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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute
@lowyinstitute.bsky.social
960 followers 9 following 710 posts
The Lowy Institute is a leading international think tank that looks at the world from Australia’s perspective. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 9h
“Justice will not come from domestic courts. But international law provides another route,” writes Shannon Bosch in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/outsourcing-war-holding-russia-its-african-partners-accountable-wagner-s-crimes
Outsourcing war: Holding Russia and its African partners accountable for Wagner’s crimes
International law provides clear pathways to attribute Wagner and Africa Corps atrocities to both Russia and the states that hire them.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 9h
“Prabowo sees foreign policy as an instrument of sovereignty and interests, not as a field for value-driven alignment,” writes Akhmad Hanan in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/indonesia-makes-quiet-return-pyongyang
Indonesia makes a quiet return to Pyongyang
Jakarta wants to take its bridge-building diplomacy from ASEAN to North Korea.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 13h
“The genesis of AUKUS itself warns of dangers in narrow decision-making,” writes Daniel Flitton in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/aukus-doesn-t-need-protection-politics
AUKUS doesn’t need protection from politics
Democracy works best when defence debates are transparent.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 20h
“Relationships cannot always outmanoeuvre the historically entrenched worldview of a Cambodia preyed upon by the ‘Thai tiger’ and ‘Vietnamese crocodile’,” writes Minh Son To in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/other-cambodia-border-issue-asean-can-t-fix
The other Cambodia border issue ASEAN can’t fix
Vietnam rehabilitated its image everywhere except Cambodia.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 1d
“Takaichi’s rise was historic, but history alone would not sustain her in government,” writes Tim Hornyak in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/japan-s-iron-lady-faces-fractured-political-landscape
Japan’s “Iron Lady” faces a fractured political landscape
Sanae Takaichi’s conservative agenda collides with the realities of coalition government and mounting economic pressures.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 1d
“The key task for policymakers is to ensure that this trilateral cooperation develops into a durable security framework that could…” Read Ju Hyung Kim in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/why-us-japan-south-korea-trilateral-agreement-must-evolve
Why the US–Japan–South Korea trilateral agreement must evolve
History shows us that an adaptive coalition built on trust and interoperability can trump formal alliances.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 1d
“As Australia calls for accountability for international crimes, our credibility depends on whether we act at home,” write Jennifer Keene-McCann and Aruni Jayakody in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/australia-s-role-bringing-international-criminals-justice
Australia’s role in bringing international criminals to justice
Stepping up efforts to investigate and prosecute perpetrators on Australian soil will build credibility at home and abroad.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 1d
“Unless there are institutional reforms, biological resources will only shift the geography of inequality, not eliminate it,” writes Mohd. Yunus in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/cop30-bioeconomy-answer-equitable-prosperity
COP30: Is the bioeconomy the answer to equitable prosperity?
The Brazil meeting will need to confront old tropes of competition and control over the world’s natural resources.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 4d
“Australia has largely refrained from using unilateral sanctions, visa bans, and other accountability measures for perpetrators,” write Grady Vaughan and Andrew Chubb in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/closing-gaps-australia-s-approach-transnational-repression
Closing the gaps in Australia’s approach to transnational repression
Diaspora communities say a security-focused response to foreign intimidation misses their basic rights concerns.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 4d
“The longer these camps exist, the more they breed instability, radicalisation, and transnational insecurity,” write Khalid Koser and Lilla Schumicky-Logan in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/australia-s-quiet-returnees-syria-are-fact-loud-warning
Australia’s quiet returnees from Syria are in fact a loud warning
Leaving detainees stranded in Syria doesn’t reduce risk – it can export the very insecurity governments hope to prevent.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 4d
“One side is premised on openness and diplomacy, the other on prizing sovereignty and prioritising defence and security,” writes Hugh Piper in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/liberal-party-s-coming-foreign-policy-split
The Liberal Party’s coming foreign policy split
Immigration, climate, trade and China are fracturing the conservative side of politics into rival camps with competing worldviews.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 4d
“As many other parts of India have learnt over the past three decades, sometimes the hard way, nativism gets in the way of prosperity,” writes Abhijnan Rej in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/why-ladakh-refuses-leh-low
Why Ladakh refuses to Leh low
A recent protest demonstrates persistent contradictions in a strategically vital region.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
“The evidence shows that firms taking sustainability seriously are not just ‘doing good’, they are managing risk in a world of compounding uncertainty,” writes Adam Arian in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/sustainability-matters-when-economic-shocks-hit
