Ma Bo

Ma Bo

Wang Gungwu Visiting Fellow, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute

Ma Bo is Wang Gungwu Visiting Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. He is also Associate Professor at the School of International Studies and Assistant Director of the Collaborative Innovation Center of South China Sea Studies at Nanjing University, China.

Philippines and US soldiers salute in front of their national flags while their national anthems are played during the opening ceremony of the 'Balikatan' joint military exercise at the military headquarters in Quezon City, suburban Manila on 11 April 2023. (Ted Aljibe/AFP)
Politics

US new military bases: China-Philippine relations on downward spiral?

By Ma Bo 21 Apr 2023
China takes a dim view of Manila’s decision to grant the US access to four military bases. While the two allies have framed the arrangement as bolstering deterrence vis-à-vis China, such a move is unlikely to deter Beijing.
A man in Tehran holds a local newspaper reporting on its front page the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on 11 March 2023. (Atta Kenare/AFP)
Politics

Saudi-Iran deal: China’s Global Security Initiative is working

By Ma Bo 28 Mar 2023
Beijing’s mediation of the historic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran is a sign that its much-vaunted Global Security Initiative (GSI) is working. The bigger challenge is bringing the GSI into action with respect to the war in Ukraine.