Top Stories
TOP
June 24, 2022
Falling out of Favor: How China Lost the Nordic Countries
By Andreas B. Forsby
In 2016, the Nordic countries were actively seeking to deepen cooperation with China. Today, they are looking instead to limit China's presence and influence. What happened?
June 22, 2022
Nepal Backs Away From US State Partnership Program
By P.K. Balachandran
Suspicious about the military content and wary of antagonizing China, Nepal rejects a U.S. disaster mitigation program.
June 21, 2022
Indonesia’s New Plans for Papua Can’t Hide Its Decades of Failures
By Aprila Wayar and Johnny Blades
A plan to create three new provinces in the Papua region highlights how Jakarta's development approach has failed to resolve a long-running conflict.
June 20, 2022
Hong Kong Is Unrecognizable After 2 Years Under the National Security Law
By Angeli Datt
Five ways the law has deepened authoritarianism in the territory as conditions are set to worsen.
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Diplomat Risk Intelligence offers you dedicated access to an exclusive network of subject matter experts on geopolitical, security, economic, and political trends covering the wider Asia-Pacific region.
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offer actionable insight to strategic decision-makers seeking to understand political risk and economic
trends in Asia.
June 24, 2022
As China Enters Final Preparations for National Congress, Rumors Abound. The November Gathering Is Already Shaping Policy
June 17, 2022
United States Launches New Economic Initiative in Indo-Pacific. Twelve Other Countries Join, But for Now Symbolism Reigns
June 2, 2022
A New Buzzword From China: “National Unified Market.” Impact Will Take Time but May Be Profound
May 25, 2022
Labor Party Returns to Power in Australia. Social and Economic Changes Explain the Outcome. No Geopolitical Shifts Expected
Magazine
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June 01, 2022
The Pamir Powderkeg
By Catherine Putz
The latest outbreak of violence in GBAO followed six months of tensions after nearly 30 years of both pressure and government neglect.
June 01, 2022
The New Face of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia
By Zam Yusa
What do we know about the man supposedly leading Islamic State’s East Asia branch?
June 01, 2022
Carrie Lam’s Legacy
By John P. Burns
Carrie Lam leaves behind a new Hong Kong: less free, less capable, and more dependent on the mainland.
June 01, 2022
Japan’s Tangled Territorial Dispute With Russia
By Cristian Martini Grimaldi
In northernmost Hokkaido, residents can easily see Russian-held islands that once belonged to Japan. Some still hold out hope for the islands’ return.
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
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June 27, 2022
China’s Non-Leadership in the Taliban’s Afghanistan
By Barbara Kelemen
China has little interest in providing global leadership on the Afghanistan issue, especially when selective engagement seems to be paying off.
June 25, 2022
China’s ‘Fragmented Authoritarianism’ During the COVID-19 Pandemic
June 25, 2022
Understanding China’s Military Operations Other Than War
June 24, 2022
Falling out of Favor: How China Lost the Nordic Countries
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
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June 27, 2022
Australian Defense Minister’s India Trip: A Sign of Growing Defense Ties
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
Canberra and New Delhi need to streamline their defense and security agenda on an accelerated pace in the face of pressure on both from Beijing.
June 23, 2022
Could Argentina Join the BRICS?
June 21, 2022
Learning to Live With a Nuclear North Korea
June 17, 2022
China-India Relations: 2 Years After Galwan Clash
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
D
June 27, 2022
Indian Experts Want New Delhi to Buy Fewer Arms From Russia (and Everyone Else, Too)
By Krzysztof Iwanek
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine strengthened many Indian experts’ views on the need for self-reliance in defense production.
June 23, 2022
Japan’s MHI Launches 5th Mogami-Class Multirole Frigate for JMSDF
June 23, 2022
Indonesian Military Modernization: A Race Against Time
June 22, 2022
Can France’s Military Live Up to Its Ambitions in the Indo-Pacific?
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
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June 27, 2022
Cambodia Confirms CPP’s Landslide Victory in Commune Election
By Sebastian Strangio
Prime Minister Hun Sen's party won nearly three-quarters of the vote in an election marred by claims of vote-buying and intimidation.
June 24, 2022
Philippines Nixes Joint Maritime Resource Exploration Talks With China
June 24, 2022
‘Just a Maid’: Report Highlights Emotional Abuse of Migrant Domestic Workers in Singapore
June 23, 2022
Indonesia Confirms President Jokowi’s Trip to Russia, Ukraine
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
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June 27, 2022
Sri Lanka Sends 2 Ministers to Russia to Negotiate for Oil
By Bharatha Mallawarachi
It comes amid a high-level U.S. delegation’s visit to Sri Lanka to help it cope with the unprecedented economic crisis.
