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Feb 16, 2024 | 
samoaobserver.ws | Yoko Kamikawa |Enid Westerlund |Uale Tofilau |Dron Parashar
In his first international engagement for the year, James Marape has made history as the first prime minister from Papua New Guinea (or any Pacific Island State) to address the Australian parliament. Marape’s speech concentrated on the shared history between the two countries, recognising Australia’s support from its colonial administration to the present day.
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Feb 15, 2024 | 
samoaobserver.ws | Yoko Kamikawa |Enid Westerlund |Kazimier Lim |Dron Parashar
Tuvalu, a picturesque island nation nestled in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, is currently grappling with a relentless onslaught of storm surges and towering waves, wreaking havoc on coastal communities. While spring or king tides always come around in February, this year’s king tide is like nothing we have witnessed before.
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Feb 13, 2024 | 
samoaobserver.ws | Yoko Kamikawa |Enid Westerlund |Kazimier Lim |Dron Parashar
Early last week, the Secretary of Tonga’s Privy Council wrote to the Chief Secretary (Secretary to Cabinet and to the Prime Minister), saying “I have the honour to inform you that His Majesty in Council’s Decision PC17/2024, approved by circulation of 2 Feb 2024, was … pleased by and with the advice of the Privy Council to withdraw His confidence and consent to the appointment of Hon.
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Feb 11, 2024 | 
lowyinstitute.org | Dron Parashar
Australia is investing billions of dollars as part of its AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines program. It will take years to be delivered. The enormous cost of this program contrasts with the small possibility that it will ever be used, yet many countries including Australia enhance their defence capability based on the theory that it will deter future conflicts. But this is where Australia’s current relationship with nuclear technologies seems to be at odds with itself.
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Nov 13, 2023 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Allison Alexy |Kim Richard Nossal |Dron Parashar |Jarad Jeter
Authors: Dennis LC Weng, Sam Houston State University and Jarad Jeter, National Chengchi UniversityTerry Gou, founder of Foxconn Technology Group, renowned for its iPhone assembly, has announced his candidacy in the 2024 Taiwanese presidential election. Gou asserts that he has amassed the requisite endorsements to run as an independent contender.
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Nov 12, 2023 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Allison Alexy |Kim Richard Nossal |Dron Parashar |Yiping Huang
Author: Editorial Board, ANUSmall states tend to find it easy to think like great powers — not out of grandiosity, but because their ability to secure their interests on the world stage requires them to anticipate the needs of the big players. But great powers are congenitally bad at doing the opposite, facing less urgent incentives to assimilate the worldviews of smaller states.
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Nov 11, 2023 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Toshiro Nishizawa |Allison Alexy |Kim Richard Nossal |Dron Parashar
Author: Toshiro Nishizawa, University of TokyoAustralia released its new International Development Policy for a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous Indo-Pacific in August 2023, which coincided with Japan’s Cabinet revision of its Development Cooperation Charter. This raises the question of whether Australia’s new policy is responsive enough to its neighbours’ needs and priorities to make Australia their ‘partner of choice’. Australia’s policy emphasises partnership on an equal basis.
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Nov 8, 2023 | 
eastasiaforum.org | James Hammond |Allison Alexy |Kim Richard Nossal |Dron Parashar
Authors: Niki Alsford, University of Central Lancashire and James Hammond, BirkbeckOn 13 September 2023, a significant event occurred at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East. North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin convened for a meeting that sparked intrigue and international concern. Speculation was rife about the agenda of this meeting.
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Nov 7, 2023 | 
eastasiaforum.org | David J. Hessen |Allison Alexy |Kim Richard Nossal |Dron Parashar
Author: David Hessen, South China Sea NewsWireThe South China Sea region has long been home to tensions driven by disputes over territory and control over resources. Local policymakers should respond by reinforcing bilateral relationships along the basis of scientific cooperation. A new survey suggests a path towards de-escalation built upon nations’ shared concern for regional economic stability and environmental stewardship.
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Nov 6, 2023 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Allison Alexy |Kim Richard Nossal |Dron Parashar |Yiping Huang
Authors: Maria Monica Wihardja, ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute and Sharon Susan Koshy, Centre for Public Policy ResearchThe ‘political trilemma’ spoken of by economist Dani Rodrik argues that the goals of deep economic integration, democratic politics and national sovereignty are mutually incompatible. Many countries, including India, the United States and Indonesia, are now facing this political trilemma — democratic politics is in conflict with their pursuit of economic integration.
