Articles | Lowy Institute

2 May 2024
Taiwan

Australia
Fostering Indigenous cooperation between Australia and Taiwan

Jenny Bloomfield

Understanding only grows with knowledge of rich histories and traditions that extend back thousands of years.
2 May 2024
Pacific Islands

Bougainville

Papua New Guinea
Bougainville’s future: The hard questions

Oliver Nobetau

There are good reasons to take time before Bougainville cuts loose from PNG.
1 May 2024
Aid & Development

Climate change

Sustainability

Pacific Islands
Fixing the plastics problem when delivering urgent aid

Margaret Nesi

Coping with climate change is hard enough. Sustainability cannot be overlooked in humanitarian action across the Pacific.
1 May 2024
Australia

Digital Disruption

Technology
Cultivating a healthy information environment

Tom Barber , Anastasia Kapetas

Regulation, yes, but fostering public literacy about social media and credible journalism is also crucial.
1 May 2024
Asia

Quad

Diplomacy
The rise and endurance of minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific

Sarah Teo

Will small groupings of nations last? Bet on self-interest.
30 Apr 2024
Germany

Review
The God in the rubble

Marcus Colla

Germany’s struggle with morality is not only a concern of history but an animating factor in contemporary politics.
30 Apr 2024
North Korea

Iran
Trouble together: How North Korea sees its growing interests with Iran

Gabriela Bernal

Global isolation is building ties that bind. Better to engage and take away the incentive.
30 Apr 2024
Human rights

International law
The need for a convention on crimes against humanity

Priya Pillai

Closing a legal gap would ensure the spirit of the Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals is established in international law.
29 Apr 2024
Philippines

South China Sea

Defence & Security
Balikatan 2024: Philippines and friends send a clear signal to China

Richard Javad Heydarian

Drills will for the first time take place outside of the Philippines’ 12 nautical miles “territorial waters”, thus directly challenging China’s expansive claims across the South China Sea.
29 Apr 2024
China

Technology
The cable ties to China’s Digital Silk Road

Sadia Rahman

Stronger international protections are needed to safeguard the connections of the digital age.
29 Apr 2024
Asean

India

Southeast Asia
Why India’s Global South ambitions must turn to Southeast Asia

Rahul Mishra , Yanitha Meena Louis

An important part of seamless communication is still missing – and this carries a regional cost.
26 Apr 2024
Pacific Islands
Solomon Islands: Unexpected defeat for Sogavare

Jon Fraenkel

Sogavare was tipped for a sweeping victory but suffered a major defeat. Now Solomon Islands politicians must form a new government, and keep the peace.
26 Apr 2024
Indonesia

Global Economy

Climate change

Sustainability
Waqf-based forests: Harnessing Islamic philanthropy for climate financing in Indonesia

Khalifah Muhamad Ali , Dionaldy Permana

Faith has long been devoted to salving social ills – addressing environmental challenges is the next step.
26 Apr 2024
Indonesia

Sex and Gender
60 years of Kartini Day: Indonesia’s feminist pioneer or political pawn?

Meg Hocking

The story of a 19th century Javanese noblewoman has been co-opted for control but also liberation.
26 Apr 2024
Indonesia

Southeast Asia

Australia

Energy

Climate change

Sustainability

Technology
Australia’s comparative advantage in climate transition

Stephen Grenville

Already world leaders in rooftop solar, Australians should take the opportunity with supporting rollouts in Southeast Asia.
24 Apr 2024
Indonesia

Timor-Leste
What Prabowo’s election victory in Indonesia means for deeper reconciliation with Timor‑Leste

Fidelis Magalhães

Unresolved issues hinder a profound healing process and Indonesia’s President-elect could make a powerful gesture to advance the cause.
24 Apr 2024
China

Taiwan
Three factors hardening China’s stance on Taiwan

Tarik Solmaz

Beijing might not soon invade, but its “grey-zone” threats are set to escalate.
24 Apr 2024
Defence & Security

United States
FONOPs send a message – but they don’t speak for themselves

Kim Heriot-Darragh

Making the case for rules can dispel a common misunderstanding that promoting freedom on the seas is about power.
23 Apr 2024
Taiwan

Sex and Gender
In the Olympics of Drag, Taiwan just took the gold

Kazimier Lim

Nymphia Wind’s victory on RuPaul’s Drag Race is historic, with implications for Taiwanese politics and international relations.
23 Apr 2024
Australia

Australian Defence Force

Defence & Security
As warfare changes, so does Australian strategy

Mick Ryan

The National Defence Strategy is not as new as the government claims, but comes with welcome capability investments.
23 Apr 2024
Central Asia

Russia

Ukraine

Trade
The Kyrgyzstan route facilitating Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Joseph Webster

Russia’s military aims in Ukraine have been furthered by its trade with the Central Asian nation.
22 Apr 2024
China

Technology
China’s high ambition for the low-altitude economy

Kashif Anwar

Flying low might be the best way to spur an economic take-off.
22 Apr 2024
Australia

Australia's Economy

Australian trade, investment & economy
Ensuring the “Future Made in Australia Act” doesn’t add to a global subsidy arms race

Marina Yue Zhang

Let alone widen Australia’s economic and social divides.
22 Apr 2024
China

Technology
Are US export controls making China’s chip industry more innovative?

Manoj Harjani

The cost calculation changes when restrictions are involved.
19 Apr 2024
Australia

Defence & Security

Maritime Security

Review
Girt by sea: Redrawing Australia’s mental map

David Brewster

A big part of the challenge is asking the hard questions – and a new book does just that.
19 Apr 2024
Afghanistan

Sex and Gender
Afghan women: The silent victims of Taliban brutality

Sanchita Bhattacharya

The Taliban is on a relentless mission to erase women from the political, economic, and societal discourse of Afghanistan.
19 Apr 2024
Japan
Japan: Can foreign policy achievements save Kishida?

