[{"_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","2021-12","path","/2021-12","issue",{"_24":25,"_26":27,"_28":29,"_30":31,"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43},"eid","-MpCRx1amIWaAmccTNxM","title","Asia After the Soviet Union","description","Welcome to the December 2021 issue of The Diplomat. This month, our cover story explores how the collapse of the Soviet Union impacted key Asian countries: China, India, Japan, the Koreas, and Vietnam. We also outline the ups and downs of Bangladesh’s relations with India and Pakistan in the 50 years since its independence, retrace the events before and after the 2011 Zhanaozen massacre in Kazakhstan, and take stock of the mood on the ground in Hong Kong during its first elections since the national security law. And, of course, we offer a range of reporting, analysis, and opinion from across the region.","masthead","

\n Publisher\n Diplomat Media, Inc.
\n 3033 Wilson Blvd
\n Suite 700
\n Arlington, VA 22201
\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 Security & Defense Editor\n Abhijnan Rej\n

\n Southeast Asia Editor\n Sebastian Strangio\n

\n South Asia Editor\n Sudha Ramachandran\n

\n Contributing Editors\nKavita Chowdhury
\nNiha Dagia
\nRobert Farley
\nBonnie Girard
\nJames Guild
\nUmida Hashimova
\nAsif Muztaba Hassan
\nBrian Hioe
\nSara Hsu
\nLuke Hunt
\nUmair Jamal
\nMercy A. Kuo
\nJongsoo Lee
\nJoshua Mcdonald
\nMong Palatino
\nJacob Parakilas
\nRajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
\nTita Sanglee
\nMitch Shin
\nThisanka Siripala
\nPaolo Sorbello
\nTroy Stangarone
\nSteven Stashwick
\nYuki Tatsumi
\nColleen Wood
\nGrant Wyeth
\nAlifah Zainuddin\n

\n Design & Code\n Stefan Yanku\n

","number",85,"date","December 2021","month",12,"year",2021,"status","rdy","toc",[44,60,67,84,93,118,143,168,193,218,239,256,277],{"_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},"-MpCRzQKM26kD43JzslX","lead","

A legacy is a constantly evolving thing, even once the dust of history settles.

","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},"-MpCRzQQqy-yA3hrOFw7","

Five experts explore the legacy of the USSR and the impact of its collapse on China, India, Japan, the Koreas, and Vietnam.

",{"_24":68,"_46":69,"_26":70,"_49":71},"LDS",2,"Leads",[72,76,80],{"_24":73,"_53":74,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":75},"-MpCRzQRbz82OvNmz_tM","

Bangladesh’s relations with India and Pakistan have gone through inverse cycles of friendship and hostility.

","Bangladesh’s Evolving Relations with India and Pakistan",{"_24":77,"_53":78,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":79},"-MpCRzQSh5RokPPfIpOm","

Ten years after the Zhanaozen massacre, has justice been served?

","Kazakhstan: What Happened in Zhanaozen?",{"_24":81,"_53":82,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":83},"-MpCRzQTQbmTN5fy_0NH","

Changes to Hong Kong’s election system, as well as the overarching national security law, have all but killed any formal political opposition.

","‘Patriots Only’: Hong Kong’s New Election System in Action",{"_24":85,"_46":86,"_26":87,"_49":88},"INT",3,"Interview",[89],{"_24":90,"_53":91,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":92},"-MpCRzQUZ4WiiJwNKeJa","

The race is on for the Philippine presidency, but has the country’s democracy entered a terminal phase?

","Manolo Quezon III",{"_24":94,"_46":95,"_26":96,"_49":97},"CHN",4,"China",[98,102,106,110,114],{"_24":99,"_53":100,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":101},"-MpCRzQVg5__WPUF2QDn","

China’s membership in the global trade body is Exhibit A for those who argue engagement failed. But that narrative overlooks the real changes that occurred.

