China Note Trump and Xi Skip Singapore Summit, but Battle for Regional Influence Continues Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018 Asia-Pacific leaders are in Singapore to kick off a series of summit meetings. In the absence of breakthroughs on trade or security, the focus is on the competition for influence between the United States and China—a narrative driven by dueling op-eds from U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
In South Korea, a Supreme Court Decision Opens Up Deep Historical Wounds Elliot Waldman Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018 South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled last month that a major Japanese steelmaker must pay damages to Korean men who were forced to work without pay during World War II. The decision could prove consequential for relations between Japan and South Korea, two major regional powers that are both key U.S. allies.
Q&A Tunisia’s Twin Crises Will Take More Than a Cabinet Reshuffle to Resolve The Editors Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018 Tunisia’s prime minister, Youssef Chahed, announced several changes to his Cabinet last week in a bid to shore up support for his government amid a parallel political and economic crisis. In an interview, Sharan Grewal discusses the latest developments in Tunis and what to expect from the new Cabinet.
Q&A Hong Kong’s Backslide on Press Freedom Goes Beyond a British Journalist’s Expulsion The Editors Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018 Last Friday, a British journalist was denied entry into Hong Kong, only a month after authorities there declined to renew his work visa. In an interview, Cedric Alviani explains why journalists are increasingly concerned about a push by Chinese authorities to exert greater control over Hong Kong’s media.
Q&A Pakistan’s Blasphemy Protests Are the Latest Sign of Islamist Hard-Liners’ Ascendance The Editors Monday, Nov. 12, 2018 Violent protests swept across Pakistan earlier this month in response to the acquittal of Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy. In an interview, Michael Kugelman discusses Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and the impact of the Bibi case on the country’s judiciary.
Q&A How Bhutan’s New Government Might Navigate Its Rival Neighbors, China and India The Editors Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 Bhutan held national elections this fall for the third time since implementing multiparty democracy in 2008. The new government is expected to try to reduce Bhutan’s reliance on neighboring India, even as China is looking to expand its influence. In an interview, Manoj Joshi discusses takeaways from the vote.
Africa Watch As Hurdles Mount, Diplomats Abandon Libya Election Timetable Robbie Corey-Boulet Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 The U.N.’s representative for Libya conceded that elections would not take place before next spring, affirming what has long seemed obvious: A French-backed plan to hold a vote in December was way too ambitious. Read up on that and other stories from across the continent in our weekly roundup of Africa news.
Q&A The Challenge of Feeding Arab Gulf Countries in a Post-Fossil Fuel World The Editors Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018 Ensuring an adequate food supply has never been easy for Gulf Arab nations, which are both water-scarce and reliant on food imports. The situation will only get more difficult in the coming decades. In an interview, Eckart Woertz explains what countries in the region must do to continue feeding their populations.
China Note At Import Expo, Xi Championed Economic Openness. Will His Words Lead to Action? Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018 As he opened the first-ever China International Import Expo, President Xi Jinping sought to boost confidence in the Chinese economy amid the ongoing trade war with Washington. But skeptics said they feared his words were empty and sought convincing signs that he is prepared to further open China’s economy.
Q&A Despite Diplomatic Détente, North Korea Is Continuing Its Cyberattacks The Editors Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018 2018 has been the year of diplomacy for North Korea, but behind this charm offensive, Pyongyang is continuing to develop its cyber capabilities and conduct espionage campaigns against a range of targets. In an interview, Adam Meyers explains the motives and methods behind North Korea’s malign cyber activities.
Q&A After Inconclusive Elections, Iraq’s Kurds Will Struggle to Speak With a Single Voice The Editors Monday, Nov. 5, 2018 Talks are ongoing to form a governing coalition in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, after inconclusive parliamentary elections whose results were rejected by opposition parties. In an interview, Renad Mansour discusses the implications of the elections and prospects for forming a coalition.
Q&A In Sri Lanka’s Leadership Standoff, Both Sides Fight for Their Political Lives Elliot Waldman Friday, Nov. 2, 2018 Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly attempted to replace his prime minister last week, sparking a tense standoff. With Parliament suspended, both sides are digging in to prepare for an anticipated leadership vote next week. Stanley Samarasinghe discusses the political implications of the crisis.
