He is more interested in attracting financial assistanceand China has not disappointed as it is now financing many infrastructure projects. WebView the profiles of people named Ben Bland. analyse how our Sites are used. Stay informed with the latest commentary and analysis on international events from experts at the Lowy Institute and around the world. 1. Securing Dialogue Partner statuswith the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) provides a great platform on whichto build these linkages. Author and foreign policy analyst working on Southeast Asia and Hong Kong Sign up now so you dont. Like COVID-19, climate change is likely to exacerbateexisting problems such as widespread social inequality and stubbornly high levels of poverty,especially in more remote parts of the region. We can now increasingly celebrate the difference and diversity in our backgrounds rather than having to hide them. The future of the internet will be shaped in countries likeIndonesia, which has some of the worlds most active social media users, and the internetwill also shape the future of Indonesia. Delivered Wednesday. Please, and moving back to London after 14 years, The end of Fortress Australia?, a first birthday for Man of Contradictions, why writing is thinking, and the other love of my life, The UK's Indo-Pacific Tilt, mutual (mis)understanding between Australia and Indonesia, and what Franz Kafka tells us about Hong Kong's legal system, COVID-19 runs rampant in Indonesia, ASEAN's Rorschach test in Myanmar, the long struggle in Hong Kong and the women who changed war reporting, From a royal slipper thrown at Sir Francis Walsingham to Saddam Hussein's non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction, via Napoleon's love of OSINT and, The two faces of Indonesian democracy, Beijing's inevitable squeeze in Hong Kong, and the Washington method in Southeast Asia. It raises the question: How do companies with large global footprints decide which side to pick? Despite its importance, the region remains woefully under-covered by UKuniversities and think-tanks, with not a single full-time research fellow dedicated toSoutheast Asia at the various leading think-tanks based in London. Officials from other south-east Asian nations have subsequently noted that, under Jokowis leadership, Indonesia has taken a less active role in regional forums. He cheekily added: "(*creative licence may have been used in this description)". But, at the same time, he replaced Tom Lembong, an effective salesman for Indonesia in global financial markets, with a low-profile figure as the head of the investment promotion board. There are 40+ professionals named "Ben Bland", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. I am keen to raise the profile of Southeast Asia and Indonesia in theUK and help the Indo-Pacific Tilt move from policy planning to reality. Published daily by the Watch the full interview for insights on how industry thinks about deglobalization, the U.S.-China rivalry, the war in Ukraine, and much more. Am a bit concerned that my abuse meter will rise now though.. For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here. Historically theUK has framed its Southeast Asian engagement around its former colonies: Malaysia,Singapore and Brunei. The region is one of the worlds most exposed to global warming and rising sealevels because of the location of major capital cities, food and industrial production centresin low-lying delta and coastal areas. Most of the "five pillars" of the fulcrum were about domestic policy and the economy: promoting the fishing industry, building maritime infrastructure and defending Indonesias sovereignty at a time of intensifying territorial disputes. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. My impression is the immense power of Indonesias oligarchs and military is the main factor blocking foreign investment. It took only a short while, however, for complaints to emerge. The UK has a broadlypositive reputation in Indonesia, which is a good starting point. After emerging relatively unscathed from the first global wave of COVID-19, Southeast Asiais now bearing the brunt of the Delta variant. "For me 'free and active' is making friends with countries that can provide us with benefits," he said. Ben Bland on Twitter: "A personal update: after three great years at @LowyInstitute, I'm leaving next month to take up a new role as director of the Asia-Pacific programme at @ChathamHouse in London. benbland.substack.com. Thisshould be supported by deepening the UKs strategic conversations and cooperation onSoutheast Asia with other important partners such as the US, Australia, the EU and Japan. 43. Ben Bland - the south-east Asia expert - congratulated his former namesake on his new identity. Ben Bland shows even pessimists can be gulled by Joko Widodos charms. Ben Bland is a research fellow at the Lowy Institute and the author of Generation HK: Seeking Identity in Chinas Shadow and the forthcoming Man of Contradictions: Joko Widodo and the Struggle to Remake Indonesia. One unlikely but highly damaging scenario would be armed conflict between theworlds two leading powers over a flashpoint such as Taiwan, or the South or East China Seas. On the wider diplomatic stage, Jokowi was limited in his impact, by design. Luhut would become an ever more regular presence on Jokowis foreign trips. Watching his hometown team take on the English Premier League after a seven-decade hiatus was worth the wait. someone else chipped in. In just nine years, he went from small-town businessman to president of the worlds fourth most populous nation. The presenter looked dapper as ever in a navy-blue suit with a purple tie and crisp white shirt. Benregularly writes opinion pieces for and provides expert comment to a wide range of international media organisations, including Bloomberg,Foreign Policy, theNew York Times,Nikkei Asiaand Reuters. For Future Tuesdays Ben Bland presented his Future Screens NI Rewriting the Narrative funded project Neoco: Tools & Patterns for Progressive Operations. Have enjoyed my time in Australia & at Lowy, working with an amazing bunch of smart, insightful people." Whats the bid for this rarest of Bugattis? He was obviously more worried about Indonesias own separatist movements, notably in Papua. Download the FP mobile app to read anytime, anywhere. He wrote: Changing my name is something I have thought about before, on-and-off, for another reason: my name hides aspects of my identity that are important to me but not immediately obvious to others. The idea would later be exalted by foreign governments from the United States to China as a kind of manifesto for Indonesia to play a much bigger role in the increasingly thorny diplomacy of the region. Ben Boulos nee Bland Anyone follow this 37 year old BBC News commentator. The FCDO needs to pair this governmental approach with support for civil society, which isunder pressure across the region from authoritarian governments and democraticgovernments with authoritarian tendencies. Jokowi, pictured with his wife, Iriana, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan, is interested in attracting investment and that has shaped his relationship with Beijing.AP. 2. It is also partly down to the ability of Jokowi, and his officials, to encourage people to see what they want in him and in Indonesia. 