COMMENT 152 – On the Asian Century, Pax Sinica & Beyond (V) – The...
As China further expands into politically unstable and highly risky areas under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the country faces the emergence of new security scenarios. Chinese international businesses and development activities confront an increasing number of threats demanding the proactive protection of overseas citizens, assets and interests....
COMMENT 151-Jammu & Kashmir in the spotlight
Jammu & Kashmir in the spotlight
Introduction
A recent constitutional change on the status of Jammu & Kashmir has occupied prime time on both the United Kingdom’s and Western media more generally - albeit not always in a balanced and informed way. I present here my perspective on the issue based...
COMMENT 150- Disillusioned by empty promises: Afghan women form new movement despite being increasingly...
Disillusioned by empty promises: Afghan women form new movement despite being increasingly threatened by the Taliban
Throughout this year’s “peace” talks with the Taliban, the group have claimed that they agree to protect and uphold women’s rights in Afghanistan. During the Intra-Afghan Conference earlier this month in Doha, the Taliban...
COMMENT 149 – On the Asian Century, Pax Sinica & Beyond (IV): ...
Two recent events in Bangladesh moved Dhaka’s ties with Beijing - and Chinese investments in the country - to the forefront of a growing public debate. The first subject regards the violent clash last month between Chinese and Bangladesh workers engaged in the building of the $2.5 billion Patuakhali...
COMMENT 148 – On the Asian Century, Pax Sinica & Beyond (III): The Philippines...
This is the second in a series of comments on the Philippines’ quest to define its role in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The actual article draws the attention to China’s unfolding geopolitical agenda as linked to the incorporation of the Philippines into the BRI. It is argued...
COMMENT 147 – The 2019 Intra-Afghan Conference: Another political feint by the Taliban
On 7 and 8 July 2019, the Intra-Afghan Peace Conference took place in Doha, jointly organised by Qatar and Germany (FP, 2019, July 10). To begin with, the conference marked another attempt at initiating talks with the Taliban which turned out until now to be a fruitless exercise. One...
COMMENT 146 – Lithium – Oil of the 21st Century? What is at stake...
‘Delhi air pollution surges to emergency levels’, ‘Catastrophic level of air pollution’, ‘7 of the 10 most polluted cities of the world are in India’ and similar alarming headlines dominated the news during the winter months, when India’s pollution levels peaked (Child, 2019, March 5; the Guardian, 2019, January...
COMMENT 145 – From Mumbai to Marawi: The evolving interlinkages of Jihadism in South...
This article is written in memory of the victims of the Holey Artisan Bakery Cafe terror attacks on 1st and 2nd July 2016 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The 1st and 2nd July 2019 mark the third anniversary of the largest and one of the most horrific terror attacks in Bangladesh since...
COMMENT 144 – Five lessons from the Jihadi Easter attacks in Sri Lanka
Ten years after the civil war, Sri Lanka had recovered the sense of normality most of us take for granted in the West. No special controls regarding explosives and weapons, no special surveillance on potentially violent groups. When the first blasts of the present infamous attack were heard, those...
COMMENT 143 – On the Asian Century, Pax Sinica & Beyond (II): The Philippines...
This is the first comment in a series concerning the Philippines’ quest to define its role in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It aims to shed light on the social and economic aspects of BRI-related projects in the Philippines from a comparative perspective, using the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor...