Has Australia turned its back on free trade?

Written by Melissa Conley Tyler and Viet Dung Trinh

By balancing domestic production and free trade, the Future Made in Australia Act aims to promote economic growth, create jobs, and support Australia's transition to a net-zero emissions economy.

China's preferred endgame in Ukraine is a hybrid peace

Written by Dr Justyna Szczudlik

Sympathising with the idea of hybrid peace is a dangerous trap for the West. The only way to undermine Sino-Russian alignment, deter China from aggressive moves, and defend the rules-based order is to do everything possible to help Ukraine win the war.

Asia’s climate puzzle: COP29 and the path forward

Written by Betty Wang

The COP29 negotiations underscored the potential for China and India to act as critical players in facilitating global climate progress, yet the lack of meaningful results highlighted the accompanying challenges.

Editor's Picks9DLJanuary 13, 20259DASHLINE, Betty Wang, COP29, Asia, climate, Asia’s Climate Puzzle: COP29 and the Path Forward

Gender parity in Southeast Asia: An imperative for democracy, political empowerment, and growth

Written by Farwa Aamer

Economic marginalisation, including limited access to higher-paying jobs and decision-making roles, often constrains women's ability to advance politically, creating a cycle where economic disadvantages also feed into underrepresentation in political leadership.

Southeast Asia, Editor's Picks9DLNovember 19, 20249DASHLINE, Farwa Aamer, South East Asia, Gender Parity in Southeast Asia: An Imperative for Democracy, Political Empowerment, and Growth, Gender

In Forum: Donald Trump re-elected, the Indo-Pacific reacts

In this In Forum, 9DASHLINE asks several experts what to expect from the next US administration and its potential impact on the Indo-Pacific region.

Editor's Picks9DLNovember 11, 20249DASHLINE, Donald Trump re-elected, the Indo-Pacific reacts, Matthew sussex, Kei koga, Yuki Tatsumi, andrea chloe wong, Kate clayton, Kate Clayton, Australia must adapt swiftly, Reaganesque 'Peace through strength', Trump's transactional world, grand strategic bargains, US security partner, iron-clad, Russia, China, American politics, misty-eyed sentiments, America first, transactional, Shigeru Ishiba, US-Japan alliance, 2 percent of GDP, Donald Trump, Ukraine war, gaza, Trump administration, Shinzo abe, Free and Open Indo-Pacific, Asian NATO, Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), cultivate a personal relationship with Trump, National Security Advisor, latticework of alliances and partnerships, bilateral negotiations, equitable alliance, tough decisions, force Japan to make tough decisions, industrial security, positive disruptor, more uncertainties for the philippines, Japan faces tough national security decisions, Manila, protectionism, Filipinos, 350, 000 Filipinos, US Department of Homeland Security, 5th largest unlawful immigrant population, immigration, household spending, South China Sea, boosting defence cooperatio, maritime aggression, AUKUS's future in doubt, AUKUS Agreement, Australia, Philippines, Japan, AUKUS Agreement is in trouble, Indo-Pacific, US-Australia relations, Climate, Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Transformation Compact, tariffs, Southeast Asia, diplomatic footprint in the Pacific, Pacific, climate change, Quad, middle powers, Joe Biden, US disinterest, America, India, climate change cooperation, Europe, Pacific Islands, Jake Sullivan, multilayered security framework

Hong Kong’s arrest warrants and bounties and why this matters in the EU

Written by Anouk Wear

Novel threats from the Hong Kong government are already causing real consequences for Hong Kongers in the EU — activists and more ‘ordinary’ citizens alike — and they are creating new challenges for advocacy from civil society and diplomatic channels.

