China spy facility speculation swirls over Cambodia, Myanmar

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China may be on a spy infrastructure-building spree in Myanmar and Cambodia, deftly leveraging these countries’ security and economic troubles to advance its geopolitical interests. This month, Economic Times reported that satellite imagery from US-based Maxar Technologies showed renewed construction activities on Myanmar’s Great Coco Island, including a freshly-lengthened 2,300-meter runway. The report also mentions […]Continue Reading

Australia should eschew US-style green protectionism

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My book “The Superpower Transformation” showed how Australia’s full participation in the world’s move to early zero net emissions would underpin full employment with rising living standards for a growing population through the next four decades. While doing well for itself, Australia would increase the likelihood of success in our battle with climate change. Australia moving to net zero reduces global […]Continue Reading

How to make S Korea-Japan rapprochement endure

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It is newsworthy on its own that conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol flew to Tokyo to meet with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio last week. Yoon’s predecessor, the progressive Moon Jae-in, demonstrated little interest in official meetings with his Japanese counterparts across his five years as president, one of the few things he had in common with his conservative […]Continue Reading

Death scene in burned Filipino ferry moves rescuers to tears

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The steel-hulled ferry could accommodate up to 430 people and was not overcrowded, said another coast guard official, Commodore Rejard Marfe. According to the manifest, it was carrying 205 passengers and a 35-member crew, Marfe said. In addition, it had a security contingent consisting of four coast guard marshals, whoContinue Reading

Alibaba breakup solves the Jack Ma riddle

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This week, Xi Jinping’s regulators signaled that the Jack Ma debacle of the last 28-plus months is finally over. And that China Inc is back in business. Beijing announced Tuesday (March 28) that Alibaba Group will divide its US$220 billion empire into six distinct business units, a move that will generate several initial public offerings […]Continue Reading

Existential crisis for Iran in South Caucasus

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Tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia are threatening to destabilize the South Caucasus, prompting some to worry that Iran could eventually be pulled into a wider regional conflict. But is Iran really prepared to invade its Shia-majority neighbor to protect Armenia, or are recent military moves little more than bluster? While Azerbaijan’s military continues to capture parts of […]Continue Reading

Disinformation and democratic resilience in Taiwan

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Since 2000, Taiwan has been a top target of misinformation campaigns largely propagated by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and its proxies. Beijing’s primary objective in spreading disinformation is to undermine trust in Taiwan’s democracy and governance. Beijing hopes to convince Taiwanese citizens that the only way to avoid war is to support its plans peacefully to unify […]Continue Reading

Foxconn’s Guo shakes up Taiwan’s presidential race

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With his sudden departure on March 27 on a 12-day trip to the United States, Foxconn founder Terry Guo has sent his own signal that Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election campaign is underway. At a time when fresh controversy has arisen over the meaning of the “one China” principle, Guo’s every word is bound to be […]Continue Reading