Latest Stories
Mongolia’s Central Asia Connection: Kazakhstan
Mongolia looks to use its upgraded relationship with Kazakhstan to forge closer ties with Central Asia writ large.
China’s ‘Malinformation’ Comes for Okinawa
China has been intensifying its information war against Japan's Achilles' heel – Okinawa.
China’s Arms Imports Are Declining – But So Are Its Arms Exports
What do these two trends tell us about China’s defense industry and its quest for military self-reliance?
How Russia-US Talks on Ukraine Shake Taiwanese Confidence in America’s Commitment
Survey findings reveal a clear pattern: Taiwanese perceptions of U.S. credibility are closely tied to how Washington handles its global commitments.
A Rebuttal From Singapore’s US Ambassador
“We welcome legitimate investors and businessmen, but we act firmly and decisively against those who break our laws.”
Indonesian Parliament Passes Law Expanding Military’s Role in Government
Civil society groups say that the changes are a throwback to the repressive New Order period, when the military dominated civilian affairs.
Most Read
What Southeast Asian Countries Can Learn from Vietnam’s History of Negotiating Territorial Disputes with China
The involvement of an extra-regional great power in a small power’s territorial disputes with China may prove counterproductive.
Jaffar Express Hijacking Exposes Pakistan’s Failing Strategy in Balochistan
The hijacking of the Jaffar Express signals that the conflict in Balochistan is reaching a dangerous new phase.
The South China Sea: Making the Philippines-US Alliance Work Under Trump 2.0
The most crucial question remains: How to deter China?
Magazine
Pakistan Under Shehbaz Sharif: The State of the Nation
With domestic politics gravely polarized, security increasingly fragile, and the economy barely stable, there is little sign of an end to Pakistan’s chronic dysfunction.
To Russia With Waning Love: Changing Migration Dynamics in Central Asia
Russia and Central Asia have been mutually shaped by decades of labor migration, but these long-running ties have begun to fray.
The New Age of Global Trade: Aggressive Neo-Mercantilism
International trade, with the U.S. and China at the forefront, is undergoing a paradigmatic shift away from free trade and toward an aggressive form of neo-mercantilism.
Misun Woo on Women’s Rights in the Asia-Pacific
“We need to ask why there hasn’t been much change to advance women’s human rights and end injustice?”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
China’s 2 Sessions: Slow Growth Collides With Tech Supremacy
China faces a paradox: structural challenges and slowing growth associated with the old economy, and a high-tech, globally competitive industrial sector in the new economy.
China’s Dwindling Marriage Rate Is Fueling Demand for Brides Trafficked From Abroad
Taiwan Looks to Crack Down on China’s Influence and Espionage Activities
The Lasting Legacy of Taiwan’s 1990 Wild Lily Movement
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
How Russia-US Talks on Ukraine Shake Taiwanese Confidence in America’s Commitment
Survey findings reveal a clear pattern: Taiwanese perceptions of U.S. credibility are closely tied to how Washington handles its global commitments.
Noshki Bus Attack: The Baloch Liberation Army’s Evolving Suicide Attack Strategy
Afghanistan, Pakistan Point Fingers Over Islamic State Presence
Quantum: A New Frontier of China-US Competition
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
China’s Arms Imports Are Declining – But So Are Its Arms Exports
What do these two trends tell us about China’s defense industry and its quest for military self-reliance?
Japan to Pay First Visit to Cambodian Naval Base Funded by China
Uncertainty and Strategic Shifts in Taiwan-US Defense Cooperation Under Trump 2.0
Rebuilding Civil-Military Trust in South Korea
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Indonesian Parliament Passes Law Expanding Military’s Role in Government
Civil society groups say that the changes are a throwback to the repressive New Order period, when the military dominated civilian affairs.
Philippines Wants to Expand ‘Squad’ Grouping to Include India, South Korea
Indonesia’s Foreign Policy Under Prabowo: Still Free But More Active?
Ethiopian Tech Workers Are Trapped in Myanmar’s Scam Centers
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Guns and Manure: Sri Lanka’s Army and Organic Agriculture
In 2021, the Sri Lankan Army became the unlikely vanguard of a supposed green revolution, resulting in a radical redefinition of civil-military relations in farming regions.
India’s Growing Misinformation Crisis: A Threat to Democracy
How the US Aid Freeze Shook up the Geopolitics of Nepal’s Power Trade
With Luxon Visit, India-New Zealand Ties Scale New Heights
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
What’s Behind the Constitutional Court’s Delayed Verdict on Yoon Suk-yeol’s Impeachment?
The Constitutional Court is taking longer than expected to issue its ruling. South Koreans are divided over how to interpret the delay.
As Impeachment Verdict Nears, Yoon’s Public Support Remains Dismal
Ahead of South Korea’s Impeachment Verdict, Partisan Division Is Worsening
South Korea’s Imperial Presidency
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
China’s ‘Malinformation’ Comes for Okinawa
China has been intensifying its information war against Japan's Achilles' heel – Okinawa.
Why Did Japan Cut Funding to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women?
Japan Appoints First Chief of New Joint Operations Command
At Fukushima Daiichi, Japan’s Unprecedented Nuclear Cleanup Continues
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Mongolia’s Central Asia Connection: Kazakhstan
Mongolia looks to use its upgraded relationship with Kazakhstan to forge closer ties with Central Asia writ large.
Concern in Mongolia After Police Raid on Independent News Outlet
Kazakhstan Buries Time Zone Issue
Cancellation of RFE/RL’s Grant Called ‘Illegal’ and a ‘Gift’ to US Adversaries
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
Waste Not, Want Not: The Need for US Soft Power in the Indo-Pacific
The U.S. cannot sustain its influence or meet its objectives in the Indo-Pacific with only hard power or material inducements to other states.
Lawyer Extradited From Kyrgyzstan to California to Face Visa Fraud Charges
Does Trump’s Public Praise for Pakistan Signal a Change in US Foreign Policy toward Islamabad?
Asian Allies on Edge: Japan and South Korea Brace for Uncertainty in Trump’s Second Term
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
Are Investors Pulling Out of Southeast Asia?
Across the region, international markets are responding to the growing level of uncertainty and risk in the global economy.
The Scandal at Indonesia’s State-Owned Energy Firm Pertamina, Explained
How US Companies in China Can Survive
AI, Influence, and Power: How China is Reshaping Central Europe’s Digital Future
Oceania
The South Pacific
In the Face of Disengagement and Distrust: Civics Education in Australia Is Critical
A new report outlines the importance of strengthening civics education in Australia.
Half-truths and Lies: An Online Day in Australia
America or Europe? Why Trump’s Ukraine U-turn Is a Fork in the Road for New Zealand
Set Adrift: The Australian Political Class and the US Alliance under Trump 2.0
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
Trump, Tariffs, and America’s Global Messaging
The Asia Geopolitics podcast discusses the latest developments in Washington and their implications for Asia policy.
Duterte in The Hague: The Philippines and the Geopolitics of International Law
Is the United States Relitigating Its Grand Strategy?
DeepSeek and the AI Competition
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.