East Asia, Europe and the Indo-Pacific, Editor's Picks9DLOctober 11, 20249DASHLINE, Hong Kong’s arrest warrants and bounties and why this matters in the EU, Anouk Wear, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Protests, Hong Kong extradition bill, Hong Kong’s human rights situation, Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, Article 23 legislation, 2020 National Security Law, 2019 pro-democracy protest movement, EU countries, European Parliament, UN, United Nations, UN Human Rights Committee, UN Universal Periodic Review, China, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, international law, rules-based international order, human rights violations, Beijing, international human rights norms, international human rights language, arrest warrants, activists, Article 96, absconders, transnational repression, European Convention on Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, American Convention on Human Rights, autonomous Hong Kong, bounties, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO), impunity, extraterritorial human rights violations, diaspora, Hong Kong activists, underground resistance, Taiwan Strait, undemocratic, EU jurisdictions

TikTok, Hip Hop, and the big shots — humanising great power rivalry

Written by Solomon PM

Contrary to substantive and decades-long literature speculating as to the destabilisation posed by China’s rise, at least in the case of 88rising, this rise has shown signs of being peaceful and mutually beneficial, as well as providing meaning and fulfilment for individuals on both sides of the divide.

Editor's Picks9DLSeptember 11, 20249DASHLINE, Solomon Pace-McCarrick, Solomon PM, TikTok, Hip Hop, and the big shots — humanising great power rivalry, Great power rivalry, TikTok ban, social media, spyware, espionage, United States, China, ByteDance, Hakeem Jeffries, national security, Mark Warner, Marco Rubio, Chinese Communist Party’s, Chinese Communist Party, Chinese Communist Party’s cultural embargos, State Administration of Radio and Television (SART), Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPCPD), media, culture, intercultural communication, 88rising, Asian-American, zero-sum game, positive-sum game, online media trends, music, genres, India, Pakistan, Kashmir, Bollywood, geopolitics, national interest, Sean Miyashiro, Japan, Korea, Midsummer Madness, East-West cultural encounters, meaning, visibility, The Bicultural Identity, Western society, immigration, Canada, Netflix, Beef, cultural milieu, African-American, Higher Brothers, rap, Melo, Joji, Rich Brian, American culture, superstars, Marvel’s Shang Chi and the Ten Rings, Marvel’s Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Chinese pride, Joseph Nye, soft power, The Rise of China’s Soft Power, Thucydides Trap, hostile foreign adversaries, relative powers, ban on TikTok, TikTok Hip Hop and the big shots — humanising great power rivalry

From equidistance to engagement: The evolution of Russia’s Korea strategy

Written by Anthony V. Rinna

As long as Russia refrains from taking any steps in its defence cooperation with North Korea that directly threaten South Korea, there is still a chance that Moscow can leave room for at least a partial restoration of ties with Seoul.

Editor's Picks, East Asia9DLAugust 13, 20249DASHLINE, From equidistance to engagement: the evolution of Russia’s Korea Strategy, Anthony v. Rinna, Russia, DPRK, ROK, South Korea, North Korea, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pyongyang, comprehensive strategic partnership, North Korea-Russia ties, Kremlin, strategy of diplomatic equidistance, equidistance, regional security, Korean Peninsula, Moscow, Seoul, Mikhail Gorbachev’s Krasnoyarsk Declaration, Roh Tae-woo’s Nordpolitik, Nordpolitik, Soviet Union, rapprochement, US, China, Cold War, strategic cooperative partnership, unfriendly, Ukraine, weapon's exports, Cha Du Hyeogn, Russian Far East, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), US’ Northeast Asia alliance network, sanctions relief, economic cooperation, Korea International Trade Association, trade, Georgy Zinoviev, friendliest of unfriendly countries, NATO, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, energy, energy imports, Korea Trade Promotion Corporation (KOTRA), natural gas, South Korea’s energy dependence on Russia, coal imports, Lim Soo-suk, UN Security Council

Charting Afghanistan’s economic future: Recommendations for reform

Written by Hamayun Khan

For the Taliban, addressing banking constraints and promoting financial transparency are essential for rebuilding trust and attracting investment.

Editor's Picks9DLJuly 1, 20249DASHLINE, Hamayun Khan, Charting Afghanistan’s economic future: Recommendations for reform, South Asian Voices, Taliban, Afghanistan, Pakistan, UNDP, Turkmenistan, TAPI, Asian Development Bank

From silence to resilience: The evolving narrative of feminism in Japan

Written by Dr Minakshi Keeni

Japan's ranking in global gender equality indices signals room for improvement, reinforcing the persistent need for initiatives that encourage greater involvement of women in political leadership roles.

