Who is he? Awang Adek Hussin is Malaysia’s new ambassador-designate to the United States. Awang previously served as deputy finance minister from 2006 to 2008 and again from 2009 to 2013. Before that he spent nearly a decade at the…
Malaysia
Beijing’s South China Sea Strategies: Consolidation and Provocation
by Gregory Poling • • 1 Comment
By Greg Poling Recent months have seen a steady progression of China’s long-term strategy in the South China Sea, which can be loosely divided into two parts. Beijing is building up its maritime surveillance forces in the area and strengthening…
MH370: Five Concerns
by cogitASIA Staff • • 1 Comment
By Ernest Z. Bower, Christopher K. Johnson, & Thomas M. Sanderson Four days ago, Malaysia Airlines flight 370 (MH370) disappeared over the South China Sea with 239 people on board en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Nine nations are…
Anwar Verdict Shouldn’t Divert Obama from Malaysia
by Ernest Z. Bower • • 1 Comment
By Ernie Bower The White House faces a difficult decision regarding President Barack Obama’s planned trip to Malaysia in April, a visit that would be the first by a U.S. president in nearly half a century. Should he still visit…
The Leaderboard: Marina Mahathir
by cogitASIA Staff • • 0 Comments
Who is she? Marina Mahathir is a Malaysian author and social activist known for her progressive views on religious freedom and civil liberties. Despite being the eldest child of former prime minister Mahathir Mohammad, the 56-year-old has often voiced opinions…
In a Fortnight: CSIS Asia Team’s Quintuple Event Recap
by cogitASIA Staff • • 0 Comments
Over the final two weeks in January the CSIS Asia team hosted more than 1,200 visitors for five public events covering issues directly connected to the Asia-Pacific including tensions in the East China Sea, the U.S.-Australia alliance, the ROK-U.S. alliance,…
China Escalates Fishing Disputes in the South China Sea
by cogitASIA Staff • • 2 Comments
By Carl Thayer The Hainan provincial government’s announcement last December that foreign ships transiting through waters within the nine-dash line area claimed by China must get permission from the relevant Chinese authorities is a major escalation of China’s claims in…
Competition Policy for a Prosperous ASEAN Economic Community
by cogitASIA Staff • • 1 Comment
By James Wallar Provisions on competition policy have increasingly been embedded in regional trade agreements. So it was no surprise last September when negotiators for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – a free trade agreement currently negotiated between ASEAN…
Malaysia’s New Engagement on the South China Sea
by cogitASIA Staff • • 3 Comments
By Phoebe De Padua Malaysia has had few serious run-ins with China in its dispute in the South China Sea compared to its fellow ASEAN claimants, the Philippines and Vietnam. Malaysia has not seen the dispute as a major national…
Interpreting Obama’s Second Term Asia Strategy: How to Read NSA Rice’s Georgetown Speech
by Michael J. Green • • 2 Comments
By Michael Green U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice gave a comprehensive speech on U.S. foreign policy towards the Asia Pacific region at Georgetown University on November 20. This was an important speech for two reasons. First, doubts have grown…