International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine

Purges and Regime Crisis in China

Pierre Rousset — 2026-02-09T21:15:33Z

The dismissal of General Zhang Youxia was officially announced on January 24. This is another step in the purges that have been taking place within the Chinese army's general staff. Zhang was considered “untouchable” given his supposed closeness to Xi Jinping. As for the Central Military Commission (CMC), it is now a hollow shell, having lost five of its seven members. Xi continues to clear the field around him, contrary to any form of collegiality.

- IVP613 - February 2026 / China

When past and present collide: Indonesia 1965-2025

Adam Novak, Pierre Rousset — 2025-12-22T09:45:53Z

“At the time of the US escalation in Vietnam, Indonesia was the scene of one of the worst bloodbaths in modern history, committed under the auspices of Washington and London. Sixty years later, the archipelago is at the heart of youth revolts against the privileges of the oligarchy and corruption, in defence of a democracy dearly won back since 1998.”

Call for donations to ESSF's Asia 2026 Solidarity Fund - A time of youth revolts, people's power, and ecosocialist alternatives

ESSF, Mark Johnson , Pierre Rousset — 2025-12-17T16:36:19Z

“We face a deadly spiral of combined crises (the 'polycrisis'), to which the established political and economic powers are offering no response. Poverty and widespread insecurity continue to spread. However, in recent months, in the face of humanitarian disasters, protest movements have taken on a new dimension, with impressive demonstrations and uprisings. Asia is at the heart of these developments, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines, where our partners are based.”

- News from around the world / Asia

Indonesia hit by climate disaster and authoritarian power

Pierre Rousset — 2025-12-12T06:41:49Z

Cyclone Senyar has caused deadly floods and landslides in several Indonesian provinces. The toll looks set to be very heavy, and the government's (non-)risk prevention policy is once again under scrutiny.
A week after the cyclone passed, it is still impossible to measure the full extent of the devastation in the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. At least 961 people have lost their lives, with nearly 300 still missing, over 156,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, (…)

- IVP611 - December 2025 / Solidarity after disasters , Indonesia, Climate

India after the Tianjin summit and in the midst of the climate crisis – an overview

Pierre Rousset, Sushovan Dhar — 2025-10-10T19:19:25Z

On China's initiative, the Tianjin Summit was held on 31 August and 1 September 2025, within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). India was invited to attend. Sushovan Dhar, a political activist and trade unionist in Kolkata, analyses the summit's proceedings and geopolitical implications in this interview. He also examines the nature of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime, the link between the climate, democratic and social crises plaguing the country, and the state of the parliamentary and radical left.

- IVP609 - October 2025 / Russia, Pakistan, China, India, Bangladesh

The Nepalese paroxysmal crisis and its regional context

Pierre Rousset — 2025-09-27T08:01:02Z

It only took a few days for the situation in Nepal to abruptly shift, leading to violent riots, before the resignation of the Oli government and the appointment of lawyer Sushila Karki as interim Prime Minister allowed a return to calm, with de facto power returning to the hands of the army. The explosion of the Nepalese powder keg was preceded and followed by popular movements of a scale rare in the region. Revolted by the arrogance of the oligarchies, they often have the fight against corruption as their banner.

- IVP608 - September 2025 / Nepal

Kashmir, India, Pakistan: on the history and internationalist stakes of a state of war

Pierre Rousset — 2025-05-17T17:01:13Z

This article attempts to take stock of the recent ‘hot' crisis between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Many factors need to be taken into account. Recent events are undoubtedly part of a long history of military tensions and wars dating back to the disastrous partition imposed on the sub-continent by British imperialism in 1947. In recent years, however, profound changes have affected the countries concerned, as well as the geopolitical environment, regional management of water resources and the weapons used. So we cannot assume that history will simply repeat itself almost identically. This is perhaps the main question before us: what's new? The answer, of course, lies primarily with the left-wing organisations in the region. I shall confine myself to submitting some elements of analysis or hypotheses for discussion and criticism, even if I have to revise later my copy.

- Features / Pakistan, India, Kashmir

East Asia: War and revolution

Pierre Rousset — 2025-05-05T21:56:16Z

Once France had been defeated after the Vietnamese victory at Dien Bien Phu (1954), the great powers imposed the Geneva Accords, which were highly unfavourable to the Vietminh, temporarily dividing the country into two military regrouping zones.

- IVP604 - May 2025 / France, Vietnam

Vietnam, 30 April 1975 - 50 years ago, a historic victory, but at what price?

Pierre Rousset — 2025-04-29T10:57:11Z

Vietnam's independence was first proclaimed in August 1945, and we could soon be celebrating its 80th anniversary. De Gaulle decided otherwise, sending an expeditionary force to reconquer his lost colony. Indochina had to endure two devastating successive imperial wars, first French, then American. Washington mobilised all the means at its disposal to crush the Vietnamese revolution, certain that it would prevail - and was defeated. The image has gone down in history: the staff of the US (…)

- Features / Vietnam

Former President Duterte arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC)

Pierre Rousset — 2025-04-01T07:24:23Z

Accused of crimes against humanity, Rodrigo Duterte was taken to The Hague (Netherlands) on March 11, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is located. The charges are the tens of thousands of extrajudicial killings committed under his rule in the name of his "war on drugs."

- IVP603 - April 2025