Editor's Picks9DLJune 13, 20249dashline, From silence to resilience: The evolving narrative of feminism in Japan, Minakshi Keeni, Japan, feminism, gender, gender inequality, Global Gender Gap Index, South Korea, China, women, gender parity, GDP, empowering women, empowerment, Japanese feminism, societal norms, Meiji era, Confucian values, society, women's rights, Japanese society, gender equality, modernity, feminist, suffrage, comfort women, comfort women statues, 2015 ‘comfort women’ agreement, Imperial Japanese Army, slavery, sexual slavery, wartime sexual slavery, right to vote, World War II, Confucian norms, ryōsai kenbo, Meiji Civil Code of 1898, 1947 Constitution, Feminist movements, Raicho Hiratsuka, Seito, Beate Sirota Gordon, Fusae Ichikawa, suffragist, women's movement, wage disparities, children, Tokyo Medical University, maternity leave, gender biases, bias, marriage, motherhood, Mizuho Fukushima, gender roles, Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 2016, Japanese politics, gender gap, sexist, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan, 2022 Upper House election, Japanese Association of Women in Politics (JAWP), Ryoko Akamatsu, Yuriko Koike, Tokyo, women's representation, Japanese Imperial Family, monarchy, Imperial House Law of 1947, Princess Mako, Chrysanthemum Throne, male-only succession, Kei Komuro, Emperor Naruhito, #MeToo, #MeToo movement, sexual harassment, assault, collectivism, social harmony, Survivors, Shiori Ito, Japan Sport Association (JSPO), NO! Spohara, Kanako Otsuji, Land of the Rising Sun

Europe needs swift action in regulating data-gathering smart cars

Written by Wendy Chang

To avoid a repeat of the 5G debacle with EVs, European lawmakers should get serious about creating a framework to evaluate their potential data security and cybersecurity risks, before foreign EVs hit the road in large numbers. Policymakers should establish guidelines for which data smart cars can collect, where it ought to be stored, and how it can be reviewed.

Editor's Picks9DLJune 12, 20249dashline, Wendy Chang, EV, smart cars, China, Europe, data, Europe needs swift action in regulating data-gathering smart cars

China’s global security blueprint — implications for Western security agency

Written by Bernardo Mariani

Mindful of the fragilities surfacing in the international order, and tapping into widespread discontent in the Global South, China has come forward with a vision to reshape the global security architecture. Its security blueprint differs, both in principles and practice, from Western notions of a rules-based international order.

East Asia, Editor's Picks9DLMay 22, 20249dashline, China’s global security blueprint — implications for the Western security agency, Bernardo Mariani, China, security, Global Security Initiative (GSI), united states, Global security, western security agency, Xi Jingping

China sees a chance in Nepal with Left Alliance

Written by Dr Rishi Gupta

Nepal has reportedly conveyed that it would prefer to receive more grants from China instead of taking high-interest loans under the development partnership, including for BRI projects.

Editor's Picks9DLMay 2, 2024China sees a chance in Nepal with Left Alliance, 9dashline, Rishi Gupta, Asia Society Policy Institute, Nepal, China, Left Alliance, Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Wang Yi, India, South Asia, Tibet, Kathmandu, Belt and Road Initiative, BRI, Global Security Initiative

Intersectionality as the key to Indo-Pacific climate action

Written by Treesa Shaju and Dr Dhanasree Jayaram

Taking an intersectional approach to climate change recognises the interconnected and interwoven nature of social, economic, ecological, political, and cultural issues in the formulation of climate change policies and strategies.

Editor's Picks9DLMarch 18, 20249dashline, Intersectionality as the key to Indo-Pacific climate action, indo-pacific, climate action, ACCSAP, Q-CHAMP, differentiated vulnerabilities, differentiated capacities, discrimination, oppression, intersecting identities, minority rights, gender, indigenous rights, structural inequity, discriminatory practices, Gender Action Plan, UNFCCC, intra-gender disparities, ocean acidification, extreme weather, rising sea levels, freshwater scarcity, infrastructural vulnerabilities, systemic crisis, land ownership, resource distribution, decision-making power, natural resources, gender-segregated tasks, sustenance farming, water shortages, food shortages, domestic violence, gendered violence, LGBTQIA+, disabilities, vulnerable groups, marginalised communities, island nations, coastal inundation, saltwater intrusion, drought, desertification, climate resilience, Pacific Islands Forum, PIF, major emitters, emissions, Global North, climate finance, loss and damage, IORA, ASEAN Climate Resilience Network, agricultural adaptation, regional cooperation, multilateral cooperation, sustainability, gender inclusivity, CSW66, gender inclusion, SGBV, VAWG, GBV, DV, Quad HADR, invisibilisation, DRR, exclusionary patterns, indigenous communities, knowledge custodians, decision-making agency, sustainability solutions, gender responsiveness, Indonesia, RANAPI, Pacific Gender and Climate Change Toolkit

