Reports of Urs Schoettli
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Singapore’s high-wire act in relations with China
Decades ago, the legendary leader of Singapore, Asia’s “economic tiger” with an overwhelmingly Chinese population, helped Beijing’s reformers rescue China’s economy and put it on a path to spectacular growth. Today, the bilateral trade remains robust, but the partnership has soured, and Singapore must watch its steps in the international ...
New Opportunities 2021: Signs of stability in East Asia
Many expected the security situation in East Asia would be shaped by the special relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. However, with new leadership in both countries, an adaptation period will likely follow. Japanese expectations for the Biden administration will include security guarantees against ...
Australia’s historic realignment
For most of the 20th century, Japan and Australia had little reason to develop a relationship. However, China’s rise as a regional hegemon has the potential to bring the two countries closer. Ties have been established via the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, in which both countries take part. Closer cooperation could ...
Japan’s innovation struggle
With a growing Chinese presence in Asia, it is crucial for Japan to maintain its position as one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. To achieve this, the Japanese are likely to tap into their long tradition of rapid modernization. This time, the country will need to ...
Shinzo Abe’s successors to face a nasty test of wills in the East China Sea
The Chinese craft intrusions in the territorial waters and airspace of Japan’s Senkaku Islands put Tokyo in a quandary. It has worked hard to have good relations with Beijing. The question marks over the reliability of Washington’s support for U.S. Asian allies further complicates the Japanese position.
Shifting winds and geopolitical games in the Far East
Challenged by China, Washington is scrambling to defend its global preeminence by shifting U.S. trade policies and diluting commitments to provide security to American allies overseas. As a result, Japan finds itself confronted with limited options and risky policy choices.
South Korea points the way
Sociocultural factors can explain South Korea’s model reaction to the coronavirus pandemic. The country’s difficult postwar years led to a strong sense of civic duty, which led citizens to adhere meticulously to government guidelines. However, this success on the health front does not preclude economic difficulties amid the global recession.
Relevance beyond the crisis: The impact on East Asia
The COVID-19 crisis has reduced China’s clout and the economic damage it has done could force Beijing to pull back from many of its overseas commitments. Many states will look to diversify their economies away from dependence on the aspiring regional hegemon. It could provide an opportunity for Japan, which ...
