Program Related Publication Feeds

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Fully Lifting the U.S. Lethal Arms Ban Will Add Momentum to U.S.-Vietnam Relations

pnguyen — Thu, 12 May 2016 00:00:00 -0400

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: The Overlooked Gap in the Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative

pnguyen — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0400

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Indonesia's Mounting Intolerance Toward Minority Groups Prompts Concern

pnguyen — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0400

The election of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in July 2014 marked Indonesia’s third direct and peaceful selection of the country’s president and seemed to consolidate the archipelago’s democratic gains.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Southeast Asia Dances to the Tune of Japan's Abe Doctrine

pnguyen — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0400

Southeast Asia Dances to the Tune of Japan's Abe Doctrine

Southeast Asia Dances to the Tune of Japan’s Abe Doctrine

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0400

In Southeast Asia, Japan can be said to enjoy unrivaled popularity. According to the 2015 Pew Global Attitudes survey, an average of about 80 percent of respondents surveyed across four Southeast Asian countries said they hold a favorable view of Japan.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Aung San Suu Kyi Is Key to Further Unlocking of U.S. Sanctions against Myanmar

pnguyen — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0500

As Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) prepares to take power in Myanmar April 1, one of the questions U.S. policymakers will eventually need to address is what to do about the remaining U.S. economic sanctions against the country. Although many in the U.S.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: A Tumultuous 2016 in the South China Sea

pnguyen — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 00:00:00 -0500

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Leadership Changes and Upcoming Obama Visit Give U.S. New Opportunities in Laos

pnguyen — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 00:00:00 -0500

Leadership changes announced at a recently completed congress of the ruling Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President Barack Obama’s planned visit to Vientiane in September, the first ever to Laos by a sitting U.S.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Sunnylands Summit Provides Opportunity to Bolster U.S.-Southeast Asia Ties

pnguyen — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 00:00:00 -0500

President Barack Obama will host leaders from the 10 ASEAN countries for a summit at the lush Sunnylands retreat in southern California on February 15 and 16 in a gesture aimed at deepening U.S. ties to this dynamic region.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: What's Next for U.S. Policy toward Myanmar?

pnguyen — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0500

The resounding victory of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), in the November 8 elections is an outcome many in the United States had long wanted to see. But rather than being an end goal in itself, the election results signaled the start of a more challenging process and have taken Myanmar into completely uncharted territory.

What’s Next for U.S. Policy toward Myanmar?

Thu, 17 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Southeast Asian Nations Watch Paris for Deal to Cut Greenhouse Gases

pnguyen — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Much of the focus at the Paris climate summit that began on November 30 will be on the delegations from the United States, China, and India, and the pledges of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters to limit emissions, protect forests, and launch rigorous renewable energy projects. Countries in Southeast Asia, several of which are among the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change, are watching closely to see if the nearly 200 participating countries put forward action plans robust enough to pull the world away from its trajectory toward perilous levels of global warming.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: President Obama Needs to Visit Singapore Next Year

pnguyen — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500

November 12, 2015

President Obama Needs to Visit Singapore Next Year

Thu, 12 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500

In the midst of dramatic elections in Myanmar and ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, it is easy for the United States to take for granted one of its most reliable partners in Southeast Asia: Singapore.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Seizing The Moment: Preparing for Obama's Trip to Manila

pnguyen — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400

For the first time in anyone’s memory, foreign policy and national security are poised to figure as major issues in the Philippine presidential election, scheduled for May 2016. Recent polls show Filipinos are worried about China and its aggressive stance in the South China Sea.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Washington Debut: A Strategic Jokowi?

gpoling — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Indonesian president Joko (Jokowi) Widodo will make his debut in Washington as president of the world’s fourth-largest country from October 26 to 28.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Myanmar's Electoral Landscape Vibrant, but Fraught with Uncertainties

gpoling — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400

On September 8, Myanmar entered a two-month election campaign period, the culmination of at least a year of excitement, political intrigue, and wrangling among different players.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Crises Might Spare Najib, but Will Hobble Malaysia’s International Engagement

gpoling — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400

In one of the biggest demonstrations in Malaysia’s history, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on August 29 and 30 calling, among other things, for Prime Minister Najib Razak to resign for his handling of the economy and alleged scandals at a state investment fund.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Endgame to Myanmar’s Cease-fire Deal Tests President Thein Sein’s Resolve

gpoling — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0400

President Thein Sein urgently wants to sign a nationwide cease-fire agreement before Myanmar’s November elections.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Aquino’s Legacy Secure but Philippines’ Challenges Remain

gpoling — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0400

President Benigno Aquino used his final State of the Nation Address on July 27 to cement his legacy of anticorruption efforts and track record of revamping the once-sluggish Philippine economy.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: The Dual Policy Challenge of the South China Sea

