In The News

Democracy’s Messy Process Challenged in the Street

Humphrey Hawksley October 7, 2014
By definition, democracy entails both representative government and majority rule. Factions, minority or majority, who take a disliking to some government policies no longer bide their time, cooperating in the process while waiting for the next election. “The new reality is that tenure in office is set not through an agreed electoral cycle, but by ability to keep protesters off the streets,”...

In “Umbrella Revolution,” China Confronts Limits of Its Power

David Lague, James Pomfret and Greg Torode October 2, 2014
The “one country, two systems” approach in Hong Kong is not working well for China. A free press, critical of controls, and independent courts that have already released student leaders are weakening China’s control of the island: Chinese authorities “need to contain the campaign for democracy in one of Asia’s leading financial hubs without the tools employed on the mainland to suppress dissent...

Hunger Games Salute “Catching Fire” in Thailand

July 8, 2014
Fiction meets reality as anti-coup demonstrators in Thailand are using the hand gesture made famous in the movie The Hunger Games – as a sign of resistance against a brutal regime: “The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the country of Panem where the wealthy Capitol rules over 12 poorer districts,” reports the Express Tribune. Protesters assign multiple levels of...

Tiananmen: Vietnam's Newspapers Criticize Crackdown

Nga Pham June 13, 2014
Vietnam news media shocked readers by covering the anniversary of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and deploring the harsh crackdown on protesters. In the past, Vietnamese news media avoided such topics. Like China, Vietnam is a communist government. This year’s coverage reflected recent tense relations between China and Vietnam. The two nations are engaged in bitter quarrel over islands...

Thai Junta Claims Support from China, Vietnam Amid Western Unease

Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Pracha Hariraksapitak June 6, 2014
After a coup in Thailand, China and Vietnam expect a quick return to normality. The West and Australia are less sure. Support from China and Vietnam, as well as among Thais, could extend the duration of the coup longer than expected. “In May, Thailand's consumer confidence index hit its highest level since January on hopes the military can bring the economy back from the brink of recession...

The Legacy of Tiananmen Square

Johan Lagerkvist June 3, 2014
China’s communist leaders orchestrated a steady march towards great power status, accompanied by rewriting history and erasing tragic moments. Author Johan Lagerkvist reflects on the 25th anniversary of what has come to be known as Tiananmen Square massacre and points out how “the mindset behind the tragedy – unswerving support for China’s rise, with no toleration for criticism, questions or...

Egyptian Coup Splits Middle East

Dilip Hiro July 11, 2013
Massive protests on Egyptian streets, followed by a swift military coup, have underscored confusion in the region. Syrian leaders, struggling with their own insurrection, relying on support from the Islamist government in Iran, have suggested that religion is no basis for governance; Iran, after crushing opposition protests in 2009, urged Egypt’s protesters to resist frustration. Some US...