Maximilien Xavier Rehm

A scandal-ridden administration struggling with diminished public support at home, Japan’s PM has turned to international affairs to save his job.
19 Apr 2024
India
Party time: The foreign policy promises as India’s election gets underway

Abhinandan Kumar

What the political manifestos of the major players tell voters about diverse visions or shared goals.
18 Apr 2024
Pacific Islands

Papua New Guinea
It’s important to acknowledge PNG’s own interests with China

Michael Kabuni

And a big part of that is bargaining power with the West.
18 Apr 2024
Asia

Defence & Security
The fog of measuring military balance in Asia

Rahman Yaacob

Numbers alone don’t tell the story.
18 Apr 2024
Australia

European Union

Trade

Climate change

Pacific Islands
Is the EU Australia’s blind spot in the Indo-Pacific?

Anne McNaughton , Frédéric Grare

In region worried about militarisation, what is perceived as the EU’s weakness by Australia may be its main strength.
18 Apr 2024
Australia

Global Economy

Australian trade, investment & economy

IMF

Trade
Economic diplomacy: Made in Australia with new energy

Greg Earl

The government wants to manufacture an election winning industry policy that also sounds tough on various foreign partners.
17 Apr 2024
Middle East Conflict

Iran

Israel
Iran-Israel: The escalation calculus

Lydia Khalil

Iran’s weekend strike against Israel was thwarted, but how should we calculate its impacts?
17 Apr 2024
Asean

Southeast Asia

Human rights

Migration

Transnational Challenges
Invisible victims: How counter-trafficking efforts leave people with disability behind

Elisabeth Jackson

It is often those who should be responsible for protecting people with disabilities who exploit them.
17 Apr 2024
United States

Review
Telling tales about “Civil War”

Sam Roggeveen

Politics isn’t the only strange omission from what is undoubtedly a captivating and relentless movie spectacle.
17 Apr 2024
China

Taiwan

Defence & Security

United States
Why China remains unlikely to invade Taiwan

Denny Roy

Xi Jinping didn't reach the top of Chinese politics by gambling.
16 Apr 2024
Energy

Climate change
Great powers vs domestic politics: The clean energy trade-off

Trissia Wijaya , Jun Arima , Patrick Ryan , Miwa Hirono

The battle to corner the market on energy transition minerals has much at stake.
16 Apr 2024
Singapore
Lawrence Wong’s ascent as Singapore’s 4th generation leader

Rahman Yaacob

The island-state will have a new prime minister next year, but old hands will help guide the challenge from growing China-US rivalry.
16 Apr 2024
France

Pacific Islands

New Caledonia
New Caledonia: Uncertainty and division intensify as Paris imposes its will

Denise Fisher

Work is needed now to ensure history does not repeat.
16 Apr 2024
India

Sri Lanka

Energy
India’s takeover of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm will help build energy interdependence with Sri Lanka

David Brewster

Old infrastructure could get a new lease on life.
15 Apr 2024
Caucasus

European Union

Russia

Ukraine

United Kingdom
Russia conundrum in the Caucasus and beyond

Nikola Mikovic

Once a de facto leader in the post-Soviet space, Moscow is now falling outside the friend zone in its own backyard.
15 Apr 2024
South Korea

Australia

United States
Is South Korea’s Indo‑Pacific Strategy a diplomatic lame duck?

Jeffrey Robertson

After President Yoon’s election defeat, a change in foreign policy is unlikely, but momentum will vanish.
15 Apr 2024
Australia

Australia and the Pacific

Nauru
Western banks are vacating the Pacific, and Nauru is turning to China

Jessica Collins

Financial risks are causing Western banks to flee the region, leaving a void for China to fill.
12 Apr 2024
Europe

Middle East
Erdogan's election blow will shape Türkiye's foreign policy

Temmuz Yiğit Bezmez

Other than continuing to promote its economic interests, four recent developments illuminate the priorities of Türkiye's foreign policy.
12 Apr 2024
Ukraine war: How to check Russia's momentum

Mick Ryan

Russia now has the means to subjugate Ukraine. This calls for a change in how Kyiv – and the West – fights this war.
12 Apr 2024
North Korea and its socialist friends in Southeast Asia

Khang Vu

Pyongyang is relying on ties with Vietnam and Laos to prop up its dwindling diplomatic reach.
11 Apr 2024
Australia and the Pacific

Pacific Islands

China and the Pacific

Fiji

Nauru

New Zealand

Papua New Guinea

Solomon Islands

Tonga

Tuvalu

Vanuatu
Pacific Engagement Visas: New developments but quotas unknown

Natasha Turia , Akka Rimon

Australia’s highly competitive new visa lottery has much leg work to do to make fair allocations between countries.
11 Apr 2024
Asean

South China Sea

Cyber Security

Cyber Warfare

Emerging Threats

Maritime Security

Technology
ASEAN and the military applications of AI

Ngô Di Lân

While artificial intelligence can be used to magnify lethal force, it can also promote regional peace and stability.
11 Apr 2024
Australia in the World

Australia

Australia and Asia

Australia and the Pacific

Australian Diplomacy

Australian Perspective

Foreign Policy
The Translator: “Like-minded countries”

Melissa Conley Tyler , Megan Vu

A new series in which experts explain the sometimes baffling jargon of international affairs.
10 Apr 2024
United Nations
UN-ravelling the world of United Nations acronyms

Stéphanie Fillion

With a lexicon all its own, does a reliance on the alphabet soup pose challenges to transparency and inclusivity?