Sustainability matters when economic shocks hit
New global evidence shows responsible business is risk insurance.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
“Indonesia remains cautious about being perceived as part of a bloc opposing China, especially as Takaichi can be expected to strengthen…” Read Ayu Rachman in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/takaichi-prabowo-can-redefine-japan-indonesia-relationship
Takaichi and Prabowo can redefine the Japan-Indonesia relationship
Tokyo’s conservative turn meets Jakarta’s military modernisation, transforming a development partnership into dual-track ties.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
“Closer India–Australia maritime cooperation is less about containment and more about reassurance and resilience,” writes Premesha Saha in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/india-s-rajnath-singh-canberra-turning-warm-words-shared-maritime-operating-model
India’s Rajnath Singh in Canberra: Turning warm words into a shared maritime operating model
Real-time information sharing and coordinated patrols would deliver tangible benefits to the Indo-Pacific, not just rhetoric.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
“This treaty is not a loss of sovereignty – it’s a demonstration of how to exercise and bolster it,” writes Oliver Nobetau in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/png-should-ratify-pukpuk-treaty-move-beyond-self-limiting-mantra-friends-all
PNG should ratify the Pukpuk Treaty and move beyond a self-limiting mantra of “friends to all”
“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Proverbs 12:26
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 6d
“The EU desperately needs new markets and supply chains,” writes Henry Storey in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/europe-notches-early-win-indonesian-free-trade-deal
Europe notches an early win in Indonesian free trade deal
EU trade with Southeast Asia has been undercooked, but a recent agreement augurs well for others in the pipeline.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 6d
“To Lam’s North Korea visit is telling of how Vietnam sees a role for itself in a more polarised world,” writes Khang Vu in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/vietnam-courting-north-korea-still-winning-western-friends
Vietnam is courting North Korea – and still winning Western friends
Hanoi’s multilateral approach lets it engage both Pyongyang and Washington, punching above its weight diplomatically.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 6d
“The proposal shows that Pakistan is willing to pivot from security dependence to economic diplomacy,” writes Saima Afzal in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/pakistan-s-pasni-port-pitch-washington-can-reshape-regional-rivalries-china-india
Pakistan’s Pasni port pitch to Washington can reshape regional rivalries with China and India
Minerals over missiles – at least, that’s the message Islamabad is sending.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 6d
“Exploring a tradition built on fatalism rather than historical fact” Read Marcus Colla in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/defence-darkness
In defence of darkness
Exploring a tradition built on fatalism rather than historical fact.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 7d
“The use of realpolitik phrasing such as ‘sphere of influence’ plays badly in a region which is justifiably wary of any whiff of neocolonialism,” writes Sam Roggeveen in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/pukpuk-treaty-about-keeping-china-bay-not-military-strength
The Pukpuk Treaty is about keeping China at bay, not military strength
The pact with PNG aims to preserve Australia’s regional standing by making Chinese military access harder.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 7d
“Mines that trigger on touch are incapable of distinguishing between an enemy combatant or a kid chasing a ball,” writes Grant Wyeth in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/return-landmines-marks-darker-era-europe-world
The return of landmines marks a darker era for Europe – and the world
Countries withdrawing from the ban treaty shows how Russian hostility is forcing choices that undermine global norms.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 7d
“The Nobel Peace Prize can sometimes age poorly when political hopes collapse into disillusion,” writes Shamsa Ishfaq in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/what-2025-nobel-peace-prize-reveals-about-our-vision-peace
What the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize reveals about our vision of peace
Whether Trump or a Baloch activist, views of contenders show symbolic recognition often outlasts achievement.
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lowyinstitute.bsky.social
The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 7d
“Moderate the message as much as you like in your third paragraph, but in the mind of readers across the world, only the headline matters,” writes Julien Oeuillet in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/taiwan-s-main-threat-isn-t-military-it-s-media-speculation
Taiwan’s main threat isn’t military – it’s media speculation
Every headline becomes a crisis, every policy shift becomes abandonment. Taiwan deserves reporting that resists speculation.
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The Lowy Institute @lowyinstitute.bsky.social · 8d
“Beijing effectively admits what its practice already reflects, that North Korea’s nuclear status is a fact to be managed, not a problem…” Read Seong-Hyon Lee in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/great-omission-clarifying-statement-north-korea-s-nukes
The great omission: A clarifying statement on North Korea’s nukes
A quiet but seismic shift in Beijing’s language reveals a new reality: China now treats a nuclear North Korea as a practical reality.
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