates About its Future By Dr Corey Lee Bell and Elena Collinson 18 April 2023US-China relations are in a crisis, and the two states are heading towards irreversible conflict. In the middle is Taiwan, a small nation with increasingly little relevance in the determination of its own state of being. Read More