Blog
Flashpoints
Will China’s military rival the United States’ in the Pacific? Will Japan abandon the constitutional fetters on its own military? How will India respond to the String of Pearls strategy? The Diplomat has put together a team of leading analysts to offer must-read, regular commentary on the big defense and security issues in the Asia-Pacific.
The Chinese Piece in Iran’s War Games
By Lucille Greer
Iran, Russia and China are set to conduct joint war games in late December. What’s in it for Beijing?
North Korea Announces ‘Crucial’ Test at Sohae, Says Will Benefit ‘Strategic Nuclear Deterrent’
By Ankit Panda
The test was announced by the Academy of National Defense Science.
Trump: North Korea‘s Kim Jong Un Could Lose ’Everything’ If ’Hostile’ Behavior Continues
By Ankit Panda
The U.S. president suggested Kim had much to lose if he pushed too far.
North Korea Announces Completion of ‘Very Important’ Test at Satellite Launching Ground
By Ankit Panda
Saturday‘s test may foreshadow a return to long-range missile testing by North Korea.
The Impact of Fiction on the Future of War
By Franz-Stefan Gady
Rather than fighting the last war, as the old axiom goes, are military leaders more susceptible to fighting the wars of their favorite fiction novels?
Imagery Suggests China Deployed Surveillance Aerostat to Mischief Reef in South China Sea
By Ankit Panda
The deployment would mark a first in the South China Sea.
North Korean Official: Up to United States What ‘Christmas Gift’ It Receives
By Ankit Panda
The warning may foreshadow further missile testing or another demonstration before the end of the year.
Sri Lanka’s New Government Seems Serious About Revisiting the Hambantota Deal With China
By Ankit Panda
The infamous 99-year-lease on the port to a Chinese state firm may see an update if the new government in Colombo has its way.
North Korea‘s Warning to Japan‘s Abe on Ballistic Missiles Should Be Taken Seriously
By Ankit Panda
Is North Korea warning Japan of launches to come?
Will the Impeachment Inquiry Against Trump Influence the Korean Peace Process?
By Ildar Daminov
Current prospects for the Korean peace process do not look promising and the impeachment inquiry against Trump makes them even more bleak.
Confucius Institutes as State Policy: Clumsy or Effective Purveyors of Influence?
By Robert Farley
How can American and other educational institutions coexist with political endeavors like China’s Confucius Institutes?
What Shapes India’s View on the Quad?
By Ameya Pratap Singh
Assessing the logic of alliances outside of the West.