Top reads of 2022
20 December 2022
As 2022 draws to a close and everyone starts looking forward to the holidays, we take a look at the topics and articles published on our website this year that grabbed your attention the most.
2022’s turbulent year of politics and leadership
India, China & Ukraine: Politics and Conflict
2022 was a turbulent year for politics and leadership. On February 24 this year, Russian troops invaded Ukraine, sparking a war that has been the backdrop of much of 2022.
It also threw some complex geopolitical relationships into the spotlight. One of AMC’s most-read stories this year was a Q&A with international relations expert Robert Patman in the second week of the conflict. He discussed both China and India’s relationship and how this could have an impact on partnerships like the Quad and NATO.
In March, Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic crisis came to a head and protestors flooded the streets.
The country’s foreign reserves had fallen to such lows that the government couldn’t afford to import many basic supplies. People had to queue for basics such as fuel and food, while hospitals ran out of basic supplies. Blame fell at the feet of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. For the AMC, the University of Colombo’s Dr Pavithra Jayawardena how the crisis came about and what drove people to protest.
Marcos vs Robredo: A Showdown for the next Philippine President
Voters in the Philippines faced a historic presidential election in May this year. The race came down to two candidates: Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo.
Marcos ultimately won the election, but in the lead-up, political scientist Andrea Chloe Wong examined the policies of both candidates and the family history behind Marcos - mainly his father and namesake, dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
Travel in 2022
Japan's cautious approach to opening up
This year was the year many countries started opening borders and loosening Covid travel restrictions. Throughout the pandemic, Japan had some of the strictest border controls, so it was welcome news for the tourism industry when the government announced in May that it would begin steps to open to international tourists. Japan frequently tops lists as a tourist destination, so border announcements were closely watched.
But opening steps were slow – including an original requirement for all visitors to be part of an organised tour group. Writer Louise George Kittaka examined what opening steps looked like for Japan and the reaction.
Day tripping to Malaysia from Singapore
The border between Singapore and Malaysia reopened earlier this year. The two countries are connected by causeways which pre-pandemic had more than 300,000 people using it daily, making it one of the world’s busiest land crossings.
Writer Rochelle Angus made the trip across on one of the causeway’s busiset days and writes on what it was like to day trip from Singapore to Malaysia.
Highlights from the year
'Asking us to abandon a parent': The need for dual citizenship
What happens when a country you whakapapa to doesn't allow dual citizenship? In this piece (commissioned under the AMC's New Voices initiative), Erika Elers and Lydia Joyce examine the choice you sometimes have to make, what that feels like, and how the Māori concept of whakapapa could help.
The China-ASEAN rail map takes shape
China’s plan to build a pan-regional railway is gaining speed. This unfolding story combines infrastructure investment, trade logistics and strategic diplomacy with travel, tourism and potential challenges for shipping and aviation.
Writer Gary Bowerman examined the ins and outs of this pan-regional rail system earlier this year for the AMC.
- Asia Media Centre
