By Ernest Z. Bower Indonesia’s new presidential chief of staff Gen. Luhut Panjaitan visited Washington, D.C. this week to build on a strengthening foundation of U.S.-Indonesia ties and prepare for the inaugural visit of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Before diving…
By Dr. Ji-Jen Hwang On January 26, 2015, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) released the seventh annual China Press Freedom Report, titled China’s Media War: Censorship, Corruption & Control. According to the report, on the one hand, the population…
In this week’s episode, we discuss Taiwan’s marginalized role in international security organizations and its relationship with Mainland China. CSIS’s Senior Adviser for Asia Bonnie Glaser discussed her new report on this topic with Congressman Matt Salmon, the new chair…
By Gregory Poling & James Hurndell New Zealand’s prime minister, John Key, on February 24 made the long-awaited announcement that his government will join the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). New Zealand will deploy…
Who is he? Peng Jiasheng, also called Phone Kyar Shin, is the leader of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), a Kokang insurgent group in northern Shan State, Myanmar. The Kokang are ethnically Han Chinese. Peng began serving as…
By Bonnie Glaser & Jacqueline Vitello The complicated question of Taiwan’s sovereignty has led to its exclusion from countless international security organizations. This has left a critical hole not only in the security of Taiwan’s 23 million citizens, but also…
By Richard Rossow The Budget Session of India’s Parliament began on Monday, running until May 8, with a month-long break between March 20 and April 20. The budget itself will be released on February 28, accompanied by the finance minister’s…
By Gregory Poling Cobra Gold, the weeks-long multinational military exercise that began on Feb. 9 in Thailand, highlighted the difficult balancing act facing Washington as it engages with the military-backed government of its long-time ally. The annual training exercise, the…
In this week’s show, we speak with Justice Michael Kirby, the Chair of the United Nations Inquiry on human rights in the DPRK, about the recent landmark U.N. Commission of Inquiry into the plight of North Korea’s citizens. Then we discuss groundbreaking satellite imagery…
By Zachary Abuza Media freedom across Southeast Asia continues to decline according to Reporters Without Borders’ (RWB) 2015 report. Despite the region’s economic vibrancy, Southeast Asian states languish in the lower half of the 180-country survey. Half the countries in…
By Phuong Nguyen The fighting between government troops and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, or Kokang, in northern Myanmar has caused as much intrigue as confusion. Following an offensive started by Kokang rebels on February 9, the military on February…
By Amy Studdart United States Trade Representative Froman has been saber-rattling at the World Trade Organization (WTO). “Under the President’s leadership”, said Ambassador Froman, “USTR will continue working tirelessly to ensure that China and all WTO Members play by the…