","China in the WTO, 20 Years Later",{"_24":103,"_53":104,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":105},"-MpCRzQXYOVcnaSC4d-q","

The world may shame China for its pollution problems today, but foreign firms have been all too eager to take advantage of lax environmental standards.

","China’s Environmental Challenges and How the World Exacerbates Them",{"_24":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":109},"-MpCRzQYK0idhj-92RKp","

The widening perception gap between the Chinese and Western publics points to long-term divergence.

","Chinese People Think China Is Popular Overseas. Americans Disagree.",{"_24":111,"_53":112,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":86,"_40":41,"_26":113},"-MpCRzQZNdYnqPugjidr","

The CCP meeting served to reinforce the existing consensus on history, rather than overturn it – but also paved the way for the continuation of Xi’s reign.

","China’s Sixth Plenum Report Proclaims Bright Future Under Xi",{"_24":115,"_53":116,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":95,"_40":41,"_26":117},"-MpCRzQaOuO5MVxM3IzA","

As Asia’s cities grapple with the growing risk of mosquito-borne diseases amid rising temperatures, collaborative action is key to filling data gaps

","What Hong Kong’s Urban Poor Can Tell Us About Climate Change’s Toll on Public Health",{"_24":119,"_46":120,"_26":121,"_49":122},"NEA",5,"Northeast Asia",[123,127,131,135,139],{"_24":124,"_53":125,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":126},"-MpCRzRQoTBH2QnjqGp3","

Moon’s successful pandemic management is a key accolade cited by his supporters. With cases climbing, will he lose ground?

","South Korea’s Recent COVID-19 Surge Spells Trouble for Moon and His Party",{"_24":128,"_53":129,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":130},"-MpCRzRRMGkStr09iPLX","

The new prime minister told COP26 that Japan will lead the push for greener energy in Asia. However, like India and China, Japan is reluctant to consign coal to history.

","Kishida Places Japan’s Business Interests at the Forefront of Climate Policy",{"_24":132,"_53":133,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":134},"-MpCRzRSEZPBV0ADiNuC","

Back in 2015, then-Foreign Minister Kishida helped shaped the India-Japan Indo-Pacific Vision 2025. Where do ties stand today?

","Previewing India-Japan Ties Under PM Kishida",{"_24":136,"_53":137,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":86,"_40":41,"_26":138},"-MpCRzRUjXpt-5WRQG_f","

South Korea has significant interests in the outcome of EU-U.S. discussions on limiting excess production and the carbon intensity of steel.

","South Korea’s Stake in the EU-US Talks on Steel",{"_24":140,"_53":141,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":95,"_40":41,"_26":142},"-MpCRzRVfCbXxK1N-Vm1","

The agreement was flawed from the beginning, and continued denialism from the Japanese government undermined its spirit.

","Why Did the 2015 Japan-Korea ‘Comfort Women’ Agreement Fall Apart?",{"_24":144,"_46":145,"_26":146,"_49":147},"SOA",6,"South Asia",[148,152,156,160,164],{"_24":149,"_53":150,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":151},"-MpCRzRXAIopMe8axm8q","

Instead of righting the wrongs in Hinduism, like the caste system that is driving people out of the fold, Hindutva activists prefer to unleash violence on converts.

","Christians in the Crosshairs of Hindutva Activists",{"_24":153,"_53":154,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":155},"-MpCRzRZBbZM0JsP10A8","

Pakistan is pushing to get the Taliban’s financial assets released, but the international community is hesitant.

","A Humanitarian Crisis Looms Over Afghanistan",{"_24":157,"_53":158,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":159},"-MpCRzR_Y07GA6MFICad","

The president’s excessive reliance on the military to govern Sri Lanka has plunged the country in multiple crises.

","Gotabaya’s Underwhelming Presidency",{"_24":161,"_53":162,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":86,"_40":41,"_26":163},"-MpCRzRatLwwjfFMMvFi","

The India-hosted meeting revealed the geopolitical fault lines that have prevented a unified pan-regional response to Afghanistan’s multiple cascading crises.

