Commentaries

ISEAS Commentary is now Fulcrum Commentary

 

Find us at Fulcrum.sg

 

Singapore in the Eyes of the Chinese: Amity and Likability

 

A recent survey shows that Chinese people are much more favourably disposed towards Singapore than other rich nations such as Australia, Japan and the United States.

 

 

Malaysia’s Third Covid-19 Wave

 

Malaysia is suffering from its longest, highest and most politically fraught surge in Covid-19 infections.

 

 

China’s New Coast Guard Law: Illegal and Escalatory

 

A new Chinese law, which gives its coast guard legal cover to fire on foreign vessels in contested waters, is worrying. States interested in the peace and stability of the South China Sea should do something about it.

 

 

America, China and Southeast Asia: Where “Win Win” Can Become a Reality

 

If China and the United States play their cards right, the two powers can avoid a hot or cold war. This will be good news for the world, in particular Southeast Asia.

 

 

President Joko Widodo’s Image Problems

 

The opposition’s weakness means that the Indonesian president’s recent problems carry few political costs – for the moment.

 

 

Japan’s Diplomatic Note on the South China Sea: Internationalising the Dispute Amid Chinese Pressure

 

Japan’s latest note verbale to the United Nations on the South China Sea was done out of its national interest. Nonetheless, it shows that Tokyo – and a growing coalition of countries – are digging in their heels to uphold the aegis of international law in the region.

 

 

State Governments and the 2021 Emergency: Unfettered Powers at the Centre

 

Malaysia’s declared state of Emergency has given the federal government sweeping powers to intervene into the affairs of the country’s 13 states.

 

 

The Ethics of Covid-19 Vaccination

 

Who should be vaccinated, and who should be vaccinated first are the ethical and practical questions facing all governments.

 

 

Thailand’s Second Covid-19 Outbreak: Corruption and Its Consequences

 

Thailand is facing a second coronavirus outbreak. This time, however, the fight may be protracted because the causes stem from endemic corruption.