The Political Relations Index (PRI) is a measure of the level of political cooperation and conflict between two governments. For details of Vishesh Agarwal’s work on this, we created a separate page, please find it here.
1. Emissions trading scheme In a step significant in symbolism, China launched an emissions trading scheme to combat the climate crisis. China, with the world’s largest population, is also the world’s biggest carbon emitter — 28 per cent of global carbon emissions. There are many ways to count carbon emissions, including taking into account the … more
1. Opinion polls Opinion polls about China in Australia have proliferated. First, there is the Lowy Poll, which has been running since 2005. As China becomes more important, more questions are asked on the topic. Just in the last month, there are also the ACRI/BIDA poll and SMH/Age/Resolve Strategic Poll. These two polls ask a … more
In contrast to the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) has received little attention from both scholars and the media. In a recent article, we examined how China is using the LMC as an institution to advance its positions with Mekong countries, as well as to reduce the competitive pressures coming from the … more
In September 2018, Beijing and the Holy See reached a provisional agreement regarding the appointment of Chinese bishops. Despite growing worries and mixed signals from China, the agreement was renewed in 2020. Pope Francis’ strong personal identification with the Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci and his flexible pastoral approach allowed him to achieve what his predecessors … more
1. Centenary speech For the CCP centenary, here at Neican, we have previously discussed the CCP history and legacy. If you would like more, read Linda Jaivin’s article on the origin story or listen to David Goodman and yours truly in discussion with Mark Kenny. Today we will focus on Xi’s speech at the celebration … more
The Uyghurs in Xinjiang are experiencing one of the most intense persecutions in recent times. Despite the nominal legal protection for religious freedom under Chinese laws, the reality is vastly different. Xinjiang is being used as a testing ground for national religious policy by the Chinese government, in addition to being a testing ground for … more
President Trump was not popular across Asia. From Japan and South Korea to Southeast Asia, he had a negative effect on perceptions of the United States. In Australia, there was a palpable sense of relief at his departure so that normalcy could return. But Taiwan was staunchly pro-Trump. Opinion polling shows that—unlike other parts of … more
1. Party centennary In a few days, on July 1, the CCP will commemorate its centennary. In Chinese culture, 100 years is synonymous with longevity (长命百岁). Whatever we may think about its longevity, CCP has certainly come a long way. Founded in 1921 amid political and social upheaval, it has survived vicious struggles, both internally … more
The production of dairy products was an important industry that was transmitted from China to Japan as early as the seventh century. This industry is often overlooked in discussions of historical Sino-Japanese relations. It highlights the need for us to be more aware of the deeper historical connections, including the transfer of material culture, between … more
