1 Jun 2022
Water torture: Asia‑Pacific’s “WASH” crisis in need of solutions
Access to clean water is not only a development challenge but one for geopolitics, too.
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19 May 2022
Getting the most from Australia’s regional engagements
As in-person meetings restart after Covid, it’s time to assess what resources support the many strategic groupings. -
17 May 2022
No Gas: Lessons from Poland and Bulgaria for the Quad
The risk of disrupted energy supplies is not only in Europe but a danger in the Indo-Pacific, too. -
17 May 2022
AUKUS: More than meets the eye
A series of small, overlapping initiatives are combining to bolster the security architecture of the Indo-Pacific. -
5 Apr 2022
Why liberalism has few friends in Asia
The damage inflicted on the region by European imperialism was not forgotten – a backlash that continues to the present. -
1 Apr 2022
Youth politics in East and Southeast Asia
Traditional parties are up against an unstoppable force of young activists set to shape democracy in the region. -
16 Feb 2022
Joe Biden’s new Indo-Pacific Strategy: A view from Southeast Asia
Rather than trying to push ASEAN to confront China, the White House has made an important gesture for unity. -
10 Feb 2022
Economic diplomacy: Mission critical as Australia’s own BRI gains pace
Australia’s new embrace of South Korea in minerals, defence, and trade is well-timed as the country catches up to Japan. -
6 Dec 2021
Covid in Asia: the immediate payoff of donating vaccines
The latest Lowy Institute Asia Power Index affirms that goodwill goes to the generous. -
1 Dec 2021
Kurt Campbell on what America is for, “rather than what we’re against”
The White House “Asia tsar” spoke with Lowy Institute Executive Director Michael Fullilove on the shape of the region. -
12 Nov 2021
Jake Sullivan on the challenges “no one country can solve”
The White House National Security Adviser stressed the chance for cooperation even in a challenging global era. -
16 Sep 2021
How nuclear subs could transform Australia, its alliance and Asia
First thoughts on the consequences of a truly momentous decision. -
25 Aug 2021
Afghanistan holds lessons for American power in Asia
The US will one day ask the same question about its presence in Asia that it did of Afghanistan: is it still worth it? -
17 Jun 2021
Economic diplomacy: Trade deals for a fast-growing family
New ties with Britain to “right a historic wrong” but visa schemes for regional workers could generate another headache. -
22 Apr 2021
Economic diplomacy: Supply chains, ASEAN wanes, and Japan’s coal dump
Will government have to pick a winner for 6G networks to show the US and Japan as “global leaders in innovation”? -
22 Apr 2021
Toxic reaction to Japan’s Fukushima water dump
Experts insist the release of treated radioactive water is not dangerous. Legal challenges might find otherwise. -
11 Mar 2021
Economic diplomacy: The business of coups and China’s Quad response
Companies are finding themselves torn between conscience and keeping the lights on when it comes to Myanmar. -
25 Feb 2021
Why Aussie exporters won’t be toasting China or the US
Wine exporters suffer a sour drop. Could a clever sales pitch deliver a new special vintage? -
11 Feb 2021
Covid’s long reach upsets the economic pecking order
China’s economy could overtake the US faster than expected but there are also implications for Australia closer to home. -
8 Feb 2021
What APEC has to offer in 2021
No panacea, certainly, but a newly engaged United States might see APEC as just the right forum to work with the region. -
3 Feb 2021
A “beggar-thy-neighbour” approach keeps seafarers stranded
Some countries have banned crew rotations. Some have tight limits. A few are open. So a crisis continues. -
18 Dec 2020
Washington’s warped Asia policy debate
Whoever Joe Biden puts into key positions, best they make quick studies on regional dynamics. -
3 Dec 2020
As a national champion departs the scene, a China food fight looms
Picking winners? In this case, one sort of export interest seems to have suffered due to support for another. -
20 Nov 2020
Back to the future: Will Biden’s Asia policy come full circle?
