Geo Politics

The G20 meeting has increased Indonesia’s standing in the Asia-Pacific region symbolically. Bali 2022 confirmed Jakarta’s position as ASEAN’s political stabilizer and economic heavyweight. Indonesia has everything: the seventh-largest economy in the world, a massive labor force, and abundant natural resources, yet it has yet to realize its full potential. Following years of political turmoil, during which four Indonesian presidents …

President Vladimir Putin delivered Russia’s long-awaited reaction to a Western price ceiling on Tuesday, December 27, by signing an order prohibiting the delivery of crude oil and oil products to nations that adhere to the quota for five months beginning on February 1. In response to Moscow’s “special military operation” in Ukraine, the Group of Seven, the European Union, and …

State media stated on Wednesday, December 28, that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presented new military plans for 2023 during a meeting of the governing Workers’ Party, suggesting another year of intense weapons testing and conflict. The report said that on the second day of the Sixth Enlarged Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the party, Kim …

On Tuesday, December 27, Japanese Reconstruction Minister Kenya Akiba submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. He is the fourth minister to depart the government that Kishida constituted in August. In rapid succession, three other ministers have resigned as a result of scandals, some of which include money and relations with the Unification Church. The close ties that the …

President Vladimir Putin stated in an interview televised on December 25 that Russia is willing to discuss with all parties involved in the conflict in Ukraine, but Kyiv and its Western allies have refused to participate. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 precipitated the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II and the most significant confrontation between Moscow …

Since their announcement, the inaugural China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, which ushered in a new era in Chinese-Arab ties, have attracted global interest, and their successful convening has brought China-Arab and China-GCC relations to new heights. As the globe grapples with increased uncertainty and a potentially protracted economic slowdown, the partnership between China and Arab …

Malacaang stated on Friday, December 23, that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. nominated former Supreme Court associate judge Dante Tinga as interim chairman and member of the board of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). The government-owned bank is supervised by the Department of Finance, which processed the December 9 appointment. Tinga took his oath on Thursday, December 22 in …

On Thursday, December 22, Thailand convened regional consultations to discuss the situation in army-controlled Myanmar, including rare overseas appearances by junta ministers. However, despite invites, several prominent members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) did not participate. Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia’s foreign ministries, as well as Vietnam’s deputy foreign minister, participated in the meetings hosted by Thailand’s foreign …

The island’s defense ministry announced on Thursday, December 22 that Taiwan scrambled fighter planes to warn away 39 Chinese aircraft that had entered its southern air defense zone. Taiwan has complained about recurrent Chinese air force flights in the south of its air defense identification zone (ADIZ) during the past two years. The intrusion on Thursday included 21 fighters, four …

The United States joined the Philippines in urging Beijing to stay out of the West Philippine Sea and abide by international maritime law, less than a week after the defense department blew the whistle on Chinese warships loitering near the Spratly Islands. “The United States supports the Philippines’ continued calls on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to respect the …