Articles | Lowy Institute

13 May 2022
Philippines
What a Marcos Jr presidency in the Philippines means for geopolitics

Adele Webb

A policy-free campaign in Asia’s oldest democracy results in a guessing game in the region for where next.
13 May 2022
Diplomacy

United States

China's Government

China
China and the West: It’s about understanding each other

Aaron Mc Nicholas

The former Australian prime minister offers indispensable insights into how to go back to relationship basics.
12 May 2022
Trade

Indonesia
A flash in the pan? Indonesia’s palm oil export ban

Johannes Nugroho

Apparent domestic shortages appear more a case of a government stand-off with industry over pricing.
12 May 2022
Australia
Bell teals for big parties in Australia’s election

Greg Earl

The traditional two-party political cycle is being disrupted by the rise of independent candidates from right and left.
11 May 2022
Pacific Islands

Australian Diplomacy
Resetting Australia’s relationship with the Pacific – three ideas

Anna Gibert

Listen, for a start. Getting down to granular, person-to-person engagement is needed for effective regional diplomacy.
11 May 2022
Diplomacy

Australia
The case for rejuvenating DFAT

Justin Brown

Foreign ministries no longer monopolise a country’s global voice. But some practical fine tuning will enhance diplomacy.
11 May 2022
China – Belt and Road Initiative

Development Assistance

Southeast Asia

Poverty
Mapping Southeast Asian development assistance

Teesta Prakash , Alexandre Dayant

A new measure of foreign aid impact in countries hit by Covid and infrastructure failure is set to fill the gap.
10 May 2022
Papua New Guinea

Sex and Gender
Where are the women? The challenge facing the next PNG parliament

Teddy Winn

A country ranking among the world’s lowest for political participation by women has enormous social bias to overcome.
10 May 2022
United States

China

Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia and China: a blossoming friendship

Evan Freidin

Relations are cosy for now. But is Saudi Arabia hedging its bets between Beijing and Washington?
10 May 2022
Defence & Security

Pacific Islands

Australia

China

Solomon Islands
Chinese bases in the Pacific: A reality check

Sam Roggeveen

Frustrating Beijing’s ambitions to create a sphere of influence is overwhelmingly a diplomatic task, not a military one.
9 May 2022
Syria

Russia

Türkiye

Ukraine
Turkey’s leverage over Russia – in Syria and beyond

Nikola Mikovic

Ankara and Moscow are in an unusual power play where the Kremlin turns a blind eye to actions that aid its adversaries.
9 May 2022
Australia's Trade

Australia's Economy

European Union

United Kingdom

France
The time is right for Australia to forge stronger ties with Europe

Mateo Szlapek-Sewillo

A new world has created new opportunities in energy, security and diplomacy that Canberra should grab without delay.
6 May 2022
United States

Iran's Nuclear Program

Iran
Iran applies its own maximum pressure in nuclear talks

Prabhat Jawla

With negotiations seemingly deadlocked, the Biden administration’s hopes for a major foreign policy win appear dashed.
6 May 2022
United States

Review
Understanding the rise of Trump – and how it might happen again

Erin Hurley

Fixing America’s broken electoral system means understanding how elites crafted self-serving rules and procedures.
6 May 2022
Asylum seekers and refugees

Afghanistan War

Australian immigration

Afghanistan

Human rights
Australia can stand up for the Afghan people, and the time is now

Ahmad Shuja Jamal

Canberra should signal to the world that we’re all better off in a community of nations where human dignity matters.
5 May 2022
Trade

Australia's Trade

IMF

Asean

Australia
Economic diplomacy: Trade shifts challenge a new government

Greg Earl

“Friendshoring” offers a half-way house between reshoring production and diversifying markets in a deglobalising world.
5 May 2022
Diplomacy

Australia
Scott Morrison wins. So where to next for Australia in the world?

Hugh Piper

A returned Coalition government faces immediate headaches (and opportunities) in its foreign policy.
5 May 2022
Australia

Energy
Energy security: Embracing technological neutrality

Michael de Percy , John Poljak

Governments should set but not dictate energy standards. That includes allowing nuclear back on the negotiation table.
4 May 2022
Singapore
Death penalty: Singapore’s growing abolition movement

Kirsten Han

Public support for capital punishment isn’t as overwhelming and unshakeable as the government often portrays it to be.
4 May 2022
Timor-Leste
Three takeaways from Timor‑Leste’s presidential election

Parker Novak

And three questions about what’s next.
4 May 2022
Nuclear Weapons

North Korea
For North Korea, military parades come before the people’s wellbeing

Khang Vu

There is no mask over the regime’s true intentions.
3 May 2022
Russia

European Union

Ukraine
European neutrality is dying out

Daniel Woker

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has transformed future security policy arrangements to Russia’s detriment.
3 May 2022
China

Coronavirus

Human rights
Shanghai lockdown prompts collective action

Jennifer Hsu

China’s citizens are finding increasingly creative ways to make their voices heard during the pandemic.
3 May 2022
Diplomacy

Australia
Imagining Labor’s first 100 days in foreign policy

Hugh Piper

It’s 22 May. And although Anthony Albanese is yet to get his feet under the desk, priorities are already piling up.
2 May 2022
Australia

China

Solomon Islands

Sex and Gender
Solomon Islands-China security pact: A feminist foreign policy answer

Joanna Pradela

For Australia to change the game in regional relations, it needs to grapple with new rules about systems of power.
2 May 2022
Russia

Ukraine
Transnistria: The next front of the Ukraine war

David Brewster

Moscow is stirring tensions in a separatist region in neighbouring Moldova, but its moves may backfire.
2 May 2022
Afghanistan

Pakistan
Drones do the talking in Pakistan’s anti-terror offensive

Syed Fazl-e-Haider

Islamabad is tired of waiting for Afghanistan’s Taliban to control the TTP who have found safe haven across the border.
29 Apr 2022
Technology
Musk’s Twitter: Tweet freedom for Asia?

