Live Threat Map
What a difference a year makes. This time 12 months ago, the clouds of coronavirus looked like they would never clear. Now international travel has returned to Hong Kong and China’s zero-Covid policy is on its way out. The eventual recovery of Asia’s largest economy bodes well for regional prosperity. China’s president, Xi Jinping, after backing himself into two corners over his coronavirus measures and support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, surprised everyone by walking away from both – proof that we really don’t know how he thinks. Even the prospect of a war over Taiwan has ebbed, as Washington and Beijing refocus on being competitive rather than confrontational.
Elsewhere in Asia, regional heavyweights India and Indonesia were among the nations that stopped short of taking sides on Ukraine. The East cheered this assertion of post-colonial sovereignty, while the West chastised those states for condoning Russia’s aggression. It was a reminder that the international community doesn’t necessarily speak with an American accent.
But democracy didn’t do too badly, either. In Malaysia, a progressive in the form of Anwar Ibrahim (pictured) is finally in charge and neighbourhood villain Rodrigo Duterte is out of office in the Philippines. Australia under Anthony Albanese is taking some responsibility for climate change and is back on speaking terms with China – both are important for regional security. Meanwhile, in 2023, Thailand has a chance to appoint a civilian leader for the first time since its 2014 coup d’état.
Problems remain, of course, in places from Myanmar to North Korea. Pakistan seems volatile, while Sri Lanka’s uneasy truce could fracture amid calls for fresh elections. But overall, optimism is in the air in Asia as we head into 2023. Here in Hong Kong, we might even get to take our facemasks off next year.
James Chambers is Monocle’s Asia editor.
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