Latest Stories
The Trump Effect Heads to Tokyo
It is decidedly outside the Trump administration’s interest to harm the LDP’s electoral prospects if it wants a greater chance at achieving its goals for Japanese defense spending. But that’s exactly what its doing.
Operationalizing a Quad Critical Minerals Pact
As American economic leadership in the Indo-Pacific faces its most difficult litmus test in years, a Quad critical minerals partnership offers the most promising -- and practical -- first step to restore trust and deliver results.
Zohran Mamdani Raises Hackles of India’s Hindu Right-Wing
Supporters of Narendra Modi are upset with his castigation of Modi's alleged role in the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002.
At Rio, the BRICS Projected the Voice of the Global South
India's presence in BRICS gives the grouping, which is often seen to be 'anti-West' a 'non-West' image.
New Trump Tariffs Target Kazakhstan With 25% Rate
A letter to the Kazakh president stated, "Starting on August 1, 2025, we will charge Kazakhstan a Tariff of only 25% on any and all Kazakh products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs.”
Trump’s New Tariffs Say More Than Just Numbers
A foreign policy based on coercion, but lacking predictability and institutional commitment, could see the United States cut itself off from the global network of trust.
Most Read
Cambodia’s Hun Sen Flouts ASEAN’s Doctrine of Non-interference
By releasing a recorded phone call with the Thai prime minister, the strongman has broken an important regional norm.
Labubu Plushies Aren’t Just Toys. They’re a Brand New Frontier for Chinese Soft Power.
For the first time, an IP created in China has become a global consumer craze. And it happened entirely without central planning.
The Attack on Iran’s Nuclear Program Should Be a Warning to South Korea
The Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran show exactly why a South Korean nuclear program would be a dangerous pursuit.
Magazine
Russian Without Russians: The Politics of Language in Uzbekistan
A new generation is questioning the privileged place of the Russian language in public education and everyday life – while still grappling with its utility, legacy, and political weight.
The Transnational Origins of Taiwan’s Semiconductor Industry
Donald Trump’s self-proclaimed “victory” in his chip war against Taipei is premised on a fundamental misunderstanding of how we got to where we are.
Anatomy of an Insurgency: Balochistan’s Crisis and Pakistan’s Failures
Recent escalations demonstrate both the insurgents’ growing operational capabilities and the Pakistani state’s persistent reliance on heavy-handed military responses that continue to alienate Baloch society.
Michael Kugelman Revisits the India-Pakistan Crisis
“This is the first time since each country went nuclear that we’ve seen so much force used in so many places.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
Operationalizing a Quad Critical Minerals Pact
As American economic leadership in the Indo-Pacific faces its most difficult litmus test in years, a Quad critical minerals partnership offers the most promising -- and practical -- first step to restore trust and deliver results.
Synthetic Sovereign: How Kim Jong Un Could Rule Forever as a Deepfake
Who Won the 100-hour War? Pakistan or India?
Reframing the French Indo-Pacific: New Caledonia, How to Overcome the Geopolitical Impasse?
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Japan Steps Up New Security Assistance to Countries Caught Between US and China
Japan’s Official Security Assistance continues to grow in its third year, reflecting Tokyo’s aim to give Indo-Pacific countries a third option for partnership.
China’s Military Diplomacy in the New Era
Japan’s MHI Launches 11th Mogami-Class Multirole Frigate for JMSDF
Philippines Elevates Defense Ties With Lithuania to Counter ‘Common Threats’
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
To Be a Bridge Builder: Indonesia’s Debut at the BRICS Summit
Jakarta understands the importance of maintaining cooperation with both China and the United States, as demonstrated by Prabowo’s attendance at the BRICS Summit and his efforts to negotiate with the Trump administration.
A Small State’s Limited Playbook: Cambodia Exploits Thailand’s Weakness
Why the 2025 UN Conference Must Deliver on the Rohingya Crisis
What’s Next for Thai Politics After the PM’s Suspension From Office?
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Zohran Mamdani Raises Hackles of India’s Hindu Right-Wing
Supporters of Narendra Modi are upset with his castigation of Modi's alleged role in the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002.
Chronic Water Shortages Plague Pakistan’s Capital
At Rio, the BRICS Projected the Voice of the Global South
‘The Last Ambassador’: An Afghan Diplomat Without a Country
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
South Korean President Holds Press Conference
A month after his election, Lee Jae-myung reiterated his will to “rebuild” South Korea.
South Korea’s Sovereign AI Gambit: A High-Stakes Experiment in Autonomy
How Netflix Both Supercharges and Risks Derailing South Korea’s Content Industry
South Korean President Nominates Prime Minister and Ministers
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
The Rising Force of Japan’s Ultra-Nationalist, Anti-Immigration Sanseito Party
What began as a fringe movement is now gaining traction, driven by voter dissatisfaction with mainstream political parties and a strong online following.
Pope Leo XIV and Japanese Diplomacy
Japan Heads to the Polls With Ruling Coalition’s Majority at Risk
Why Is Japan’s Tiny Kurdish Community at the Center of a Political Storm?
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Silencing RFA Uyghur Echoes Past Mistakes
Forty-five years ago, the U.S. silenced Uyghur voices in the name of diplomacy. Today, they are being silenced in the name of austerity.
Retreating Is Not Safety: How Cambodia Drives Women Out of Civic Spaces
No Safe Return: The Case Against Deporting Afghan Refugees
On Regional Tensions, Don’t Expect Too Much of ASEAN
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
New Trump Tariffs Target Kazakhstan With 25% Rate
A letter to the Kazakh president stated, "Starting on August 1, 2025, we will charge Kazakhstan a Tariff of only 25% on any and all Kazakh products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs.”
Mongolia’s WWII Legacy: Asset or Liability in 2025?
The US Aimed at Iran But Might Have Hit Central Asia
A Region of Opportunity? US Policy and the Future of Central Asia
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
The Trump Effect Heads to Tokyo
It is decidedly outside the Trump administration’s interest to harm the LDP’s electoral prospects if it wants a greater chance at achieving its goals for Japanese defense spending. But that’s exactly what its doing.
The Path to a US-India Trade Deal Lies Through Economic Security
Cambodia, US Nearing Agreement on Trade, Phnom Penh Says
Indonesia Offers to Purchase $34 Billion in US Goods Ahead of Tariff Deadline
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
Reflecting on the Vietnam Communist Party’s Soliloquy to the Private Sector
If Resolution 68 is to be believed, state-owned enterprises are about to lose what remains of their special privileges.
Trump’s New Tariffs Say More Than Just Numbers
Why South Korea Needs a Trade Deal With the United States
Asian Universities Rise in Global Sustainability Leadership Rankings
Oceania
The South Pacific
Fiji’s Patriarchal Bargain
The patriarchal bargain shaping Fijian society has often played out as a man seizing power by force, followed by voters legitimizing him at the ballot box.
1 in 3 Tuvaluans Applies for a New ‘Climate Visa’ to Australia
After No-Confidence Vote, Tasmania Headed to the Polls July 19
Achieving Australian Abundance
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
The Geopolitics of the Second China-Central Asia Summit
How are Central Asian states navigating great power dynamics?
What Does South Korea’s New Progressive Administration Portend for Northeast Asia?
France as a ‘Resident Power’ in the Pacific
The India-Pakistan Clashes of 2025: Why Things Are Different (And More Dangerous) This Time
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
The Untold Stories of Peshawar’s Gemstone Market at Namak Mandi
Pakistan’s largest and most important gemstone and mineral market is deeply intertwined with the region’s borders, conflict, and undocumented economies.