Hopes might be high for a new US administration. But polls show views on regional challenges have changed markedly, too. -
19 Nov 2020
Economic diplomacy: Navigating Asia’s trade tangle and a NSW “step-up”
Plus, revisiting assumptions that China would be reluctant to interfere with South China Sea trade routes. -
19 Oct 2020
Power in Asia in five charts
With so much focus on US-China competition, it’s crucial to remember there are 24 other players in the regional game. -
6 Oct 2020
Stepping past the fatalism trap
If Australia wants to shape rather than be shaped by a fast-changing world, creative diplomacy is essential. -
24 Sep 2020
Economic diplomacy: A snapshot of overseas investment trends
New data sheds light on how Australian businesses have (and haven’t) shifted their foreign engagements. -
10 Sep 2020
Economic diplomacy: Borders, barriers and obstacles
Reshoring incentives gather steam, India’s RCEP regrets sink in, and Indonesia’s stimulus spending gets stuck. -
31 Aug 2020
The limits of Zoom diplomacy in Asia
A whirlwind of online diplomatic speed-dating doesn’t allow the impromptu conversations where real business is done. -
27 Aug 2020
Indo-Pacific strategy: Before justifying the means, identify the ends
Facing uncertainty of where “strategic competition” is headed, first look for the ideal outcome. -
10 Jul 2020
Keeping the Kremlin in the Kelvinator
A flurry of enthusiasm to re-engage Russia speaks more to Western insecurities than future power dynamics in East Asia. -
30 Jun 2020
International law takes a step towards Asia
With Singapore a venue for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, will more Asian countries use it? -
26 Jun 2020
COVIDcast: Hugh White on Coronavirus and Asia’s power balance
The latest episode in a podcast to discuss the implications of coronavirus for Australia, the region and the world. -
19 Jun 2020
Canberra vs Beijing: A response to Sam Roggeveen
Contrarian views are needed to assess the China risk. And we shouldn’t assume this century will be indisputably China’s. -
15 Jun 2020
Disruption or demands? US post-election foreign policy in Asia
While the re-election of an incumbent may prove strangely turbulent, a new president could bring different burdens. -
20 May 2020
Covid-19: The need to aid Asia to open up
For Western donors, this has not been their finest hour, yet collective action offers a chance to revive past success. -
11 May 2020
Weight on the scales
Middle powers might seek to balance the US and China, but inevitably their own actions change the equation. -
23 Apr 2020
Negative oil prices: Why Asian nations may struggle to take advantage
Demand has collapsed, storages are filling – yet Asia’s energy markets might not offer producers a financial lifeline. -
13 Apr 2020
Book review: The Indo-Pacific contest
A meditation on the region – the arena of Australia’s greatest strategic focus – puts China’s rise in historic context. -
8 Apr 2020
Asia after the pandemic
The stabilising force of shared economic interests could be lost after the crisis, leaving the region more dangerous. -
8 Apr 2020
Coronavirus in conflict: The fight has hardly begun
Covid-19 has brought wealthy nations to their knees. What will happen when the virus breaks out in a war zone? -
8 Apr 2020
Fighting corona will strain US military capacity in the Indo-Pacific
With outbreaks in the ranks and resources directed home, America’s commitments abroad will be challenged. -
3 Apr 2020
The danger meme: Countering visual disinformation in Asia’s politics
The Covid-19 “infodemic” has made plain the risks from ill-intended videos and photos. This is true for elections, too. -
27 Mar 2020
Coronavirus and the threat to South Asian democracy
With the lockdowns imposed to limit the spread of Covid‑19, the authoritarian grip on South Asia will likely strengthen. -
27 Mar 2020
No planes or cruise ships – a crucial regional industry will need aid
Tourism is a massive employer in countries where Australia gives aid and will need a lot of extra help after the virus. -
27 Feb 2020
Economic diplomacy: Mahathir’s APEC gamble, and aid corruption
When is a loan not a loan, and should Australia really be propping up neighbours with a cash injection? -
20 Feb 2020
Power and legitimacy go hand in hand
Whatever America’s flaws and crimes – and there are many – it is a free and open democracy. China is not. -
5 Feb 2020
US-China competition in Asia: Who risks wins
Victory in great power games have rested on military might far more than the attractiveness of a leadership model. -
30 Jan 2020
Economic diplomacy: APEC’s future, digital trade deals, and green debt
Malaysian PM Mahathir controls the credibility of APEC, and China controls how emerging economies cut carbon emissions.