","What Did the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan Accomplish?",{"_24":165,"_53":166,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":95,"_40":41,"_26":167},"-MpCRzRbbWd-TpwAn5Ll","

Having reaped success in getting the government to roll back the farm laws, the protesting farmers are pushing for more.

","India’s Farmers Signal Lack of Trust in Modi Government",{"_24":169,"_46":170,"_26":171,"_49":172},"SEA",7,"Southeast Asia",[173,177,181,185,189],{"_24":174,"_53":175,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":176},"-MpCRzRckzBPMoQCPmXq","

The vaccine received emergency use authorization in Indonesia and the Philippines. That’s good news for the Global South.

","Will Novavax Make Up for Southeast Asia’s Vaccine Shortfall?",{"_24":178,"_53":179,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":180},"-MpCRzRdPFRv0nMGABQn","

In the lead-up to the November 15 deadline for finalizing candidates, political coalitions were built, broken, and revised.

","New Colors, Old Names, and Feuding Families in Philippine Presidential Race",{"_24":182,"_53":183,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":184},"-MpCRzReo9RvmHijdsS1","

Indonesia took over the leadership of the G-20, so its agenda for the multilateral group becomes even more important in 2022.

","Indonesia at the 2021 G-20 Summit: Key Takeaways",{"_24":186,"_53":187,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":86,"_40":41,"_26":188},"-MpCRzRga08pmFeLZ1p5","

The deteriorating rights situation in Cambodia will be a major distraction from ASEAN’s agenda.

","Will Domestic Politics Upend Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship?",{"_24":190,"_53":191,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":95,"_40":41,"_26":192},"-MpCRzRhkRp98zS3cO3-","

There doesn’t appear to be any clear correlation between how a government handled the pandemic and the waning of political freedom.

","Did COVID-19 Strengthen Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia?",{"_24":194,"_46":195,"_26":196,"_49":197},"CEA",8,"Central Asia",[198,202,206,210,214],{"_24":199,"_53":200,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":201},"-MpCRzRi85rPmldLB9jk","

Rather than being “indifferent to most official Soviet values,” the reality is that contemporary Central Asian political structures are rooted in the Soviet past.

","Central Asia’s Muslim Challenge",{"_24":203,"_53":204,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":205},"-MpCRzRjdL0VOkl0TkcY","

In entering a new term by suggesting constitutional reform, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is following in the path of his dictatorial predecessor.

","The Old Ways Are Still Alive in New Uzbekistan",{"_24":207,"_53":208,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":209},"-MpCRzRk-piLVFjLlad6","

Coal-based economies like Mongolia will need a rewiring of climate finance to make a transition to clean energy possible.

","What COP26’s Shift Away From Coal Means for Mongolia",{"_24":211,"_53":212,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":86,"_40":41,"_26":213},"-MpCRzRlysgHFZK7Em17","

Data centers caused a spike in electricity demand, while the country is still dependent on coal.

","Kazakhstan’s Power Shortages: Crypto Miners and Geopolitics",{"_24":215,"_53":216,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":95,"_40":41,"_26":217},"-MpCRzRn44NLc6877AIe","

At the end of the day the WHO has to deal with Turkmenistan as it is. That doesn’t mean sharp critiques of both aren’t also necessary.

","Turkmenistan and the WHO, a Delicate Dance",{"_24":219,"_46":220,"_26":221,"_49":222},"OCE",9,"Oceania",[223,227,231,235],{"_24":224,"_53":225,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":226},"-MpCRzRoApPvyioTvwEI","

Since 1951, only six women have ever been elected to the Tongan parliament.