Understanding antifeminist backlash in the South Korean context: Remnants of militarism and patriarchy

Written by JiMin Nam

In South Korea specifically, backlash is not just a reaction to the rise of popular feminism since 2015. Instead, it is an indicator that two related institutions, militarism and patriarchy, persist in South Korean society and represent gender norms in a way that positions feminism as something problematic.

Editor's Picks, East Asia9DLFebruary 28, 20249dashline, JiMin Nam, Understanding backlash in the South Korean context, Remnants of militarism and patriarchy, gender rights, feminism, women's rights, anti-gender movements, LGBTQIA+ rights, South Korea, employment rights, social media, abortion rights, spycam crime, cyberbullying, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Brazil, backlash, oppressive institutions, militarism, patriarchy, gender norms, point system, Ewha Women’s University, misogyny, cyber terror, military, conscription, gendered identities, moral identity, human rights abuses, militaristic hierarchical culture, workspace, excluded, exclusionary patterns, post-war developmentalism, Asian Financial Crisis, male workers, female workers, patriarchal fantasies, Seoul, Understanding antifeminist backlash in the South Korean context: Remnants of militarism and patriarchy

In Forum — Great power politics amid great turbulence

For many in the Global South and the Indo-Pacific, the West’s contrasting responses to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Isreal-Palestine conflict have revealed a hypocrisy that undermines the international order it is seeking to protect and promote.

In this In Forum, 9DASHLINE asks a number of experts how these factors will shape great power competition.

In Forum: 2024 — The future of ASEAN

Great power politics in the Indo-Pacific has put the future and centrality of ASEAN under some doubt. How can ASEAN negotiate greater space for itself amid the intensifying great power rivalry?

9DASHLINE asks a select group of experts whether ASEAN can withstand these internal and external pressures.

Southeast Asia, Editor's Picks9DLFebruary 16, 20249dashline, DR. PRASHANTH PARAMESWARAN, GORDON CONOCHIE, NAZIA HUSSAIN, Hunter Marston, ASEAN, great power politics, Myanmar Coup, South China Sea, Cambodia, China, Philippine, In Forum: 2024 — The future of ASEAN

In Forum: 2024 — the South China Sea at a crossroads

The South China Sea remains one of the most potentially explosive regions in the world. What role can regional actors and organisations play in de-escalating the conflict and putting an end to the escalatory trends witnessed in 2023?

We invite several experts to assess the prospects for stability in 2024.

Editor's Picks, Pacific9DLFebruary 2, 2024In Forum: 2024 — South China Sea at a crossroads, 9DASHLINE, south china sea, SCS, China, Philippine, Philippine navy, The Philippines, vessels, Chinese vessels, freedom of navigation, United States, trade, shipping, US-China competition, escalation, CYBER, ELINA NOOR, non-claimant states, Code of Conduct (CoC), Code of Conduct (CoC) negotiations, military, international law, cross-domain, ASEAN, norms of responsible state behaviour, 2015 United Nations Group of Governmental Experts of Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security, APILA SANGTAM, Beijing, Vietnam, India, Manila, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), UNCLOS, 2016 Arbitral Award, comprehensive strategic partnership, 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, grey zone, Exclusive Economic Zones, Indonesia, Malaysia, NONG HONG, geopolitical rivalry, naval, military exercises, oil and gas exploitation, COLLIN KOH, unilateral, multilateral, littorals, Second Thomas Shoal, Taiwan, PRATNASHREE BASU, Belt and Road Initiative, strategic autonomy, de-escalation, containment, Japan, rules-based order, UN, United Nations, In Forum: 2024 — the South China Sea at a crossroads