Opinion Asia - Asia and The World

US Strategic Short-sightedness? No place for Kashmir in India-Pakistan Rapprochement

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:18:08 +0800

Yet again Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, no doubt much to the delight of her host, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, declared in Islamabad last week that Kashmir remained an “impediment” in Indo-Pakistani relations. However, what she probably did not realise is that the meaning of the word “impediment” will be parsed very differently in Islamabad.

Asia faces US default on its Sovereign Debt

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 09:23:30 +0800

Very few people believe it. The Americans totally discard it. Financial observers do not write about it. Rating agencies turn up their noses at it. And yet, it is likely, almost certain that before 2020, the US will default on its sovereign debt.

Speeding up women's participation in politics

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:46:21 +0800

There have been diverse views on the use of quotas to ensure women’s participation in politics. Those for the quota system have argued that it is the most effective way of achieving gender balance. The most successful equal representation of women and men in politics has been when quotas have been employed.

Indo-US Strategic Dialogue Aftermath: Relations on the Mend?

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:44:59 +0800

At least four Indian concerns remain. They deal with the US willingness to lift export controls on key Indian state-owned entities, possible US weapons sales to Pakistan, the process of US withdrawal from Afghanistan and how the US deals with the PRC in relation to India.

China and Google: Opening Minds, Closing Minds

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:11:00 +0800

Warning: Always beware when a news story emerges of a Western white knight fighting an Asian Darth Vader over an important point of principle. Quite often the truth is not so black and white and, in many cases, the truth is distorted. This is equally true of the Google vs. China story, which has captured many Western imaginations.

Asia in the New Decade

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 13:54:56 +0800

The past decade perhaps marked the beginning of the end of 500 years of ‘western ascendancy’. It could take at least a few more decades, if not a century, to make the Asian century, if not Chinese ascendancy, a cliché. Yet it is very likely that the current decade could well belong to Asia.

Where No One rules the world

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:01:22 +0800

One problem for the US (and indeed the EU) is that this will involve compromising on their own “core values”, such as going along with PRC's handling of political dissent or poor human rights record. Realpolitik may suggest this is advisable, but the more difficult question is whether the reality of domestic politics in the US will allow for such realism.

Obama "gives face" but China not impressed

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:19:53 +0800

China should abandon its hard-line policy toward Tibet and instead work to attract Tibetan exiles to return to their homeland. It must begin by stopping the ridiculous caricature of the Dalai Lama as a terrorist and a separatist. Castigating the Dalai Lama, who continues to enjoy the respect, indeed the reverence, of most Tibetans will simply perpetuate Chinese policy failures.

US and China may move to cap military spending

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:17:41 +0800

Reading the mass media, it looks as if the US and China are on a collision course. The Google episode and the sale of US weapons to Taiwan convey the impression of two superpowers staring each other down. The two powers may, however, soon be forced into each other’s arms by the dismal outlook for US public finance and potential social unrest in China.

Shame’nhagen

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:00:52 +0800

For all the protocol smiles post-Copenhagen, the reality is dirty and grim. Far less than Copenhagen being a stepping stone to meaningful emission control by the time of the next meet in Mexico City a year later, the situation, to this writer’s mind, will worsen. The choices in Mexico City will turn starker still. It is either to turn back from this madness, or write the obituary of the world.

Economies of the World: A Sketch for Sustained Recovery

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:38:52 +0800

Total debt in the US is approaching 400 % of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – a figure never seen before, not even under the great depression or when financing World War II. As it stands currently, interest payments flowing from public debt account for approximately 1.5% of GDP and is estimated to hit 6-7% or even more by 2019.

Obama in China: The Shifting World Order

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:42:34 +0800

The emphasis Obama has placed on the security relationship with Japan, admittedly at a time when Tokyo shows signs of cold feet towards the US, and the speed with which India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was welcomed to the White House after the President returned from China, suggest that Washington is engaged in a subtle balancing act in its relationships in Asia.

New Realities or Old Issues? Hatoyama's alliance with the US

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:53:26 +0800

The United States, which remains by far the most powerful player, needs to pay attention to its friends in this part of the world. The current perceived decline in American influence is due in part to neglect of the region over the last decade, especially during the Asian financial crisis, when it was China that stepped up to provide assistance.

Kickstarting APEC: What Obama Can Do in Singapore

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:53:51 +0800

More importantly, both APEC and the WTO need this injection of confidence from President Obama. Fifteen years after the first APEC summit in Bogor, we are no closer to a comprehensive APEC trade agreement. TPA would help the TPP countries convince others to start talks in earnest.

India-Myanmar Relations: A Strategic Perspective

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:07:58 +0800

India’s national interest lies in a strong and stable Myanmar that observes strict neutrality between India and China and cooperates with India in the common fight against the insurgencies raging in the border areas of both the countries. Myanmar is an important staging post on the land route for the implementation of India’s “Look East” policy.