Decipher Index

The combined naval drills between China and Russia, which mark the largest exercises since the end of the Soviet Union, drives Armed Conflicts which remains the top theme across Asia-Pacific. As China and Russia solidify their military partnership, other regional players are also making headlines as North Korea’s Kim Jong Un vows to boost Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal which coincides with the construction of a new naval base. Similarly, with China and the Philippines battling for control over the Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea, the potential for a larger conflict remains a major regional concern.

Shocking reports of modern slavery in Australia’s capital of Canberra influences Labor and Human Rights which is up five spots this period. Two instances of a Sri Lankan domestic worker held against her will for three years and the underpayment of a domestic worker by an Indian high commissioner is drawing criticism to implement stronger enforcement against modern slavery. Similarly, the junta in Myanmar has attempted to address forced labor meeting criticism as labor advocates claim such efforts remain a “smokescreen” invoking further concerns of Labor and Human Rights in the beleaguered nation.