The shape of global supply chains is changing and the world's response must be more cooperative ..read more

South Korea and the United States plan to increase the role of cyber capabilities in preventing a North Korean nuclear strike ..read more

India must move beyond its long-standing resistance to security coalitions and embrace cooperation with Washington or with regional partners ..read more

If Amazon is worried about competition from China, it only has itself to blame. In 2013, Amazon introduced its third-party marketplace platform to Chinese manufacturers. Unwittingly, it showed them what it takes to challenge Amazon itself. As China’s economy grew after its opening in the late 1970s, so did its production capacity. But the United States saw no threat because there were periodic episodes of concern for the safety of Chinese-made products. Headlines would remind US consumers that Chinese products might contain dangerous levels of harmful substances. China’s manufacturing output ..read more

South Korea’s healthcare system faces a crisis. Doctors are overworked, patients underserviced and a lack of trust between the government and medical organisations undermines meaningful reform. These issues will continue unless the government addresses doctors’ longstanding concerns to gain their support. Due to a cap of 3058 on medical student admissions, South Korea has one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios in the OECD, with 2.6 doctors per 1000 people. It faces a projected shortage of 15,000 physicians by 2035. Its ageing population and rise in non-communicable diseases compound these ..read more

Indonesia is now seeing a handover of political power far more stage-managed than ever before in its post-democratic history, as President Joko Widodo and Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto sustain the alliance that helped the former special forces general win an historic landslide in the February 2024 presidential elections by posing as Widodo’s natural heir. Prabowo has locked in this dominance by building an unprecedentedly broad party coalition ahead of his inauguration on 20 October. All Indonesian presidents seek to minimise the prospect of pushback against their programs by forming part ..read more

On 13 March 2024, local authorities in eastern China attempted to physically prevent Chinese journalists from reporting on a gas explosion in a restaurant in Sanhe, near Beijing. Harassment is vexedly frequent for China’s journalists, but the aftermath of this incident was unusual. Within hours, the normally tight-lipped All-China Journalists Association had issued a rare public statement that local governments ‘must not obstruct the normal duties of reporters in a simple and rough manner just to control public opinion’. It may appear surprising that official participants in one of the world ..read more

Indonesia has reportedly shown interest in procuring YJ-12E missiles, one of the latest Chinese-made coastal defence cruise missiles. This aligns with Jakarta’s plan to develop a robust coastal defence system to deter repeated maritime incursions in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the South China Sea, particularly by Chinese vessels. For instance, in early 2023, the largest Chinese Coast Guard vessel entered and stayed in Indonesia’s EEZ near the North Natuna Sea for some weeks. While this approach seems strategic for improving bilateral relations with China, the procurement may not ..read more

It was more than diplomatic symbolism behind Australia welcoming the news that Jeremiah Manele, the recently elected Solomon Islands prime minister, had chosen Canberra for his first overseas trip. It was hoped that the visit would cement the prospect of a warmer security relationship with Australia. Only weeks after assuming office, Manele had flagged the possibility of his visit during a meeting in Honiara with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles. Manele stated then that ‘Australia remains Solomon Islands’ partner of choice’. The opening for the hoped-for rapprochement ..read more

Mongolia held its ninth parliamentary election since its 1990 democratic revolution on 28 June 2024, giving the ruling Mongolian People’s Party a narrow majority in the newly-enlarged parliament with 68 of 126 seats. Despite voter frustration with politics and governance, discontent was not strong enough to bring other parties to power.  Democracies around the world are facing the challenge of democratic backsliding. While there are many debates about how and why this is occurring, the trend has sharpened the focus on democratic processes globally. Mongolia stands out, sandwiched be ..read more