International relations

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) is escorted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) to the Cenotaph for the Victims of the Atomic Bomb at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, after Zelenskiy was invited to the Group of Seven nations' summit in Hiroshima, Japan, 21 May 2023. (Eugene Hoshiko//Reuters)

Japanese PM Kishida's proactive diplomacy amid global insecurity

Malaysian academic Benny Teh assesses that the recent G7 summit in Hiroshima was a show of Japan’s more assertive role in international diplomacy in the face of greater threat perceptions, not least from China. In inviting a host of other countries that could further its ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ agenda, it sought to open dialogue that could help build a bulwark against rising alternative groupings courting the global south.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a meeting with Chinese special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui in Moscow, Russia, 26 May 2023. (Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via Reuters)

Peacemaker role in Russia-Ukraine war could be a historic milestone for China

China’s special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui's trip to Europe and Russia to discuss the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis could be a historic milestone for China, says academic Yuan Hang. The country has far played a marginal role in the shaping of European security affairs in the past century, but this could all change if recent approaches are sustained.
Crowds of people cross the street at Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest intersections in the world, in the Shibuya district of Tokyo on 5 April 2023. (Richard A. Brooks/AFP)

Globalisation's end could mean the end of good times

Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Peter Ong assesses that the world is moving away from globalisation as friction between countries have led to the need for self-sufficiency and “friendshoring”. Modern history has shown the ills of such moves, but then again, isn’t the worst human failing that of forgetting history?
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shake hands during their bilateral meeting as part of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on 21 May 2023. (Hiro Komae/AFP)

South Korea's unwavering determination to improve Japan-South Korea relations

There have been recent signs of thaw in Japan-South Korea relations, not least with Japanese President Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visiting the monument dedicated to the Koreans who died in the Hiroshima atomic bombing at the sidelines of the G7 summit. What are the larger motivations for the rapprochement and how will this affect the regional dynamics?
Visitors look at young male panda Yuan Meng standing inside its enclosure at The Beauval Zoo in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, central France on 28 April 2023. - Yuan Meng, whose name means "Wish Fulfillment", was the first baby panda born in France on August 4, 2017 and will leave France for China on July 4, 2023 after a month of quarantine. His parents Huan Huan (meaning "happy") and Yuan Zi ("chubby") are the only giant pandas living in France. (Guillaume Souvant/AFP)

Not just cute: How pandas became a politicised symbol around the world

China is known for its “panda diplomacy”, where its giant pandas were first gifted and later leased overseas as a sign of important bilateral relations and goodwill. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong looks into how the system has evolved since the 1950s, and whether panda diplomacy still works today.
(Clockwise left to right) US President Joe Biden, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council Charles Michel, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend a meeting during the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on 19 May 2023. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)

Ongoing tug of war as G7 meet and China looks on

At the G7 summit in Hiroshima from 19-21 May, the topics in focus are set to be China's impact on the world, as well as the Russia-Ukraine war. It is clear that every nation is trying to maximise its interest and chance for influence and survival in a state of global flux. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong looks at the anticipated discussions of the G7 meeting.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (centre) departs after addressing a Joint Meeting of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on 27 April 2023. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP)

South Korea's 'global pivotal state' ambition is a tall order

South Korea has far-reaching geopolitical ambitions but focusing on the regions closest to it will bring more dividends in a competitive world.
People walk outside Brixton Underground Station, in London, Britain, 6 May 2023. (Emilie Madi/Reuters)

The UK's ambiguity in dealing with China: Ingenuity amid diminishing influence?

While the UK has deftly tried to protect its economic relationship with China while aligning with the US on certain policies, this is a difficult tightrope to balance, especially post-Brexit. Being no longer able to play the role of a political bridge between the US and Brussels, the UK could find its policy of ambiguity leading it closer to isolation.
People cross a street in Omotesando shopping district of Tokyo on 9 April 2023. (Yuichi YamazakiAFP)

Japan and China: A 'cooperative' relationship fraught with uncertainties

Japanese academic Shin Kawashima explains why despite the stated intentions, enhanced cooperation between Japan and China is fraught with challenges.