Programs & Projects

The North Asia Program

The China and East Asia Program

The China and East Asia Program conducts research on the politics and foreign policy of China and its immediate neighbours in Northeast Asia: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and the Korean peninsula. The program is renowned for its particular focus on China’s domestic politics and how this helps to shape its external behaviour. From 2020, the Institute’s extensive research on Southeast Asia – including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Myanmar – is now incorporated in a dedicated Southeast Asia Program. Each Program also commissions work by other scholars on the broader region. To complement their written research, Lowy Institute experts hold a robust series of dialogues and events on the politics of the region, independently and in partnership with other organisations.

Photo: Jung Yeon-Je-Pool/Getty Images

Experts
Latest publications
News and media
CCP: Who makes up the party
CCP: Who makes up the party
Over summer in Australia we’re featuring selected articles from the past year. This was originally published 15 November 2022. These first three charts, taken together,…
Xi's clean sweep: China marks new era with loyalist lineup
Commentary
Xi's clean sweep: China marks new era with loyalist lineup
New standing committee shows party and the world Xi will brook no dissent in third term. Originally published in Nikkei Asia.
Turning point? Putin, Xi, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Analyses
Turning point? Putin, Xi, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has exposed the limitations of the Sino–Russian partnership.
China’s communists guard their future from the past
Commentary
China’s communists guard their future from the past
As they celebrate their party’s centenary, China’s leaders remain obsessed with the fate of the Soviet Union and its political reforms. They study history to avoid a repeat. …
Xi's tech crackdown preserves socialism with Chinese characteristics
Commentary
Xi's tech crackdown preserves socialism with Chinese characteristics
Protecting foreign investors has never been a top priority. Originally published in Nikkei Asia Review   Richard McGregor
China’s looming succession crisis
Commentary
China’s looming succession crisis
What will happen when Xi is gone? Originally published in Foreign Affairs.
Biden and Xi talk of a clash of civilisations. But the real shared goal is dominance
Commentary
Biden and Xi talk of a clash of civilisations. But the real shared goal is dominance
The US president has challenged the idea that the ‘east is rising, the west declining’. Instead, he insists that America’s day is far from done. Originally published by The…
Canberra clueless to China’s flexible diplomacy
Commentary
Canberra clueless to China’s flexible diplomacy
Australia insists on viewing Beijing in black and white. But that’s ill-matched with China’s expertise in the grey zone. Originally published in The Australian Financial Review.
Reading the Xi leaves: what’s next for the Chinese President
Commentary
Reading the Xi leaves: what’s next for the Chinese President
If Xi Jinping had followed the rules, he would be stepping down next year. The longer he stays in office without an anointed successor, the greater the risk of a power struggle…
After Xi: Future Scenarios for Leadership Succession in Post-Xi Jinping Era
Analyses
After Xi: Future Scenarios for Leadership Succession in Post-Xi Jinping Era
A Joint Report of the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies and the Lowy Institute
The New York Times
17 November 2023
The Australian Financial Review
17 November 2023
The Australian Financial Review
17 November 2023
The Australian Financial Review
9 November 2023
ABC Melbourne Radio 774
7 November 2023
BFM Malaysia
7 November 2023
ABC RN Breakfast
6 November 2023
ABC’s Weekend Breakfast
5 November 2023
The Saturday Paper
4 November 2023
Australian Financial Review
3 November 2023
Australian Financial Review
3 November 2023