Shackles and trust: The Korea-US alliance tested again
On September 4, the mass arrest of around 300 Korean workers at the Hyundai-LG joint venture in the US state of Georgia jolted Koreans — an unexpected image of compatriots in…
The Asian View
The sweet and sour friendship between Cambodia and Thailand
The complex and often turbulent history between Cambodia and Thailand dates back centuries. Despite sharing a rich cultural heritage and many social and linguistic similarities,…
Can the Philippines become the ‘Ukraine of Asia?’
The strong US-Philippines alliance could potentially draw the US into a conflict between the Philippines and China, much like the situation in Ukraine with Russia, the writer…
The job no one claps for
Women’s unpaid household and care work sustains the nation, yet remains invisible.
India’s balancing act in Tianjin
Contrary to views, the writer argues, New Delhi’s attempts to resolve its differences with Beijing are not due to tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, though these are a factor, but…
Marcos metamorphosis: Anti-corruption hero?
With the current President entering his legacy years, the writer says, he risks alienating key allies, who could defect to the resurgent Duterte camp, which has been shamelessly…
Shifting global dynamics
The Tianjin summit reflected the geopolitical shifts underway in a world marked by growing multipolarity and in which Trumpian policies are accelerating some of these shifts, says…
Lawlessness in Bangladesh: Inaction as policy, lawlessness as outcome
The writer says: "The country deserves better than a government that only condemns after the fact. Words are not governance. Inaction is complicity. And when mobs dictate the…
The politics of protests
Intelligence officers and diplomats the writer spoke to agreed that the protests in Malaysia and Indonesia began as organic grassroots movements. However, they believe that…
Through Indonesia’s mirror
The writer says: "Today, it seems the Indonesians are showing us what it means to vent public fury over betrayal by leaders. While the immediate circumstances differ, the motifs…