The findings from ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s State of Southeast Asia 2024 survey present a nuanced picture of Indonesian perceptions towards China. While the data indicates a notable increase in China’s influence across Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, the underlying sentiments reflect a complex interplay of economic opportunities, geopolitical concerns, and socio-cultural affinities. According to the … Read more
A survey that interviews just 159 or 160 compatriots is probably not the ideal way of judging how an entire country thinks, but so few opinion polls emanate from Laos and so few international pollsters are interested in it that the latest State of Southeast Asia survey, from Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, is arguably the … Read more
U.S. President Joe Biden praised Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s “bold” leadership on a series of global crises as he welcomed the Japanese leader to the White House on Wednesday for wide-ranging talks that touched on the delicate security situation in the Pacific, the war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and more. Kishida’s official visit, which … Read more
As U.S. President Joe Biden hosts Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio for a state visit, and prepares for a historic trilateral summit also including the Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., China is emphasizing its own partnerships. On April 8, the same day Kishida arrived in Washington, D.C., Russia Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov began a two-day … Read more
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is on an official state visit to the United States with a firm eye on underscoring the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance in Asia. Kishida’s trip marks the first state visit by a Japanese leader to the U.S. in nine years. Kishida is expected to move forward with joint economic … Read more
Chinese President Xi Jinping and former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou met on April 10 at 4 p.m. at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Earlier media reports suggested that Ma and Xi would meet on April 8. It has been speculated that the original date of the meeting was changed so that Ma … Read more
Most Sri Lankans were unpleasantly surprised when Narendra Modi, who is campaigning aggressively to return to power for a third consecutive term as India’s prime minister, raked up the long-settled India-Sri Lanka dispute over the Katchatheevu Island. Citing a report in Times of India, Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the “Congress callously gave … Read more
There are not many references available on cooperation between Indonesia and the states of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – which perhaps explains the low level of political-economic commitments between the two so far. While Islam plays a key part in both sides’ sociocultural fabrics and both Indonesia and the Central … Read more
SUBHASH NAGAR, PORBANDAR & KETI BANDAR, THATTA – Laxmi Chunilal Chawda, 55, sought respite on a humid afternoon, her head gently cradled against a faded, worn-out wall. Alone in her modest one-room dwelling, her surroundings told the story of her life’s challenges. The single room doubled as both bedroom and kitchen, with dusty shelves bearing … Read more
Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Tuesday in a sign of mutual support and shared opposition to Western democracies amid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. “We would like to express our highest appreciation and admiration for the successes that you have achieved over the years and, above all, over the last … Read more