gpoling — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0400

CSIS hosted its fifth annual South China Sea conference on July 21. The event garnered more interest and a considerably larger audience—both in CSIS’s at-capacity conference room and online—than its four predecessors.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Battle over Myanmar Constitution Caught Washington in its Crossfire

gpoling — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Myanmar’s union parliament on June 25 voted to reject five of six major amendments to the 2008, military-drafted constitution, in a decision that has critical implications for Myanmar’s political landscape and puts U.S. policymakers in a delicate position.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Revisiting U.S. Policy toward Post-Coup Thailand

gpoling — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0400

At a time when U.S. relations with most countries in Southeast Asia are warming, the United States’ ties with its oldest partner in the region are a critical outlier. Thailand-U.S. relations have been in a deep freeze for the past 13 months since Gen.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Tackling Southeast Asia’s Migrant Crisis

gpoling — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0400

The beginning of the monsoon rains in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, coupled with the international spotlight on human traffickers in the region, appears to have slowed the flight of Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar in recent weeks.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement: Manila’s Most Credible Deterrent to China

gpoling — Thu, 28 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400

The Philippines’ most credible deterrent to China’s stepped-up unilateral actions in the South China Sea is under the pen of Maria Lourdes Sereno, the chief justice of the Philippine Supreme Court.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Washington Needs a More Holistic View of Myanmar’s Elections

gpoling — Thu, 14 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Myanmar’s upcoming national elections, expected in early November, will be an important test for its reform process. Many in Washington, in particular U.S. lawmakers and human rights activists, will be looking at the outcome of the voting as one of the factors determining future U.S. policy toward Myanmar. As such, knowing what to expect will help set the tone for the U.S.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: The ASEAN Summit: Harbinger of Future Progress?

gpoling — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Most observers could be forgiven for seeing the April 26–27 ASEAN Summit in Malaysia as another in a long series of head-of-state talk shops by the grouping. It did not issue any groundbreaking new declarations on the organization’s direction.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Thailand and the United States Need Better Communication

bcontreras — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400

As President Barack Obama and his team seek to shore up the rebalance to Asia in the president’s final year in office, it makes sense for them to devote more energy to relations with Thailand. Bilateral ties have been strained since the military takeover in Thailand in May 2014.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: In Laos, a Strategic Opening the United States Cannot Miss

gpoling — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400

A remarkable yet little-noticed development in the U.S. rebalance to the Asia Pacific has been Washington’s overtures to Laos, a country long isolated and often overlooked by U.S. officials.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Aftermath of Botched Philippines Raid Should Concern Washington

gpoling — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400

The Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force launched a raid on January 25 in Mamasapano on the southern island of Mindanao that killed wanted terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, known as Marwan, but at the cost of 44 police commandos’ lives.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Washington Prepares to Welcome New Indonesian President, with Some Caution

gpoling — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Indonesians’ public discourse about their country’s international profile has shifted dramatically over the past few months.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: The Time is Right for President Obama to Visit Vietnam in 2015

gpoling — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

The year 2015 marks an unparalleled opportunity for the United States and Vietnam to bolster their relations, culminating with a widely expected visit to Hanoi by President Barack Obama toward the end of the year.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Myanmar’s Military Still a Wild Card as Elections Loom

gpoling — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Myanmar for months has been immersed in intense political maneuvering with the first general elections since the country’s transition to civilian rule expected to take place in October or November.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Najib’s Political Battles Pose a Challenge to his Foreign Policy Agenda

gpoling — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Challenges at home suggest Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak could face an uphill battle in pursuing his foreign policy goals in the year ahead. The long-simmering battle between Najib and former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has erupted into a public spat that must have Najib looking over his shoulder given Mahathir’s role in ousting his predecessor, Abdullah Badawi.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Time for Closer Naval Ties between the United States and Vietnam

gpoling — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500

The year 2014 marked an eventful time in U.S.-Vietnam bilateral defense relations. In addition to high-level visits to Vietnam by senior U.S. military and congressional leaders, the administration of President Barack Obama last October announced a partial lifting of the ban on lethal weapons sales to Vietnam.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Five Events That Will Shape Southeast Asia in 2015

gpoling — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 00:00:00 -0500

As we prepare to leave 2014 behind, we explore five events that are expected to shape the coming year in Southeast Asia:

