The NLD was reelected in 2020 with more seats than it won in 2015. Myanmar’s transition is not regressing, but many priorities remain before the state truly democratizes: conducting transparent trials of military officers who were involved in the killings of Rohingyas, solving the conflict between the Arakan Army and the Tatmadaw in Rakhine State, ensuring that enduring armed conflicts do not undermine citizens’ ability to vote, making sure the National Ceasefire Agreement prevents the resurgence of old animosities, demilitarizing the constitution, and restraining the military’s ability to sue opposition for defamation.

In 2017 Mongolians elected a populist president who is more assertive than his predecessors amid initial uncertainties introduced by a $5.5 billion IMF bailout package. The country continued to be embroiled in a fight over the fate of the 49% private holdings in the Erdenet enterprise. There were signs that Mongolia was becoming less active in engaging its third neighbors.

The historical legacy of Japan-Myanmar relations provides an important rationale for the current economic cooperation. This underpins the perception that Japan is in a “special” position that allows it to seek its bounty—to reap the rewards from its investment.

This article discusses the efforts of a Chinese subnational government, Guangxi Province’s Shanglin County, to support local residents as they participated in galamsey, a local reference for unregistered artisanal gold mining in Ghana. This resulted in a diplomatic crisis that complicated Sino–Ghanaian relations and threatened Beijing’s efforts to access Ghana’s energy resources.

In early 2013, Timor-Leste started to walk solely on its own feet, after the departure of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste and the International Stabilization Force. The year has proved to be broadly peaceful, signifying that the country has learned to live within its own resources. The level of political consensus has increased, as Timor-Leste engages in a process of generational turnover.

The tendency for Chinese foreign policy elites to securitize culture in international relations by portraying it as a zone of intense contestation with other states suggests that China’s rise will be rocky. Some seek to defend China’s cultural autonomy from American hegemony, others, to establish Chinese domination over weaker states.

In contrast to the claims that Japanese foreign policy increasingly shifts toward realist and pragmatic modes of engagement, this paper argues that Japanese foreign policy is largely trapped between idealist and pragmatic criteria in its Central Asian (CA) policy. Japan’s policy in CA is thus a hybrid of policies that are not properly understood in CA, nor can they be explained to the public at home.

Over the past decade, India has invested significant resources in public diplomacy, using traditional and new approaches to build and leverage its soft power. This article examines the reasons for this investment, the various forms of public diplomacy India employs, and the effectiveness of its efforts to shape public opinion. It finds that Indian investment in public diplomacy is partly a response to concerns about the perceived growth of Chinese soft power and partly a function of changed beliefs in the foreign policy-making elite about the uses of new social media. It also finds that India's new public diplomacy seems to have met with some––albeit patchy––success in augmenting its soft power.

This essay examines how China’s “harmonious world” foreign policy has unintentionally created opportunities for citizens to challenge elite discussions of foreign policy. Although they are relative outsiders, the essay argues that citizen intellectuals are a growing influence as a source of ideas about China’s future—and the world’s.

Corruption and political infighting continued to dominate the headlines in Indonesia in 2011. While lawmakers and political parties continued to be deeply unpopular, new developments dragged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's popularity down to all-time lows. Religious violence ticked upward and took new forms. Meanwhile, the economy posted strong gains, and the government continued to look for ways to raise its profile on the international stage.

Indonesia in 2010 saw reformers face off against entrenched interests in a series of high-profile battles as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono began his second term in office. While there appeared little to threaten the formal institutions of democracy, corruption continued to be an endemic problem. The economy posted impressive gains, and Indonesia's reputation abroad appeared solid.

China has begun a new phase in its Antarctic engagement. Beijing has dramatically increased Chinese scientific activities on the frozen continent and is looking to take on more of a leadership role there. This paper draws connections between China's expanded Antarctic program and debates on its foreign and domestic policies.

During the first half of 2009, North Korea's relations with South Korea remained frozen, and its second nuclear test angered the entire international community. Beginning in August, the regime adopted a softer foreign policy line, while insisting that it would never give up its nuclear weapons.

This article examines Russia's relations with Southeast Asia and ASEAN, analyzing in particular the increased attempts under President Vladimir Putin to assert Russian influence in this sub-region. It looks at how Southeast Asia and ASEAN are important for Russia in its aspirations to become a major regional player.

The launching of the Lee Myung-bak (known as ““MB””) government in February 2008, coupled with the landslide victory by the ruling Grand National Party in the April 9 general election, opened a new era of conservative dominance while ending a decade of progressive rule. But the triumphant mood did not last long, as the MB government encountered a series of political, economic, and social crises as well as setbacks in its foreign and inter-Korean relations.

Russia's seamless presidential succession produced no major changes in domestic politics or foreign policy. Ties with Asia remained strong, though several key relationships——with China, Japan, and the Central Asian states——frayed under the impact of Russia's military action in Georgia. Impressive economic performance in the first half of the year boosted Russian confidence as a great power, but its vulnerability to the global financial crisis together with the heavy-handed operation in the Caucasus undermined Moscow's standing with both Asia and Europe by the end of the year.

Indonesia in 2008 presented an apparent paradox: despite generally strong political and economic performance indicators, the popularity of President Yudhoyono's government fluctuated wildly. As campaigning for the 2009 elections began, Yudhoyono's solid lead evaporated, although he recovered toward the end of 2008. The opposition, however, remains divided.

Burma's relations with ASEAN have changed signifi cantly since 1997. This article examines how Burma-ASEAN relations have been influenced by intense international pressure and ASEAN's desire to maintain regional credibility. As ASEAN continues to redefine its position with Burma, the generals' relations elsewhere may continue to define it for them.

This article analyzes discussions, resources, and prospects for soft power in China, focusing on the Beijing Consensus, foreign policy, and civilization. It posits that the country's recognition of soft power and its application to national policies is an important factor in explaining China's rapidly increasing influence in Asia.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suffered a stunning defeat in the July 2007 upper house elections, creating an unprecedented situation in which the LDP-led coalition lost its majority in the upper house while retaining a two-thirds majority in the lower house. In this new environment of ““divided government”” Japanese style, the LDP and the opposition jockeyed for advantage in foreign and domestic policy debates while preparing for a critical confrontation in the next lower house election.