Overview Manis is the Bahasa word for ‘sweet’. It also could symbolise a grouping of maritime partners on the southern edge of South-east Asia: Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Singapore. MANIS regional maritime cooperation forum, could address a vast range of concerns for the member countries such as illegal fisheries, natural resources, smuggling and...

Overview Over the past decade Mexican drug cartels’ power and the violent struggles between them have increased exponentially. Previously Mexico, and in particular the border regions with the US, were the key battle grounds for control of distribution routes. However, today Mexican drug cartels are now looking abroad in an attempt to extend their operations...

Australia, like all nations, has an over-riding national interest in the development and enforcement of robust international regimes that restrict the creation, deployment and export of weapons of mass destruction. For decades, Australia has been a strong, dedicated contributor to the evolution of control regimes like the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the chemical and biological weapons...

This paper outlines the dilemmas faced by Asian countries caught in strategic competition between great powers. Abstract This paper by Singapore’s Ambassador-at-large Bilahari Kausikan was the inaugural Shedden Lecture in Strategy and Defence. It artfully describes the tension regional countries face and advocates a posture of flexibility and independence. It argues we should not try...

In 2015 the relationship between Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) seems at near rock-bottom. This presents fundamental challenges to the US rebalance strategy and threatens to undermine the security and stability US allies rely on. This new paper by two of America’s leading Asia scholars is drawn from their newly released book on...