By Daniel Remler Earlier this month, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe wrapped up his first visit to Latin America since returning to the premiership in 2012, making stops in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Trinidad and Tobago. The visit came…
By Dylan Kean President Benigno Aquino III on July 21 signed into law Republic Act 10641, known as “An Act Allowing the Full Entry of Foreign Banks in the Philippines.” This law amended a previous legislation that limited foreign ownership…
By Andrew Smith Development of Australia’s Defence White Paper 2015, formally announced in April, has been under way for over four months. It is worth taking stock of the process thus far. In announcing the White Paper, Prime Minister Tony…
By Abby Seiff After months of silence, Australia and Cambodia have begun to push ahead in earnest on a plan to relocate hundreds of refugees to the developing nation. A special diplomat, former immigration department official Greg Kelly, has been…
By U Zaw Htay U.S. president Barack Obama’s historic visit to Myanmar in 2012 brought hope to the people of this country, which sits at the crossroads of China, India, and mainland Southeast Asia. President Thein Sein’s return visit to…
By Nguyen Manh Hung China’s placement of an oil rig inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone in May 2014 was a wake up call for the Vietnamese leadership. It took place at a time when Hanoi was filled with speculation about…
Competition over resources is one of the primary drivers of tension between China and its neighbors in the South China Sea. This infographic, prepared by the Sumitro Chair at CSIS, provides data on one key flashpoint between China and Vietnam:…
By Samir Nair Despite the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) historic election victory earlier in May, the party will still face difficulty in getting major legislation through parliament because of its relatively weak presence in the Rajya Sabha – it currently…
By Kriti Sapra Not only is the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a jihadist group which seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria, making waves in the Middle East, increasingly it is worrying…
Despite China’s place as the world’s second largest economy and one of the most rapidly growing in the world, the Chinese government still classifies itself as a developing country. Being known as a “developing country” serves to China’s advantage, as…
Who is he? Lt. Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr., 55, is the newly appointed Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), replacing General Emmanuel Bautista who served for 18 months – the longest term of any chief…
By Duong Tran & Ngoc Phan In the most recent meeting of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), Laos agreed to consult with its neighbors on the controversial Don Sahong hydropower project, allowing it to undergo a six-month review process. While…
