Asia This Week: January 12, 2024

January 12, 2024

A weekly review of key news and analysis of elections in Asia and the Indo-Pacific, usually posted on Fridays and occasionally updated throughout the week.

Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen reviews a Taiwanese Marine battalion in 2020. Photo credit: Wikimedia/中華民國 (CC BY 2.0)

Upcoming Asia/Pacific Elections

Taiwan Presidential and Legislative Elections: January 13, 2024

Sophie Mak and Rurika Imahashi, Nikki Asia (January 12, 2024): Taiwan ‘open’ to deeper AUKUS ties amid election meddling fears

Maggie Miller and Joseph Gideon, Politico (January 11, 2024): Taiwan bombarded with cyberattacks ahead of election: Cybersecurity groups link the attacks against Taiwanese critical infrastructure to China.

Paul Huang, Foreign Policy (January 11, 2024): Taiwan’s Elections Aren’t All About China

Mercedes Hutton, Hong Kong Free Press (January 11, 2024): Taiwan KMT election hopefuls say Hong Kong’s One Country, Two Systems ‘a failure,’ warn island on ‘brink of war’

Office of Senator Mitt Romney (January 11, 2024): On Eve of Taiwan Elections, Senate Approves Bipartisan Resolution Commending Taiwan’s Commitment to Democracy

Michael Smith, Australian Financial Review (January 10, 2024): China threatens fresh Taiwan sanctions as pre-election tension mounts

Reuters (January 10, 2024): China satellite launch causes pre-election political storm in Taiwan

Reuters (January 9, 2024): Bridge dilemma exposes China divisions ahead of Taiwan elections

Indonesia General Elections: February 14, 2024

Chris Barrett and Karuni Rompies, Sydney Morning Herald (January 12, 2024): Deepfake dead dictator Suharto back on the campaign trail

Reuters (January 8, 2024): Indonesia presidential frontrunner under fire as rivals attack defence plans

Rebecca Ratcliffe and Randy Mulyanto, The Guardian (January 8, 2024): From military leader to ‘harmless grandpa’: the rebranding of Indonesia’s Prabowo

AFP (January 7, 2024): Indonesia’s Presidential Hopefuls Face Off in Debate

Cambodia Senate Elections (indirect): February 25, 2024

Human Rights Watch (January 11, 2024): Cambodia: New Prime Minister But No Improvements

Sebastian Strangio, The Diplomat (January 8, 2024): Cambodian Government Critic Arrested for Facebook Post

South Korea Legislative Elections: April 10, 2024

Koh Ewe, Time (January 10, 2024): South Korean Opposition Leader, After Being Stabbed in Neck, Urges End to ‘Warlike Politics’

Stratfor (January 10, 2024): South Korea: Opposition Losing Members Ahead of April Election

Lee Minji, Yonhap (January 10, 2024): N. Korea likely to carry out psychological warfare ahead of general elections: official

Julian Ryall, DW (January 8, 2024): What’s behind North Korea’s increasing belligerence?

Nam Hyun-woo, Korea Times (January 8, 2024): NK likely to continue provocations for greater leverage before elections

AP (January 7, 2024): South Korea says North Korea has fired artillery near their sea boundary for a third straight day

India Parliamentary Elections: May 2024

Reuters (January 5, 2024): India forecasts 7.3% economic growth, boosting Modi’s election chances

Mongolia Parliamentary Elections: June 28, 2024

The Diplomat (January 11, 2024): Challenges in Mongolia’s Upcoming Election: June 2024 will see the first elections since constitutional changes reconfigured Mongolia’s legislature and electoral system.

Past Asia/Pacific Elections

Bhutan Parliamentary Election Runoffs: January 9, 2024

Michael Kugelman, Foreign Policy (January 10, 2024): Bhutan’s Elections Are a Bright Spot in South Asia

Upasana Dahal and Jalees Andrabi, AP (January 10, 2024): Bhutan Votes In Former PM In Elections Overshadowed By Economic Strife

Gopal Sharma, Reuters (January 8, 2024): Bhutan votes in final round of national elections, economy main issue

AFP (January 6, 2024): India keeps wary eye on Bhutan election as China seeks to draw kingdom into its orbit

Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections: January 7, 2024

Julhas Alam, AP (January 12, 2024): The US and UK say Bangladesh’s elections extending Hasina’s rule were not credible

Madison Minges and Tazreena Sajjad, American University (January 10, 2024): Understanding Bangladesh’s Election Results

Michael Martin and Diaa Hadid, NPR (January 8, 2024): Bangladesh’s prime minister wins a majority in parliamentary elections

Reuters (January 6, 2024): Bangladesh poll booths burn on election eve, as train arson kills four

Maldives Presidential Election: September 9 and 30, 2023

Joe Cash, Reuters (January 10, 2024): Maldives upgrades ties with China amid pivot from India

Times of India (January 10, 2024): Amid Maldives row, EU report says ruling coalition deployed anti-India sentiments during 2023 presidential polls 

Semafor (January 8, 2024): The Maldives and India are feuding after Modi’s beach trip

AP (January 8, 2024): Maldives suspends 3 officials for disparaging India

Malaysia General Elections: February 19, 2022 (next general elections due in 2027, but a number of state and local elections happen before then)

Munira Mustaffa and Amrita Malhi, The Diplomat (January 10, 2024): How Should Malaysia’s Government Deal With the ‘Green Wave’? The Islamist party PAS is ascendant, but Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s current response to the group risks doing more harm than good.

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