Most Read
Indonesia Officially Becomes First Southeast Asian Member of BRICS
The decision to apply for membership reflects President Prabowo Subianto's more proactive approach to foreign policy.
Japan Aims to Make Sasebo a Strong Foothold for Amphibious Operations for the Self-Defense Forces
Japan aims to bolster capabilities to defend and recapture remote islands, especially in its southwestern Nansei island chain.
The Trump Effect: Will India Lean Into the China Thaw in 2025?
How far will the thaw sustain China-India ties in 2025 and beyond, especially given the return of Donald Trump to the White House?
Magazine
Malaysia’s Turn in the ASEAN Hotseat
Malaysia’s year as ASEAN chair arrives at a pivotal moment to confront unprecedented challenges facing the bloc.
How COVID-19 Transformed China’s Domestic and International Trajectory
The pandemic left an indelible but mixed imprint on everything from patterns of socio-economic development to China’s state apparatus and foreign relations.
2025: What to Expect in the Asia-Pacific
Welcome to the new year, and to our annual primer on what to expect in the Asia-Pacific.
Meera Gopal on the Asia-Pacific at COP29
“All in all, vulnerable countries lamented that [COP29] was a lost opportunity for collective action and the outcome did not reflect a meaningful agreement on climate finance.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
Are China and the West Falling Apart?
As economic integration falters, social ties also weaken. Without maintaining these connections, mistrust and misunderstanding will only grow.
Wang Yi’s First African Tour After FOCAC9 Sets the Tone for Africa-China Relations in 2025
As Iran Faces a Crucial Choice, China Has Much at Stake
The Real Roots of Formalism in Chinese Bureaucracy
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
North Korea Launches SRBMs Toward Its Eastern Waters, South Korea Says
Eight days after Pyongyang launched a hypersonic ballistic missile, it fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the sea.
Over 300 North Korean Soldiers Have Died in Russia’s Kursk Region
Beyond Missiles and Trade: China’s Use of Cultural Ties to Influence Taiwan
The US Pivot to Asia Reborn: Old Grand Strategies, New Challenges
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Why France Is India’s Best Bet for Building Nuclear-Powered Submarines
The acquisition of SSNs represents a significant step in enhancing India’s deterrence in the Indian Ocean. But India will need help in the endeavor, and France is the most attractive partner.
Japan Aims to Make Sasebo a Strong Foothold for Amphibious Operations for the Self-Defense Forces
Japan Approves 9.4 Percent Increase in Defense Spending for FY2025
Yoon Suk-yeol’s Downfall Should Spark Introspection on the US Approach to South Korea
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Vietnam Signs Nuclear Cooperation Deal With Russian Government
Hanoi is restarting its civilian nuclear program nearly a decade after canceling it over cost and safety concerns.
Philippines Protests Fresh Chinese Deployments at Disputed Shoal
Myanmar Military Launches Air Strikes on Kachin, Rakhine, Shan States
Thai Cabinet Approves Draft Law Legalizing Gambling
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Will PTI’s Talks With Government Shield Imran Khan From Imprisonment?
The former Pakistan PM’s conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case is imminent, say government officials.
Growing Taliban-India Closeness: Should Pakistan be Worried?
Confronting India’s Silent Killer: Silicosis
India Reimposes Restrictions on Foreign Nationals Visiting Three Northeastern States
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
North Korea in 2025: Make Money Not War
A country on the precipice of war with its neighbors would not be selling arms and sending troops off to fight in a distant conflict.
North Korea’s Position on the Turmoil in South Korea
Blinken’s Last Trip to Seoul and Its Implications
From Leadership to Limbo? South Korea’s Democracy Faces Its Toughest Test
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
Trump 2.0 and Japanese Firms: Assault, Acclimation, and Adaptation
While consequential, Trump 1.0 was not as earthshattering for Japanese companies as many feared. It would be a mistake, though, to assume Trump 2.0 will be the same.
Can Ishiba Shigeru Fulfill His New Year’s Resolution?
Looking Back at India-Japan Security Ties in 2024: A Way Forward
Japan-South Korea Relations Under Trump
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Coercion and Criminality: Cambodia’s Dual Threat to Regional and Global Stability
As the harms of Cambodia's criminalized political economy ripple outward, governments in the region and further afield must move beyond their muted, incoherent response.
China-US Cooperation on the Fentanyl Crisis Is Very Possible
Bangladesh’s Fragile Progress Toward Freedom of Expression
Taiwan’s Constitutional Crisis Threatens Its Democracy
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Kyrgyzstan’s Social Democrats Under Pressure
Ten years ago, the country's Social Democrats were riding high.
Alleged Coup Trial in Tajikistan: Prosecutors Seek Lengthy Sentences
2025: Decision Time for the Kazakh Economy
Tajikistan and the Russian Scheme to Pay Taliban to Target Americans in Afghanistan
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
With High-level Visits, India, US Look to Sustain Momentum Ahead of US Presidential Transition
The final India-U.S. exchanges before the Trump administration takes office set the stage for the next phase of the relationship.
How Jimmy Carter Stopped the Second Korean War
China Alleges Taiwan Is Paying Bribes for US Support
How Jimmy Carter’s Legacy Could Impact Trump’s China Policy
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
The Johor-Singapore SEZ: 1963 Reimagined?
The project offers an opportunity to enhance the strategic partnership between Singapore and Malaysia, at a time when bilateral ties are on a solid footing.
The Return of Malaysia’s Government Investment Funds
How the Exit of US Banks From the Net-Zero Banking Alliance Threatens Climate Finance in Southeast Asia
Malaysia’s PM Outlines Leadership Ambitions in Energy, Chip Manufacturing
Oceania
The South Pacific
Christopher Luxon’s Important Trip to the UAE
For the first time in a decade, a New Zealand prime minister is heading to the Middle East for more than just a courtesy call.
Legislate First, Think Later: Déjà Vu in Australian Tech Lawmaking
Indian Australians, Cricket, and Urban Planning
With New Agreements, Australia Confirms Its Pacific Ties
Videos
Asia on Video
What’s Driving Taiwan’s Mass Protests?
Chiang Min-yen, a non-resident fellow at the Taiwan Economic Democracy Union, joins The Diplomat to discuss the concerns over the bill, the China factor, and what comes next.
What’s Behind Vietnam’s Political Upheaval?
The Danger of China’s Digital Silk Road
What Will China’s Shift From Oil Mean for Saudi Arabia and Russia?
Podcasts
Asia Geopolitics
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
Life in Ladakh Along the Disputed Sino-Indian Border
For Changpa women in Chushul, the 2020 clashes came during a larger societal shift in gender roles.