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Barbara Kelemen is a non-resident research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS). Her research focuses on the China’s counter-terrorism strategy and its relations with the Middle East and South Asia. She earned a double master’s degree in International History and International Relations from the London School of Economics (LSE) and the Peking University. Previously, she worked as an intern at the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) in London and the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin.
COVID-19 Fuels the Return of Islamism in Indonesia
Covid-19 has struck Indonesia harder than any other Southeast Asian country. Hardline Islamic cleric Rizieq Shihab seems to have timed his return to Indonesia after years in exile to exploit his opponents’ unfavorable circumstances as they struggle to bring the public health crisis under control and mitigate its adverse socioeconomic effects. As the economic fallout from the pandemic slowly hits the country’s informal sector — and thus the country’s poor — Rizieq will once again have a perfect opportunity to capitalize on people’s grievances and their desire for a better future.
China’s Economic Stabilization Efforts in Afghanistan: A New Party to the Table?
The “development is the key” argument is one of the tenets of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and underpins China’s policy in Afghanistan. The turmoil plaguing Afghanistan has both spurred and impeded Beijing’s efforts to expand its economic involvement in the country. Nevertheless, China has gradually become more active in Afghanistan economically as well as politically.
