Cambodia embraces Belt and Road Initiative
Despite BRI’s significance for Asean connectivity and the development of its member states, there are concerns expressed among scholars and policymakers in the region.
Category: Opinion
Second BRI to expand Cambodia-China cooperation
The upcoming second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRI) is crucial for Cambodia to further expand cooperation with China and other participating countries.
China and ASEAN are close partners for BRI cooperation
ASEAN is the key direction and important participant in the BRI. In the past 5 years,a large number of cooperation projects
Fake news and conspiracy theories: shared responsibilities
As never before in previous centuries, the communication of information is so easy, fast and multiform. This gives rise to a phenomenon of unequaled magnitude: fake news and conspiracy theories.
US seems reckless in trying to reshape Middle East order
US President Donald Trump branded on April 8 Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization – the first time the US has declared a sovereign state’s armed forces as a terrorist organization.
Picking up the pieces after Kim-Trump summit in Hanoi
While the Hanoi summit revealed an incompatibility of demands, their articulation nonetheless points the way forward if the two main actors – the US and North Korea – are willing to moderate their respective ambitions, at least in the short term.
‘Belt and Road’ promotes justice for world development
‘Belt and Road’ is a major initiative on common development in the world put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping in Kazakhstan and Indonesia in 2013 respectively, which has soon aroused positive responses in the international community.
Jokowi bets on infrastructure boom
Indonesia’s presidential election is on April 17. President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo is pushing in his bid for re-election, challenged strongly by the late Suharto’s son-in-law Prabowo Subianto. But the incumbent president seems to have an ace up his sleeve.
Is there a killer lurking at the wheel?
Road safety is a big issue every long holiday season in Thailand. Authorities always come up with fresh ideas to curb traffic accidents that claim hundreds of lives over major holiday periods. The death toll from road accidents during each Songkran or New Year festival can reach 300-400 a year.
Linking Digital Silk Road to Cambodian digital economy
The questions of what benefits China’s Digital Silk Road architecture will bring to Cambodia and what Cambodia needs to do to take full advantages of it are central to the understanding of the management and governance of a digital economy.
West guilty for resumed fighting in Libya
Fighting has resumed in Libya. The eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar ordered his troops to advance on the capital city of Tripoli controlled by the UN-recognized Government of National Accord.
More plastic bags than fish?
Marine plastic pollution is the new environmental threat facing mankind. This is also afflicting East Asia where six countries are major pollutants. While some in the region have started tackling this new menace, more can be done by all, writes Lina Gong.
Will Asia’s digital integration be derailed?
East Asia has overtaken North America as the most ‘data rich’ region. But Asia is already at the doorstep of the next big disruption with 5G. Is that a boon or bane? Hosuk Lee-Makiyama tries to answer this question.
Japan beefs up air defense
By international standards, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force is very busy. It scrambles fighters daily to intercept multiple aircraft penetrating Japan’s Air Defence Identification Zone.
A new momentum for China-EU Ties
Premier Li Keqiang kicked off his visit to Europe on Monday. During his trip, he will co-chair the China-EU leaders’ meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels.
Asean: Speak out against Brunei barbarism
While the world is fixated on Brunei’s plan to fully implement Islamic Sharia law, which will see draconian punishments such as stoning to death for offences such as adultery and sodomy, as well as amputation for theft, Asean has remained silent on the matter. How disappointing.
Did KR commit genocide against the Cambodian national group?
An important judicial opinion was issued late last month by a Cambodian judge of the ECCC Trial Chamber, making a valuable contribution to a debate of international significance.
Deadly effects of Rwandan genocide still felt
The Rwandan genocide began 25 years ago. However, the deadly repercussions are still being felt. One only has to look to the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
The limits of Moon Jae‑in’s shuttle diplomacy
The South Korean president heads to the US next week, where he will seek to revamp nuclear talks with North Korea. But as Khang Vu argues the president cannot change the status quo while North Korea and the US are employing decoupling and counter-decoupling tactics against one another.
Russian view on US-Russia cyber war
Six years ago, in 2013, we managed to reach agreement on establishing a direct line of communication between Russia and the US in the event of cyber incidents.
Japan’s pivotal local elections will have an impact on national politics
In Japan’s forthcoming quadrennial unified local elections there will be 1,000 separate elections. More than 230 political heads, such as prefectural governors and city and town mayors, will be elected by direct vote along with some 15,000 prefectural and municipal assembly members.
Challenges confront Japan’s working visa overhaul
In December 2018 the Japanese parliament approved a new immigration law to bring a slew of foreign workers to Japan from April 2019.
New synergies emerge between China and European Union
The summit will take pragmatic steps such as planning for the future and deepening cooperation. The other important aim of the meeting is to positively respond to EU concerns.
How to beat a populist candidate
The progressive reformer Zuzana Caputova’s victory in Slovakia’s presidential election suggests that populists’ biggest strength is a weak opposition.
Cambodia’s new era of reforms
Promising steps have been taken to improve the business and investment environment in the Kingdom through a package of reforms. But Chheang Vannarith cautions against being complacent and urges the private sector and civil society to continuously deepen their engagement with the government to ensure that reforms deliver results.
Making policy a part of Indonesian politics
With voting less than a month away, it would be ambitious and unrealistic to expect a drastic change of political attitude throughout the remaining period of the Indonesian election.
Race, religion and rhetoric ramp up in ‘New Malaysia’
After recouping the Semenyih state legislative assembly seat, it comes as little surprise that the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) are finally formalising their cooperation.
The greatest British political crisis of modern times
For all the talk, the Brexit debate has barely moved beyond how to get out of the EU, let alone tackle the big issues, writes Lawrence Freedman.
It’s a political marathon, not a 100-metre dash
The Phuea Thai Party’s March 27 announcement that it will form a seven-party coalition with at least 255 seats in the lower house of the Thai parliament, the House of Representatives, is at best a small moral victory for the so-called “democratic alliance” that the party seeks to lead.
Bumpy road for Afghan peace process
Washington’s one sided talks with the Taliban behind closed doors have triggered mistrust between Afghanistan and the United States.
