[{"_1":2,"_295":-5,"_296":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_16":17,"_293":294},"root",{"_5":6,"_14":15},"fb",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":12,"_13":8},"apiKey","AIzaSyAdxqOaB63feHHqSm_nZCKsSHpSAcxkct8","authDomain","thediplomat.firebaseapp.com","projectId","firebase-thediplomat","appId","ga",true,"routes/$issue",{"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":23},"slug","2020-02","path","/2020-02","issue",{"_24":25,"_26":27,"_28":29,"_30":31,"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43},"eid","-LzaANOQfaAf1qphHCol","title","Kim Jong Unchained","description","Welcome to the February 2020 issue of The Diplomat. This month, we analyze the volte face in Kim Jong Un’s approach to diplomacy, concluding the North Korean leader has played his counterparts. We also outline the past and prospects of India’s approach to Latin America, evaluate Australia’s response to foreign political interference, and examine the genocide case against Myanmar in the context of the country’s domestic politics. And, of course, we offer a range of reporting, analysis, and opinion from across the region.","masthead","

\n Publisher\n Diplomat Media, Inc.
\n 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue
\n Suite 200
\n Washington, DC 20006
\n United States of America\n

\n Publisher\n James Pach\n

\n Editor-in-Chief\n Shannon Tiezzi\n

\n Managing Editor\n Catherine Putz\n

\n Senior Editors\n Ankit Panda
\n Franz-Stefan Gady
\n Prashanth Parameswaran\n

\n Contributing Editors\nEleanor Albert
\nNick Aspinwall
\nErin Cook
\nRobert Farley
\nKyle Ferrier
\nJenna Gibson
\nBonnie Girard
\nUmida Hashimova
\nLuke Hunt
\nUmair Jamal
\nTae-jun Kang
\nJo Kim
\nMercy A. Kuo
\nJoshua Mcdonald
\nMina Pollmann
\nMong Palatino
\nRajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
\nPaolo Sorbello
\nTroy Stangarone
\nSteven Stashwick
\nThisanka Siripala
\nYuki Tatsumi
\nAman Thakker
\nColleen Wood
\nGrant Wyeth\n

\n Technical & Design\n Stefan Yanku\n

","number",63,"date","February 2020","month",2,"year",2020,"status","rdy","toc",[44,60,67,83,92,117,142,167,192,217,238,255,276],{"_24":45,"_46":47,"_26":48,"_49":50},"LTR","priority",0,"Letter","pages",[51],{"_24":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":59},"-LzaASUmD7dUBja51SRd","lead","

From North Korea to Myanmar, feel-good stories can turn sour in a hurry.

","model","story","preview",1,"Letter From the Editors",{"_24":61,"_46":58,"_26":62,"_49":63},"CVRS","Cover Story",[64],{"_24":65,"_53":66,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":27},"-LzaASUxzI5AiFcZYRAG","

Pyongyang’s outreach in 2018 was a ruse. With North Korea stronger and cockier than ever, prospects are grim in 2020.

",{"_24":68,"_46":37,"_26":69,"_49":70},"LDS","Leads",[71,75,79],{"_24":72,"_53":73,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":74},"-LzaASVcvwz2ZkKw0be4","

New Delhi has historically paid little attention to Latin America and the Caribbean. Will Bolsonaro’s visit spark a change?

","Can India Become a Player in Latin America?",{"_24":76,"_53":77,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":78},"-LzaASVdRGiypwSdqhAO","

Can Australia strike a balance between deterring foreign interference and preserving individual liberties and social cohesion?

","Confronting Foreign Influence in Australia",{"_24":80,"_53":81,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":82},"-LzaASVghM17OU-0CcKK","

Facing genocide charges in the international arena, Myanmar’s domestic politics are set to heat up in 2020, too.

","Myanmar: Trials and Tribulations",{"_24":84,"_46":85,"_26":86,"_49":87},"INT",3,"Interview",[88],{"_24":89,"_53":90,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":91},"-LzaASVhNMUQKVetUGEi","

How “war on terror” rhetoric contributed to the repression of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in China.

","Sheena Greitens on Understanding China’s Policies in Xinjiang",{"_24":93,"_46":94,"_26":95,"_49":96},"CHN",4,"China",[97,101,105,109,113],{"_24":98,"_53":99,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":100},"-LzaASVjzx6sxGB5UfDL","

Despite a huge loss by its preferred candidate, Beijing signals it will stay the course on Taiwan.

","Taiwan’s Election: The View From China",{"_24":102,"_53":103,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":104},"-LzaASVkOA8tSXVrvHYK","

The frequent ups-and-downs of China-Myanmar ties belie the official narrative of brotherhood.

","Revisiting China’s Mercurial History With Myanmar",{"_24":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":108},"-LzaASVmPGZyFpBpO0Wi","

Why did China move from laggard to leader on climate change?

","China’s Climate Diplomacy 2.0",{"_24":110,"_53":111,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":85,"_40":41,"_26":112},"-LzaASVojCBlOt6OYac2","

New ship designs signal a growing Chinese interest in Arctic shipping.

