Insight topics
Southeast Asia
83 articles found : Show all articles
Finding hope in pragmatic beginnings: the Paris Peace Agreements 30 years on
On the weekend, Cambodia marked the 30th anniversary of peace agreements signed in Paris to bring an end to decades of conflict. Katrin Travouillon argues that international effort can only be seen as a success through the lens of pragmatism – a “hope that arises and is rekindled in spite of things”.
ASEAN must lead countries on biodiversity
Ahead of the Glasgow Climate Conference, Tony La Viña writes that ASEAN needs to take a much broader view of the environmental challenge and set ambitious targets for the protection of one of the world’s richest ecologies.
ASEAN’s snub to Myanmar junta a sign of change
ASEAN has decided not to invite a political representative of Myanmar’s military regime to its annual summit, instead promising to give the seat to a ‘non-political representative’. Former ambassador Nicholas Coppel writes that this modest break with ASEAN’s tradition of non-interference is unlikely to bring about change, but it can help.
Could defections threaten the survival of Myanmar’s military regime?
Myanmar's generals have been shaken by a string of defections from the security forces, but this does not spell the end of the military regime. Andrew Selth argues it would take the defection of high-ranked officers and major combat units to seriously weaken the junta's grip on power.
China’s loss can be Southeast Asia's gain
As China's role in the global economy changes, companies are increasingly reconsidering its role as the world's manufacturing hub and moving to less expensive destinations in the region. As Keun Lee writes, for many Southeast Asian countries, "China's loss is their gain".