Southeast Asia

American and British media agencies are celebrating the nomination and ascension by Myanmar politician Aung San Suu Kyi of her driver and aid as “president,” as well as her pledge to “rule above” the president – effectively rendering the office as symbolic and subordinate to the unelected Suu Kyi.

The momentum-gaining topic of escalation of the situation in the South China Sea will undoubtedly be one of the main items on the agenda of the regular G7 summit scheduled for the end of May 2016.
Ultimately, two circumstances can motivate the “Group of Seven” to consider this issue. First, this time the meeting will be held in Asia — the newly shaping center of gravity of the global politics.

The Southeast Asian nation of Thailand has found itself repeatedly in the spotlight regarding labor practices, and in particular those among its shrimp and fishing production industry where Western media sources continue to focus on the use of migrant workers and the appalling conditions they toil under.

One of the most significant events that directly involve the complex situation unfolding in Southeast Asia (SEA) and the Indian Ocean region (IOR) was the speech given by the leader of the largest armed forces of US Pacific Command (USPACOM), Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr. at the beginning of March.

Recently, the continuation of the largest Chinese project on the island of Sri Lanka came to light. It concerns the construction of a huge housing estate, called City Port near Colombo, Sri Lanka’s main port. The new area will be equipped with a variety of shopping, logistics and sports facilities. The idea for construction was put forward personally, by Chinese President Xi Jinping back in 2014, who promised that China would invest $ 1.4 billion in the project.

When Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over Eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014, Australian politicians and the mainstream media, especially the Murdoch newspapers, were quick to apportion blame. Responsibility for the disaster was immediately attributed to Russia, either directly or thorough Russian support for the so-called “separatists” in the Donbass region.

US special interests have been pursuing a decades-long regional agenda in Southeast Asia in an attempt to create a united supranational front with which to confront Beijing.
Exposed first in the “Pentagon Papers” in the 1970’s, it was revealed that three fronts existed along which the US sought to “contain” China; the Japan-Korea front; the India-Pakistan front; and the Southeast Asia front.

The importance of the ASEAN+USA summit which was held on February 15-16 of this year on the territory of Sunnylands ranch in California is determined by the context of the new global game, in particular the recent events in Southeast Asia (SEA).

At first glance it’s a strange title for an article. What does Indonesia, China, Gold and the Islamic State or ISIS have to do with one another? That might begin to become clearer when we look more closely at the foreign economic policy actions of the Indonesian government of President Joko Widodo.

The Empire has developed a complex system of slapping faces and humiliating all those who defy its dictate. It has also become increasingly generous when rewarding its allies and lackeys.
Of course no medals are distributed. But much better goodies are offered. The Empire uses all sorts of propaganda tricks, even “employing” some international organizations, like the United Nations, to reward its best pawns.