Muhammad Saad Siddiqui

Muhammad Saad Siddiqui

Undergraduate, University of Cambridge

Muhammad Saad Siddiqui was an intern in the Myanmar Studies Programme, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, from June to August 2020. He is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Cambridge (Class of 2021), reading politics and anthropology.

A vendor grills bananas across buildings under construction in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 6 January 2021. (Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP)

No more easy money: Will BRI projects in Southeast Asia slow and stall?

A new study suggests that official Chinese lending has dropped in recent years. This stems from lessons learnt after a decade of mistakes in overseas lending. How would this affect Belt and Road Initiative projects in Southeast Asia?
This photo taken on 25 July 2020 shows a girl riding a bike next to Buddhist pagodas in Monywa in the Sagaing region in Myanmar. (Ye Aung Thu/AFP)

Balancing Chinese influence in Myanmar? India must avoid head-to-head competition

For India to be a significant player in Myanmar, it needs to do more, whether on its own or by working with others. Muhammad Saad Siddiqui suggests that an obvious partner is actually China. Difficult bilateral ties aside, there is much room for cooperation.