","China’s Shipbuilders Seek New Inroads in Arctic Shipping",{"_24":114,"_53":115,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":94,"_40":41,"_26":116},"-LzaASVq1eUM-GwzFbLi","

China has many good stories, but the CCP is not good at telling them.

","China’s Media Go Global But Struggle With Credibility",{"_24":118,"_46":119,"_26":120,"_49":121},"NEA",5,"Northeast Asia",[122,126,130,134,138],{"_24":123,"_53":124,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":125},"-LzaASVrO8VfDR5oBHfe","

The standoff has implications for Japan’s ability to defend its own interests at home and abroad.

","US-Iran Tensions: Lessons for Japan",{"_24":127,"_53":128,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":129},"-LzaASVt1q084VxkOtJj","

Few countries have as much to lose from the collapse of the global trading order as South Korea.

","What Does the WTO Appellate Body’s Decline Mean for South Korea?",{"_24":131,"_53":132,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":133},"-LzaASVwMInIOTyopdtk","

Six Japanese politicians are under fire for taking bribes from a Chinese company interested in opening a casino in Japan.

","Foreign Bribery Scandal Muddies Japan’s Casino Legalization Gamble",{"_24":135,"_53":136,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":85,"_40":41,"_26":137},"-LzaASVuG9nZ0DLoZ6AZ","

After an early wave of public enthusiasm, South Korea’s government is taking steps to regulate crypto assets.

","South Korea Works to Bring Cryptocurrency Into the Mainstream",{"_24":139,"_53":140,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":94,"_40":41,"_26":141},"-LzaASVyh7An4Xp1Da2o","

How do so many analysts come to opposite conclusions about how to handle North Korean diplomacy?

","2 Questions Hold the Key to Negotiating With Kim Jong Un",{"_24":143,"_46":144,"_26":145,"_49":146},"SOA",6,"South Asia",[147,151,155,159,163],{"_24":148,"_53":149,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":150},"-LzaASW-KeLSqW1f6B_F","

Islamabad has found itself in a tough position again with regard to its neighbor Iran as tensions spike in the Middle East.

","Pakistan’s Diplomacy After the US Strike on Soleimani",{"_24":152,"_53":153,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":154},"-LzaASW1DX8ZUHq_kkr-","

Untangling the truth about Chinese debt and Sri Lanka means cutting through some misleading media narratives.

","The Hambantota Port Deal: Myths and Realities",{"_24":156,"_53":157,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":158},"-LzaASW2GpwyylQxAo6H","

The U.S., Afghan government, and Taliban will all need to readjust their positions if there is to be any hope of peace.

","The Missing Links in the Afghan Peace Process",{"_24":160,"_53":161,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":85,"_40":41,"_26":162},"-LzaASW4WsIXAykTaqgI","

The BJP’s recent moves have fanned fears that it is enacting long-held dreams to create a Hindu nation.

","Is India’s BJP Government Set to Create a ‘Hindu Pakistan’?",{"_24":164,"_53":165,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":94,"_40":41,"_26":166},"-LzaASW6rfs9y7XAClx8","

Creating a safety net in the absence of official financial networks and services in Pakistan’s poorest province is not as difficult as one would assume.

","How to Create a Safety Net in Rural Balochistan",{"_24":168,"_46":169,"_26":170,"_49":171},"SEA",7,"Southeast Asia",[172,176,180,184,188],{"_24":173,"_53":174,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":175},"-LzaASW7nppI12OdXny7","

A major policy address by Japan’s new foreign minister highlighted prospects for greater collaboration with Southeast Asia.

","What Lies Ahead for ASEAN-Japan Cooperation?",{"_24":177,"_53":178,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":179},"-LzaASW8uTr0jVhtkx-Z","

In the back half of his six-year term, Duterte faces some ongoing challenges despite his popularity.

","What Does 2020 Hold for the Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte?",{"_24":181,"_53":182,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":183},"-LzaASWAJ6XRPJXAuUXN","

Climate disasters like Jakarta’s deadly flood will continue to exacerbate Indonesia’s urban inequalities.

","The Unequal Impact of Indonesia’s New Year Flood",{"_24":185,"_53":186,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":85,"_40":41,"_26":187},"-LzaASW9fpyOujPwp1mt","

Vietnam needs more radical thinking on defense in order to adapt and keep pace with changes in the region.

","The Trouble With Vietnam’s Defense Strategy",{"_24":189,"_53":190,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":94,"_40":41,"_26":191},"-LzaASWBzfRJGBeJjERI","

While the recent strike resulted in a pay rise commitment, it also spotlighted the wider rights issues and economic challenges for some workers.

","Cambodia: Largest Casino Worker Strike Victory Highlights Wider Rights Issues",{"_24":193,"_46":194,"_26":195,"_49":196},"CEA",8,"Central Asia",[197,201,205,209,213],{"_24":198,"_53":199,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":200},"-LzaASWE6W7C74HhNe6H","

The benefits remain murky, but Tashkent feels Russia’s gravity drawing it in.