June 27, 2022
New Military Recruitment Scheme Roils India
June 25, 2022
India Strengthens Its Position in Sri Lanka Vis-à-Vis Rival China
June 24, 2022
India Prepares to Elect Its 15th President
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
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June 23, 2022
Kim Jong Un Convenes 3rd Enlarged Meeting of WPK’s Military Commission
By Mitch Shin
Kim Jong Un discussed major agendas of his country’s military with his officials, raising speculation that a seventh nuclear test is imminent.
June 23, 2022
South Korea Launches First Satellite With Homegrown Rocket
June 21, 2022
What Does South Korea’s First Lady Do?
June 16, 2022
Seoul: No Evidence Slain Official Tried to Defect to North Korea
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
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June 24, 2022
Japan’s PM Kishida Faces a Crucial National Election
By Purnendra Jain and Takeshi Kobayashi
Amid economic turmoil, how will Japan’s ruling bloc fare in upper house polls on July 10?
June 18, 2022
The Struggles of the Nippon Ishin no Kai
June 17, 2022
Japan Top Court: Government Not Responsible for Fukushima Disaster
June 17, 2022
Greece, Japan, and Maritime Disputes
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
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June 28, 2022
Amid Afghanistan’s Emergency, Its Neighbors Need Support
By Evan Jones
On the world stage, Afghanistan risks becoming a forgotten crisis, despite rising humanitarian needs. But its closest neighbors don’t have the luxury of looking the other way.
June 27, 2022
Indonesia Criminal Code Update Risks Backsliding on Freedoms
June 24, 2022
A Revived G7 Needs to Talk About China
June 23, 2022
Behind Bangladesh’s Carbon Catastrophe
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
A
June 28, 2022
Constitutional Changes Ahead for Uzbekistan
By Catherine Putz
Mirziyoyev looks set to follow in his predecessor's footsteps, tinkering with the constitution to stay in power indefinitely.
June 24, 2022
Busy Times in Iran-Central Asia Relations
June 23, 2022
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s Economic Legacy
June 22, 2022
A Cycle of Perpetual Violence for the Women of Uzbekistan
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
V
June 21, 2022
How the US Can Help Strengthen Disaster Management in Southeast Asia
By Meghan Sullivan
Bolstered U.S. support for disaster preparedness would align with Washington's broader objectives in the region.
June 15, 2022
Will IPEF Help the US Counter China?
June 13, 2022
Vietnam Eyes Pragmatic Gains from the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
June 09, 2022
Can the US Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Meet the Value Proposition Challenge?
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
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June 21, 2022
What the Federal Reserve’s Rate Hikes Mean for Southeast Asia
By James Guild
Despite some short-term pain, most of the region's economies should be in relatively sound position to ride out the Fed's monetary tightening.
June 20, 2022
Inflation: The Threat to ASEAN Economic Recovery in 2022 and Beyond
June 17, 2022
India’s Tech Unicorn Count Continues to Grow Despite Broad Market Turbulence
June 15, 2022
Why Protectionism is Rattling Markets in Southeast Asia
Oceania
The South Pacific
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June 27, 2022
Can Jacinda Ardern Save New Zealand’s Free Trade Deal With the EU?
By Geoffrey Miller
While New Zealand is increasingly backing the West, the West is not fully backing New Zealand where it counts most: providing trade alternatives to China.
June 27, 2022
Australian FM Embarks on Trip to Vietnam, Malaysia
June 23, 2022
French Polynesia Has Its Own China Dream
June 21, 2022
Tale of 2 Summits: Why Jacinda Ardern Said No to the Commonwealth, But Yes to NATO
Videos
Asia on Video
V
May 12, 2022
Russia-Ukraine War: The Economic Impact for the Asia-Pacific
Dingding Chen, Biswajit Dhar, and Bruno Maçães discuss how Asia-Pacific governments and companies are responding to the economic turmoil.
April 21, 2022
What’s Driving Pakistan’s Political Crisis?
March 16, 2022
What Does Russia’s Ukraine Invasion Mean for Central Asia?
February 18, 2022
South Korea’s Presidential Election: The Big Picture
Podcasts
Asia Geopolitics
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June 15, 2022
Takeaways From the 2022 Shangri-La Dialogue
By Ankit Panda and Catherine Putz
The Shangri-La Dialogue returned to convene for the first time since 2019 this year. What was on the agenda?
June 01, 2022
What Is the Biden Administration’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework About?
May 30, 2022
‘Delikado’: Saving Palawan from the Chainsaws
May 23, 2022
The Path to Militancy and Terrorism
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
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June 17, 2022
Protests Erupt Against BJP Government’s ‘Bulldozer Politics’
By Uzair Usmani
The homes of Muslims are being reduced to rubble to punish them for protesting against government actions targeting members of the community.