42. If the UK wants to be a global leaderin tackling climate change, it should do much more with the region, from expandingdevelopment cooperation, to collaborating with the private sector and building a globalconsensus on issues such as carbon taxes and the rules around carbon offsets. But Southeast Asiangovernments are determined to try to capitalise on US-China competition by securing moreeconomic concessions from both sides. Australia needs to have a much better understanding of these limits, and learn to cooperate more effectively and realistically with its important neighbour. Indeed, Indonesias new experiment with democracy has, in many respects, been hijacked by the dark forces that held the country back before. In a later video, Ben told the camera: "Well, here is one last clue. European and Asian leaders began to call the IRA unfair competition and protectionist. For booking a gig, There is little evidence Jokowi sees trade deals as a way to drive liberalising domestic economic reforms at home. Jokowi has struggled to contain the virus this year. Hello. Absolutely dire. BBC Breakfast business correspondent Ben Boulos - best known for appearing alongside hosts like Naga Munchetty, Dan Walker and Sally Nugent - announced the news on social media, Sign up for the Daily Star TV newsletter for the biggest TV news. However, that did not prevent Western nations including the United States and Australia from erroneously framing it as a signal of Indonesian intent to stand up in the world, just as they had done with the global maritime fulcrum. I focus on the intersection of politics, economics and foreign policy and am currentlyengaged in research projects looking at: overseas development assistance and influence inSoutheast Asia, the changing shape of internet governance, and future developmentpathways for the region. I have wondered whether changing from the name Bland is somehow disloyal to the memory of my great-grandmothers wise decision, without which I may not be here. And it is the best way tosupport Southeast Asian nations sovereignty and independence. Remember the adage that generals always fight the last war? How does industry define morality? The former Department for International Development has a strong reputation in the regionand the merged FCDO should look to continue building on this. Ben initially teased the news on Instagram as he wrote: "Something VERY exciting is happening for the first time tomorrow hence the massive grin!". By Ben Bland Mr. Many analysts had expected great things from the Indonesian economy. For these reasons, andmore, the UK should make strengthened relations with Indonesia a priority. 2 global climate envoy, joined FP editor in chiefRavi Agrawal to discuss Washingtons climate policy, and how it is being seen around the world. He was also implicitly criticising the approach of his predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who adopted a policy of "a thousand friends and no enemies" or "a million friends and no enemies", depending on how affable he was feeling. Ben started at the BBC an incredible seven years ago. Join in-depth conversations and interact with foreign-policy experts with. The Neoco Toolkit & Playbook is a collection of pathways to brighter business, built during lockdown by Ben Bland and partners. As well as understanding the opportunities, the British government needs to be clear-eyedabout the risks in Southeast Asia, where there are few truly like-minded nations. Indeed, countries such as Australia and Japan have been pinning their hopes on Indonesia being part of a middle-power alliance that could balance the increasingly assertive China. The best way to help Southeast Asian nations stave offpressure from China is to help make them more resilient in their own right. To quickly boost its capabilities in Southeast Asia, the FCDO should consider moreexperienced hires from outside government, both in London and on post. Of late, we at FP have been wondering: What can Russias war in Ukraine teach the world going forward? Jokowis foreign policy has always been unpredictable, seesawing between nationalism and globalism. 9. Watch FPs Ravi Agrawal in conversation with two of the contributors to the magazines cover story, Anne-Marie Slaughter and retired Gen. David Petraeus, as they reflect on whats surprised themand how to prevent future wars. It is partly a function of Indonesias size, its strategic location in the midst of key global shipping lanes and its history of, at times, demonstrating leadership potential. 6. While a third fan joked: "I told you my letter writing campaign would work babe!. I am the Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute, a leading internationalthink-tank based in Sydney. Published daily by the Rather thanjust staffing up capital cities, there is also a need to have more personnel who can travelaround these sprawling and diverse countries, where local governments often have moresway than national governments. Think about it from the perspective of a furniture exporter, he said. Im in Salford, with me Naga, Jon, Mike. And Jokowi himself has declared his ambition for Indonesia to become a developed nation by 2045. http://loopers.co/ Ben has a twenty-year career split between London and Belfast, working within agencies, small-to-medium size businesses, NGOs, and as a freelancer. Working with governments can secure the UKsshort-term interests but the UK also needs to do what it can to help promote its values inthe region and deepen ties with the people of Southeast Asia. He has an MA in Southeast Asian Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and an undergraduate degree in History from the University of Cambridge. No British Prime Minister has visited Jakarta sinceDavid Cameron in 2015, although Indonesian President Joko Widodo came to London in2016. The first challenge, which the Foreign Secretary has started to address, is to increase highlevelpolitical engagement with Indonesia. At the Lowy Institute, he also wrote analysis papers examining the state of Indonesian democracy and the potential for the Australia-India-Indonesia trilateral relationship, among other research projects. Keen to coax Jokowi into taking action, one adviser made the case in terms that the President might accept more readily. 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