Positive signs for China and US
Mr Trump tweeted Sunday morning that he had a “long and very good call”, with Chinese President Xi Jinping, conveying a positive tone about the talk.
Category: Opinion
Cambodia’s foreign policy outlook
As the international order enters into a multi-polar world, Cambodia, it seems, is adjusting its foreign policy objectives and strategies accordingly.
Will Singapore’s next prime minister continue Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy?
Former finance minister Heng Swee Keat might have what it takes to be Singapore’s fourth prime minister. However, Fan Lei writes that there are concerns about his health and his limited diplomatic experience.
Indo-Pacific: Juggling for clarity
There is no consensus on what the Indo-Pacific concept will cover. It is not clear what kind of structure is needed for such an Indo-Pacific construct.
Cambodia-Vietnam ties: From ‘liberator’ to a major trade partner
There has been an ebb and flow in Cambodia’s relations with Vietnam, 40 years after Vietnamese troops helped ‘liberate’ the country from the yoke of the genocidal Khmer Rouge, writes Cheunboran Chanborey.
Vietnam’s economic ebbs, flows
The Vietnamese economy continued to show resilience overall in 2018. But Suiwah Leung warns the country’s challenges and risks are mounting and the government needs to continue with more ambitious reforms.
Modi’s ‘balancer’ role backfiring?
The 2018 G20 Summit in Buenos Aires offered Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi another international occasion to bolster his political standing at home.
A statesman of worldwide reputation
The DPRK Embassy in Phnom Penh profiles Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and his success through the years in international politics, culminating in 2018 with the thawing of inter-Korean relations.
Media can bring China, India closer
Over the last year or so, relations between China and India have witnessed significant progress.
Europe’s year of living defensively
With the future of the EU-UK relationship shrouded in uncertainty and crises brewing in France, Italy, and elsewhere, 2019 will be another difficult year for Europe.
New hopes or old fears?
Clive Kessler looks at 2018, in Malaysia, when the new Pakatan Harapan government – a coalition of four political parties – was unexpectedly elected to power on May 9.
CPTPP spells trouble for Asean, particularly Malaysia
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which is the new acronym for the earlier botched Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), might pose serious problems for Asean countries that are signing up to this major trade and investment deal.
Mattis out and yes-men now surround Trump
Defense Secretary James Mattis’ resignation, one day after Donald Trump’s stunning move to pull all US troops from Syria, is consequential.
China’s economy not on cliff edge
Data released from the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday was worse than expected. In particular, total retail sales of consumer goods went up 8.1 percent year-on-year in November. This is considered relatively low, compared to the previous rate.
Negotiating Japan’s political uncertainties
The good economic news continued for Japan in 2018 despite a temporary, natural disaster-induced third-quarter downturn. Nonetheless, domestic and foreign policy developments were more challenging in the year for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Kim’s diplomatic debut
If 2017 was a year of testing nuclear missiles and 2018 a year of summitry, perhaps only Kim Jong Un will know what 2019 will bring.
The unravelling of Europe?
If France does indeed descend into uncertainty or even chaos, things look bleak for the EU, at a time when two other main European powers – Britain and Germany – are engaged in fighting their own internal and inner demons.
Nurul Izzah’s shock resignation
Nurul Izzah Anwar’s announcement of her immediate resignation from the PKR vice-presidency has sent shockwaves within the Pakatan Harapan coalition.
Hard times ahead for a politically divided Timor-Leste
2018 started with political chaos in Timor-Leste. Historical disputes between independence hero Xanana Gusmao and the parties he has been able to bring into alliance against the Fretilin party resurfaced.
Another year of military dictatorship in Thailand
Looking ahead, 2019 may see both an election and a coronation in Thailand. If that happens, the junta will likely consider the coronation as a royal endorsement of the military’s political efforts since the 2014 coup.
Realising smart cities in Asean
Asean’s rapid urbanisation has implications for important issues such as strained infrastructure, rising inequalities, and public safety and security.
China’s response to Belt and Road Initiative backlash
Overall, China’s government and companies are still on a learning curve. The strong backlash against the BRI is leading them to reflect on their business and investment practices, both at home and abroad.
United Nations refugee compact: What you need to know
The UN General Assembly is set to endorse the Global Compact on Refugees, a week after a similar accord for migrants.
Huawei’s CFO arrest declaration of war on China’s business community
The arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou is a declaration of war by the US to further its attempt to cripple Beijing’s corporate sector through tariffs and the destruction of deals in order to assert dominance over China, several experts say.
Advancing Asean’s digital economy
Developing a harmonised approach to the digital economy would help Asean harness the opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (or Industry 4.0) and enhance the regional grouping’s digital competitiveness, writes Phidel Vineles.
How we will write a Cambodian Christmas story
Violence against children is often an area that attracts little interest from decision makers. Cambodia has proven, for the best, to be an exception.
Canada can end Huawei case, but will it?
Canada has freed Meng Wanzhou on bail, which is a positive development, but the Huawei executive deserves to be given back her complete freedom by the courts, bringing closure to the fraught legal saga.
High time to look beyond GDP
Just under ten years ago, the International Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress issued its report, Mismeasuring Our Lives: Why GDP Doesn’t Add Up. The title summed it up: GDP is not a good measure of wellbeing.
Britain, you haven’t got time on Brexit
UK Prime Minister Theresa May has survived a vote of no confidence. And yet with the clock ticking towards a hard Brexit, Britain doesn’t seem to be able to tell the time.
China’s diplomacy and Huawei
Huawei has been struggling lately to engender goodwill and dispel doubts from regulators in many of its most developed and lucrative overseas markets. Elliott Zaagman tells why.