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Jokowi Spells Out Vision for Indonesia’s “Global Maritime Nexus”

gpoling — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500

The economic and security conundrum posed by Indonesia’s archipelagic geography is not new. The combination of 17,000 islands with an underfunded navy and poor port infrastructure results in widespread piracy, illegal fishing, and smuggling.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Malaysia Steps into Spotlight as ASEAN and East Asia Summit Chair

gpoling — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500

Expectations for this week’s East Asia Summit and related meetings have been rather modest given the increasing complexity of issues facing countries in Asia and the limited capacity of Myanmar as host. To be clear, Myanmar has done a commendable job given this is its first time chairing ASEAN and hosting other regional meetings.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: The Case for Holding Cobra Gold 2015 in Thailand

gpoling — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0400

Since Thai army chief-turned-junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha launched his May coup overthrowing the democratically elected but deeply troubled government of Yingluck Shinawatra, commentators in both Thailand and the United States have debated the U.S. response.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Summits Provide Obama Venues for Addressing Asia Challenges

gpoling — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0400

Shortly after the November 4 congressional elections, President Barack Obama will head to Asia for a series of important summits at which he will have an opportunity to address some critical challenges facing the United States and the region. First will be the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting at Yanqi Lake outside Beijing on November 10–11.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Singapore Is Changing and Why That Matters

gpoling — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0400

Singapore is changing in ways policymakers and corporate executives need to understand if they wish to be effective in managing relations and remain aligned with this important city-state over the coming decade. Understanding these new trends is vital for Singapore’s partners, not least for the United States.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Moving toward a New Normal: U.S.-Vietnam Relations at 20

gpoling — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0400

Vietnam’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Pham Binh Minh, will visit Washington in early October for consultations with Secretary of State John Kerry. Their meetings will provide a venue for adding more concrete components and depth to the comprehensive partnership announced when President Truong Tan Sang visited the Oval Office in July 2013.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Jokowi's Opportunity to Write a New Chapter on Papua

gpoling — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0400

Jakarta governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will enter office as Indonesia’s next president in October amid high—likely unachievable—expectations that his will be a transformational administration. He is expected to sweep away corruption, cut bureaucratic red tape and inefficiency, strengthen the social safety net, and lay the groundwork for long-term economic growth.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Myanmar’s Peace Process Carries High Stakes Ahead of 2015 Elections

gpoling — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0400

By Murray Hiebert, Senior Fellow and Deputy Director (@MurrayHiebert1), and Phuong Nguyen (@PNguyen_DC), Research Associate, Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies (@SoutheastAsiaDC), CSIS

The Myanmar government has pursued more than a dozen rounds of cease-fire talks with the country’s major armed ethnic groups over the past three years, but has missed the timetable for achieving a nationwide cease-fire agreement several times. The government’s chief negotiator, Aung Min, recently said he hopes to conclude such an agreement in September and begin political dialogue with ethnic groups in early 2015.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Washington Needs a Plan for Lifting Its Weapons Sales Ban on Vietnam

gpoling — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0400

The warming ties between Washington and Hanoi in recent years have prompted the questions whether and when the United States should remove its ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam. The two countries have developed what could be called a common strategic foundation, and relations between the two militaries have become increasingly cooperative in that context.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: China’s Oil Rig Removal and the ASEAN Regional Forum

gpoling — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0400

China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) made a surprise announcement on July 16: it had decided to withdraw a drilling rig from waters claimed by Vietnam south of the Paracel Islands.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Congress Should Reauthorize Ex-Im Bank to Level the Playing Field for U.S. Companies

gpoling — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0400

In one of the more unusual twists in Washington, the Tea Party and conservative Republicans in Congress are taking on the nation’s largest business associations, labor unions, and most Democrats in a battle to shut down the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank of the United States.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: A Bucket of Challenges Awaits Presidential Victor in Indonesia

gpoling — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0400

With less than two weeks before the July 9 presidential elections in Indonesia, polls suggest that the two candidates, former Special Forces general Prabowo Subianto and former Jakarta governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, are now in a statistical dead heat. But regardless of which candidate prevails, the new president will face a daunting set of challenges when he takes office in October.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: U.S. Interests in Myanmar Require Looking beyond the 2015 Elections

gpoling — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0400

U.S. policy toward Myanmar is seen by many as one of the most important successes of President Barack Obama’s first term. U.S. engagement played a critical role in lending momentum to political reform in the country. But U.S.-Myanmar relations have appeared somewhat stalled in Obama’s second term.

Southeast Asia from Scott Circle: Pritzker’s June Business Mission: Anchoring U.S. Growth in Asia

gpoling — Thu, 29 May 2014 00:00:00 -0400

U.S. commerce secretary Penny Pritzker will travel to Vietnam, the Philippines, and Myanmar with American chief executive officers in early June. Her visit is important because for Asia the heart of sustained engagement and indeed the very concept of security is economics. Asia is seeking more comprehensive involvement from the United States, so the visit will be a welcome signal that the U.S.