","Why Is the Tongan Parliament All Male?",{"_24":228,"_53":229,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":230},"-MpCRzRp54p5WjHCTO0R","

Australia’s 2050 net zero pledge comes without specifics, relying on technology that hasn’t been invented yet and absent a 2030 emissions-reduction target.

","Australia’s Climate Pledge: ‘Inaction, Misdirection, and Avoiding Choices’",{"_24":232,"_53":233,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":234},"-MpCRzRp54p5WjHCTO0S","

Adherence to democratic values and practices is essential for maintaining stability in Australia’s neighborhood. That extends to alliance maintenance, too.

","AUKUS, Civic Decay, and the Challenges Facing Democratic Coalitions",{"_24":236,"_53":237,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":86,"_40":41,"_26":238},"-MpCRzRrvUxOQqAWIRsr","

A recent report illustrates that the people of the Pacific believe corruption is a massive problem for both them and their governments.

","Is Corruption a Serious Problem in the Pacific?",{"_24":240,"_46":241,"_26":242,"_49":243},"USA",10,"US in Asia",[244,248,252],{"_24":245,"_53":246,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":247},"-MpCRzRuOVMJoGQR1FgQ","

Could the U.S. lead a good governance summit instead?

","A Democracy Summit Might Not Be Popular in the Indo-Pacific",{"_24":249,"_53":250,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":251},"-MpCRzRvHP00tYaTk2Xl","

China-U.S. differences were on display, but both leaders also expressed a commitment to keeping tensions from erupting into conflict.

","Biden, Xi Emphasize Conflict Management at First Virtual Summit",{"_24":253,"_53":254,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":255},"-MpCRzRwh7Xi8aNWKNGC","

The trip came amid a busy diplomatic stretch, including Taiwan-Europe exchanges as well as the Biden-Xi phone call.

","US Lawmakers Visit Taiwan Amid Flurry of Diplomatic Activity",{"_24":257,"_46":258,"_26":259,"_49":260},"SCR",11,"Security",[261,265,269,273],{"_24":262,"_53":263,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":264},"-MpCRzRzfpMS1-U2ntoX","

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, insurgents no longer have access to a superpower arms supplier. But maybe they don’t need one.

","The Soviet Legacy for Irregular Warfare",{"_24":266,"_53":267,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":268},"-MpCRzS-BEpuyhFWSnzf","

Advanced semiconductors play an important role in the defense industry, and Taiwan supplies the lion’s share of those chips.

","How Taiwan Underwrites the US Defense Industrial Complex",{"_24":270,"_53":271,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":272},"-MpCRzS0bW2nxdk3SKLJ","

The idea of an Integrated Rocket Force is a clear signal that India is wholeheartedly embracing the era of “non-contact” warfare in a joint force environment.

","India’s Coming ‘Rocket Force’",{"_24":274,"_53":275,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":86,"_40":41,"_26":276},"-MpCRzS1MSCwCG-JI3LW","

Integration between China and Russia’s satellite networks will have major implications for the United States.

","China and Russia Cooperate on Rival to GPS",{"_24":278,"_46":37,"_26":279,"_49":280},"ASL","Asia Life",[281,285,289],{"_24":282,"_53":283,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":284},"-MpCRzS3z9aMB8In58gx","

The apologists of colonialism remain strong. A coordinated campaign is needed to bring stolen goods home.

","A Game of Torn Thrones",{"_24":286,"_53":287,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":288},"-MpCRzS4fRvsNFLD1zh9","

Why millions of dollars in international aid – much of it from the U.S. – failed to achieve lasting change for Afghanistan’s women.

","How the World Failed Afghan Women",{"_24":290,"_53":291,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":69,"_40":41,"_26":292},"-MpCRzS5CyTv2ZYiulEN","

China’s men’s national team has remained firmly stuck in the lower echelons of international football, as evidenced by its current long-shot quest to reach the World Cup.

","COVID-19 Complicates China’s ‘Football Dream’","routes/$issue.cover",{"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":23},"actionData","errors"]