","Will Uzbekistan Join the Eurasian Economic Union?",{"_24":202,"_53":203,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":204},"-LzaASWD0Ui0gZhlXtNv","

As Beijing seeks deportations, ethnic Kazakhs strive to remain out of China’s grasp.

","A Kazakh Dilemma as Beijing Reportedly Seeks Deportation of Former Camp Detainees",{"_24":206,"_53":207,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":208},"-LzaASWFHnGsUb27rrxp","

Kyrgyzstan’s legal system and former President Almazbek Atambayev are still locked in stalemate.

","Absurdity Reigns Supreme in Kyrgyzstan’s Neverending Atambayev Fiasco",{"_24":210,"_53":211,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":85,"_40":41,"_26":212},"-LzaASWG0KB8R-tw9zup","

In theory, Turkmenistan could be a complementary trade partner for Europe’s energy security needs. But what about in practice?

","Will Turkmenistan Ever Supply Gas to Europe?",{"_24":214,"_53":215,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":94,"_40":41,"_26":216},"-LzaASWIQ5mSEqyiw2QD","

After fresh trouble in the Batken region, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have floated the possibility of a land swap to fix the border.

","Could a Land Swap Settle the Tense Kyrgyz-Tajik Border?",{"_24":218,"_46":219,"_26":220,"_49":221},"OCE",9,"Oceania",[222,226,230,234],{"_24":223,"_53":224,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":225},"-LzaASWJu2eUoiENSVHo","

A wild bushfire season made climate change a top issue in Australia, but the conservative coalition has long avoided any efforts to limit emissions.

","The Coalition’s Climate Change Conundrum",{"_24":227,"_53":228,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":229},"-LzaASWKzGuQ5Yisa-V0","

A closer look at the significance of a key diplomatic switch.

","Solomon Islands: A Pacific Linchpin Is Pulled",{"_24":231,"_53":232,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":233},"-LzaASWM1k3OnZgkR9DK","

As Australia struggles with climate changes impacts, so too will its neighbors.

","Climate Change Brings Geopolitical Complications for Australia",{"_24":235,"_53":236,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":85,"_40":41,"_26":237},"-LzaASWNfSactCkej3Bi","

Human rights continue to falter as the government claims to be writing a “new book” of prosperity for all citizens.

","Human Rights Stagnate Under New Leadership in Papua New Guinea",{"_24":239,"_46":240,"_26":241,"_49":242},"USA",10,"US in Asia",[243,247,251],{"_24":244,"_53":245,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":246},"-LzaASWPWeX5-TTz44fF","

What does the U.S. strike on Iran’s Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani portend for Asian states?

","Trump, Unleashed",{"_24":248,"_53":249,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":250},"-LzaASWQvWaolZrQAF8P","

Recent developments have raised questions about the future of bipartisan support for U.S.-India relations.

","Is the Washington Consensus on US-India Relations Fraying?",{"_24":252,"_53":253,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":254},"-LzaASWR4zZlGSeWrEY0","

While the concept may help soothe worries of a bipolar framing of U.S.-China rivalry, whether it can be put into practice remains to be seen.

","What Would a Pluralist US Asia Policy Look Like?",{"_24":256,"_46":257,"_26":258,"_49":259},"SCR",11,"Security",[260,264,268,272],{"_24":261,"_53":262,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":263},"-LzaASWUM4pjuoxyZW1m","

The Royal Australian Navy is set to operate three new guided missile destroyers in 2020.

","Australia’s New Class of Guided Missile Destroyers",{"_24":265,"_53":266,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":267},"-LzaASWVRWeRqs8vNazk","

The protagonists of the data localization saga in all countries have been similar and the tussle has proceeded along similar lines.

","The Retreat of the Data Localization Brigade: India, Indonesia, and Vietnam",{"_24":269,"_53":270,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":271},"-LzaASWWanaOavVAQBk2","

What kind of Japan will the region have to deal with in the coming decades?

","Japan’s Security Choices in an Uncertain East Asia",{"_24":273,"_53":274,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":85,"_40":41,"_26":275},"-LzaASWXQUW3m_0icjc-","

Berlin may be considering a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea. Here’s why that matters.

","Is Germany Considering Maritime Missions in Asia?",{"_24":277,"_46":278,"_26":279,"_49":280},"ASL",12,"Asia Life",[281,285,289],{"_24":282,"_53":283,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":284},"-LzaASWZTWRa24c2KRDB","

A political controversy about Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poem shows how art can be interpreted in various in ways (and not only in South Asia).

","The Hum Dekhenge Controversy in India",{"_24":286,"_53":287,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":288},"-LzaASW_QO6N-8cS9Ezc","

Pakistan is a nature-lover’s dream. Now, thanks to a better security situation and government efforts, the world is finally realizing that.

","The Quest to Revive Tourism in Pakistan",{"_24":290,"_53":291,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":37,"_40":41,"_26":292},"-LzaASWa5946VMAsJQ84","

Asian cities are among the few adding EVs to their public transportation fleets.

","Asia Is Becoming a World Leader in Electric Public Transportation","routes/$issue.cover",{"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":23},"actionData","errors"]