Asia Pacific Archives

Research Briefing

Political crisis in Bangladesh: January 2015 update

Wednesday, 21 January, 2015

The political scene in Bangladesh remains as turbulent as ever. Flawed elections in January 2014 were boycotted by the main opposition parties, leaving the field clear for the ruling Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina. There has been renewed protest action on the streets to mark the first anniversary of the elections, which has led to increased violence and at least ten deaths. Opposition leader Khaleda Zia was detained in her office for over two weeks by the authorities and faces trial for corruption. This briefing provides an overview of developments in the country since the 2014 elections.
Research Briefing

Hong Kong: pro-democracy protests and proposed FAC visit

Monday, 01 December, 2014

A summary of recent events related to Hong Kong, including the pro-democracy protests and the Chinese Government's refusal to allow the Foreign Affairs Committee to visit.
Research Briefing

Malaysia: the ruling coalition strikes back

Thursday, 02 October, 2014

In May 2013 elections, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, led by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, won a majority of seats in parliament despite gaining only 47% of the vote. With his leadership under significant threat within UMNO, the dominant Malay party within the BN, since the 2013 elections Najib has launched a campaign of harassment of the political opposition and a focused anew on affirmative action for Malays. Longstanding sodomy charges have been revived against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Najib's reforming credentials currently look threadbare.
Research Briefing

Universal suffrage to elect the next Chief Executive of Hong Kong in 2017: a legal primer

Tuesday, 30 September, 2014

In August 2014 the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress decided that the next Chief Executive of Hong Kong should be directly elected in 2017 by universal suffrage. However, the candidates (expected to be two or three in total) will still have to be approved in advance by a nominating committee, whose composition and method of formation will remain unchanged from that of the 1200-person strong ‘Election Committee’ which elected the current Chief Executive in 2012. Critics argue that this nominating committee will have an in-built ‘pro-Beijing’ bias. The decision has triggered a wave of protest. This briefing summarises the legal context of recent events, including the UK's own obligations.
Research Briefing

NATO Wales Summit 2014: outcomes

Friday, 12 September, 2014

The 2014 NATO Wales Summit discussed Russia, Ukraine, Iraq, defence spending amongst allies and the end of combat operations in Afghanistan.
Insight

House of Commons Library project to establish a research service in the Burmese Parliament

Friday, 22 August, 2014
Research Briefing

NATO Summit Wales 2014

Friday, 25 July, 2014

The 2014 NATO Summit will be in Newport, Wales, in September.
Research Briefing

The post-2015 development goals

Wednesday, 02 July, 2014

This Note explores what kind of framework might replace the Millennium Development Goals upon their expiry in 2015. It assesses reaction to the ‘zero draft’ of 17 new goals published by the Open Working Group in June 2014.
Insight

How do World Cup countries compare off the field?

Thursday, 12 June, 2014
- Insight
- Africa
- Americas
- Asia Pacific
- Economy
- Europe
Insight

Peace and political reform in Burma: what progress?

Tuesday, 10 June, 2014
- Insight
- Asia Pacific
Research Briefing

A ‘democratic asteroid’: India’s elections

Monday, 19 May, 2014

As so often in the past, India’s electorate has sprung a surprise. The count on 16 May gave the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its presidential candidate, 62 year-old Narendra Modi, a convincing victory in the elections to India’s lower house, the Lok Sabha. On a 66.38% turnout, the BJP won a majority of the seats – the first party to do so since 1984. Author and academic Sunil Khilnani described the outcome as “a democratic asteroid.” For the Congress Party, the result is a disaster.
Research Briefing

The US-Japan Security Treaty and the East China Sea

Thursday, 01 May, 2014

During a three day visit to Tokyo in late April 2014, US President Barack Obama confirmed that the islands in the East China Sea known as Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China are covered by 1960 US-Japan Security Treaty, under which the US has pledged to come to Japan’s defence if its territory is attacked. Some observers have argued that Obama’s statements mark the first time a US president has clearly taken Japan’s side over islands. However, President Obama stressed that this was "not a new position". His remarks come at a time of growing Japanese nervousness about the state of its longstanding alliance with the US.
Insight

The UK’s trade relationship with China

Tuesday, 15 April, 2014
Research Briefing

Prospects for Afghanistan as ISAF withdrawal approaches

Wednesday, 19 March, 2014

2014 is a pivotal year for Afghanistan, with a crucial presidential election in April and the end of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) combat mission in December. Security overall is deteriorating in Afghanistan and although the Afghan National Security Forces are taking the lead, questions remain about their effectiveness and the government’s dependence on international help to pay for them. It is unclear whether there will be any Western military presence after 2014. Negotiations with the Taliban do not seem to offer much hope.
Research Briefing

Afghan women 2014

Wednesday, 05 March, 2014

Many observers fear that limited gains in women’s rights in Afghanistan are already being reversed and that the situation may become worse after the end of 2014.

Total results (page 15 of 20)