Video: The Battle for the South China Sea in the Time of Covid-19 By Dr Lynn Kuok 25 June 2020 As the fight against COVID-19 rages across the world, a different battle is taking place in the South China Sea. Read More
Canada Has Lost Its Bid to Obtain a UNSC Seat By Dr Bruce Mabley 25 June 2020 The Canadian bid to obtain a non-permanent seat at the UNSC was the cornerstone of the Trudeau international vision. It is now in shambles as a result of the continued weakening of political multilateralism, increasing European solidarity, and the opposition of China and Saudi Arabia. Read More
Australian Soaps to the Pacific - Good Diplomacy? By Richard Broinowski AO 24 June 2020 The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade launched an initiative to send commercial Australian television programs to local stations in the South Pacific. This move will probably do little to enhance what used to be a vigorous and discerning projection of Australian news and values into the region. Read More
Engaging with Armed Groups During COVID-19 By Katherine Stewart 23 June 2020 Working with the International Committee of the Red Cross in areas of conflict requires flexibility. When talking to armed groups, even amid pandemic, continuity of humanitarian operations is always the top priority. Read More
Book Review: China–North Korea Relations: Between Development and Security By John West 23 June 2020 China’s developmental peace approach to North Korea reads like a soft carrot and stick approach. The intensity can vary according to the actor, the issue, and the moment for fostering peace, security, and development. Read More
West Africa – A Novel Approach to Regionalism Thomas Shortridge 20 June 2020 The decades-long transition from the European Coal and Steel Community into the modern European Union established a model that regional integration projects will […] Read More
Coronavirus vs. Dissent in Lebanon Evangeline Larsen 20 June 2020 Late last year, it felt as if there was a new protest, in a new street, in a new country every week. One […] Read More
Can Russia Fix the West’s China Problem? By Ian Parmeter 19 June 2020 An Australian MP has proposed that the US and other Western nations counter Chinese aggression by bringing Russia in from the cold. But doing so would create more problems than it might solve. Read More
The Philippines' New Anti-Terrorism Law Closes the Space for Peacebuilding By Dr DB Subedi and Dr Balázs Áron Kovács 18 June 2020 The new anti-terrorism law in the Philippines is aimed at addressing violent extremism and terrorism. However, imprecision in defining terrorism has blurred its boundary with armed conflict, which means the law can be misappropriated to close the space for peacebuilding in the Mindanao region. Read More
China’s Varied Approach to the Liberal International Order By Eloise Watson 18 June 2020 Pundits often negatively portray China’s current posture towards the liberal international order. A more nuanced, and arguably more apt, characterisation of its stance is that of a “conditional supporter.” Read More
Invisible Scars: Mental Health and COVID-19 in the PNG Highlands By Charlotte Blackman 17 June 2020 Coronavirus doesn’t just take a toll on lives and livelihoods – it also hits mental health hard. In the highlands of Papua New Guinea, the International Committee of the Red Cross is working with communities to curb the veiled consequence of both violence and pandemic. Read More