Thompson Chau is a journalist covering news in Myanmar and Taiwan primarily for Frontier Myanmar, Nikkei Asia, and the Economist. He is President of the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club (TFCC).
“I’m realistic that one phone call, one visit, one meeting isn’t going to fundamentally change the direction of travel,” James Cleverly told the BBC. But “patient, consistent, and reliable communication could have an effect."
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is making an effort before next year’s parliamentary dissolution to get Sino-British relations on a more even keel. The country's bicameral legislature has been scathing toward the government’s approach.
ASEAN’s leading role in Southeast Asia, a key battleground for influence between major powers, and the bloc’s nominal unity have been seriously eroded in the face of China’s rising clout, with considerable geopolitical implications beyond the region.
Analysts warn that Beijing is gaining leverage in Myanmar, backing the junta and no longer actively urging the regime to return the country to its democratic transition. This doesn't come without risks, however.