JJ Rose

The tech billionaire should brace for more than keyboard warriors in a world of authoritarianism and eroding democracy.
29 Apr 2022
War Crimes

Russia

International law

Ukraine
Putting Putin on trial to enforce a price for the powerful

Shivangi Seth

Building a just international order must go beyond the interest of a few to foster a true test of global accountability.
28 Apr 2022
Sex and Gender
Southeast Asia: Gender parity is not gender equality

Meg Hocking

Overcoming the root causes of the gender gap means tackling harmful stereotypes and biases, country by country.
28 Apr 2022
Indonesia
What is at stake with new provinces in West Papua?

Eduard Lazarus

Jakarta’s plan to break West Papua into five provinces from the existing two leaves an even larger military footprint.
27 Apr 2022
Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste: The new president needs to tune in

Joao da Cruz Cardoso

In the battle for leadership, an integral part of good governance has been overlooked: listening to the people.
27 Apr 2022
Energy
When the tank’s empty: Australia’s impoverished energy security

Christian Downie

Reliance on foreign oil and fuel-hungry cars puts the country in a vulnerable position, even when there’s no crisis.
26 Apr 2022
Australia and the Pacific

Solomon Islands
Fixing Australia’s failing Pacific Step-up strategy

Peter Layton

Supporting domestic interest groups in the region will bring success, and should be high on Canberra’s “to do” list.
26 Apr 2022
United States

China

Russia

Vietnam
Vietnam’s “Four No’s” of defence policy are being tested

Huynh Tam Sang

The war in Ukraine has forced Hanoi into a delicate dance between Russia and the United States.
25 Apr 2022
Southeast Asia

Maritime Security
Not all maritime disputes are built the same

Evan A Laksmana

Resolving some of the South China Sea’s longest running issues needs a policy toolkit that is customised and diverse.
25 Apr 2022
Administration
We’re taking a break

The Interpreter

Our analysis and commentary on the latest international events returns after the public holiday.
22 Apr 2022
China

Australia

Solomon Islands
Solomons: How Australia stacks up in a China aid bidding war

Alexandre Dayant

Lowy Institute’s Pacific Aid Map reveals the true scope of Australia’s development assistance to the region.
22 Apr 2022
Russia

Ukraine

International law

United Nations

War Crimes
Even Putin is not beyond the law

Donald R Rothwell

International and domestic justice systems are working in the background to bring accountability in the war on Ukraine.
22 Apr 2022
China

India

Pakistan

Russia

Ukraine
India-Russia: A friend in need

Christopher Snedden

New Delhi’s reluctance to speak out on Ukraine is also influenced by own ambition in the disputed Kashmir region.
22 Apr 2022
Defence & Security
Does commemorating war really promote peace?

Ned Dobos

Contrary to popular belief, reminiscing on past sacrifices actually increases the perceived value of future combat.
21 Apr 2022
Defence & Security

Australia

China

Solomon Islands

Climate change
Solomons security pact: Sogavare, China, and Australia

Peter Hooton

There is no shutting China out of the South Pacific, but if Australia gets real on climate the game will truly change.
21 Apr 2022
Global Economy

G20

IMF

Russia

Ukraine
Economic diplomacy: After Ukraine, the IMF ponders the future

Greg Earl

A decoupling world will still need an old-style cooperative rescue service to repair the economic minefields.
21 Apr 2022
Russia

Ukraine
Rallying around the flag: Domestic support for Putin is holding up

Ian Hill

Russians doubt what they are told about the Ukraine conflict yet their view is still shaped by relentless propaganda.
21 Apr 2022
Trade

Australia

India
A first for India and a chance to trade up with Australia

Amita Batra

The new trade deal should be a stepping stone for the two countries to make their economic partnership comprehensive.
20 Apr 2022
Global Issues

Sustainability

Russia

Sri Lanka

Ukraine
Russia-Ukraine: It always comes down to food

Vani Swarupa Murali

War in eastern Europe is devastating the supply of staple goods to distant regions that can least afford it.
20 Apr 2022
Australia's Trade

Australia's Economy

Asean

Australia and Asia
Strategic divergence: Australia’s Southeast Asia challenge

Susannah Patton

Australia’s next government needs to find ways to relate to the region that don’t depend on geopolitical alignment.
20 Apr 2022
Russia

Ukraine

Human rights

International law

War Crimes
The duty to prevent genocide in Ukraine

Dominique Fraser , Juliette McIntyre

A serious risk of Russia committing genocide imposes legal obligations for states to do what they can to stop it.
19 Apr 2022
Russia

Ukraine
In Putin’s war, everybody loses

Peter Layton

The war may freeze in place, but the future peace will not be like the old peace before Russia invaded.
19 Apr 2022
Papua New Guinea
With elections looming, PNG rushed to create seven new districts

Michael Kabuni

While the opposition worries about gerrymandering, the flaws in the decision are more about the population count.