DRI | COVID-19 IN ASIA
Presented by Diplomat Risk Intelligence
January 13, 2021
Australia Debates Vaccines, Worries About New COVID-19 Strain
By Joshua Mcdonald
The emergence of a much more contagious variant of COVID-19 comes as Australia rolls out vaccines.
January 13, 2021
Jokowi Receives First Shot as Indonesia Begins CoronaVac Roll-out
By Sebastian Strangio
The announcement comes as confirmed COVID-19 infections continue to spike across the archipelago.
January 07, 2021
China’s Ambitious COVID-19 Vaccine Targets
By Eleanor Albert
With its first homegrown vaccine approved for general use, China aims to vaccinate 50 million people by the Lunar New Year in February.
DRI | APAC Risks, Analyzed
DRI
January 14, 2021
Elections in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan: What Next?
By Ankit Panda
A presidential election in Kyrgyzstan and a parliamentary election in Kazakhstan kick off 2021 in Central Asia.
January 13, 2021
China-EU Investment Deal Sparks Backlash Over Rights Concerns
By Shannon Tiezzi
Civil society organizations and members of the European Parliament alike are objecting to the deal amid China's continuing crackdowns in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
January 05, 2021
The Unending Saga of India’s Retrospective Tax Debacle
By Abhishek Dwivedi
India finally has an investor-friendly image after almost a decade and should strive to maintain that.
Magazine
M
January 01, 2021
North Korea Without Nukes: How Does It Measure Up?
By Joost Oliemans
Evaluating North Korea’s conventional military strength.
January 01, 2021
Vietnam’s Coming Leadership Change
By Huong Le Thu
Amid a pandemic and shifting geopolitical winds, Vietnam’s next leaders will be of crucial importance for the country’s future.
January 01, 2021
The Future of US-India Digital Relations
By Justin Sherman
Beneath the surface, the Trump and Modi administrations had more tensions than common ground on digital issues.
January 01, 2021
The Asia-Pacific in 2021: What to Expect
By The Diplomat
The Diplomat looks at the trends to watch across the region in the coming year.
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
P
January 21, 2021
China Bids Farewell to Trump Administration’s ‘Lies and Madness’
By Shannon Tiezzi
China’s Foreign Ministry hit a group of outgoing officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, with sanctions.
January 20, 2021
UK: ‘Genocide’ Clause to China Trade Deals Narrowly Defeated
January 20, 2021
On Final Day in Office, Secretary Pompeo Declares China Has Committed ‘Genocide’
January 19, 2021
Is a China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Likely in 2021?
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
F
January 20, 2021
How Will Harris Influence IP Law in the Biden Administration?
By Robert Farley
The incoming vice president’s Senate record suggests how the administration may tackle IP policy issues.
January 12, 2021
China and India’s Stakes in the Qatar Conflict
January 11, 2021
Iran Toughens Rhetoric as Biden Looks to Salvage Nuclear Talks
January 09, 2021
Pompeo Approves New State Department Tech Bureau
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
D
January 19, 2021
Are Hypersonic Weapons All Hype?
By Robert Farley
To say hypersonics aren’t revolutionary is hardly to say that they’re irrelevant.
January 14, 2021
India Develops Indigenous 9 MM Machine Pistol
January 14, 2021
Russia’s Behemoth ‘Hunter’ Drone Destroys Ground Target in Test
January 14, 2021
US Declassifies Strategy, Revealing Yawning Gap Between Rhetoric and Reality
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
B
January 20, 2021
For Indonesia, Chinese 5G Cooperation Brings Promise and Peril
By Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat and Yeta Purnama
Like many nations, Indonesia faces a difficult decision about how far to engage with China's Digital Silk Road.
January 20, 2021
With Severe Sentence, Thailand Deepens Its War on Critics of the Monarchy
January 20, 2021
Indonesia, Malaysia Step Up Palm Oil Lobbying: Report
January 20, 2021
Thai Court Gives Record 43-year Sentence for Insulting King
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
P
January 18, 2021
Indian Journalist’s WhatsApp Transcript Causes Storm in Teacup
By Abhijnan Rej
The Indian opposition – and Pakistan – have found much to draw from a divisive TV anchor’s leaked chat messages, which seem to suggest foreknowledge of the 2019 Balakot attack.
January 18, 2021
India and the US: Ideological Convergence No More?
January 16, 2021
India and Nepal Hold Joint Meeting Amid Improvement in Ties
January 15, 2021
The Makwanpur Model: Making Public Healthcare in Nepal Work
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
K
January 19, 2021
President Moon Is Still Hopeful for North Korea Talks
By Mitch Shin
In a press conference on Monday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in expressed his wish to resume talks with North Korea – including hosting Kim Jong Un in Seoul.
January 16, 2021
Chatbot Gone Awry Starts Conversations About AI Ethics in South Korea
January 15, 2021
North Korea Holds Nighttime Military Parade After Party Congress
January 15, 2021
North Korea Holds Huge Military Parade as Kim Vows Nuclear Might
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
R
January 20, 2021
Why Some in Japan Are Still Unsettled About a Biden Administration
By Carlos Ramirez
The favorable view of Trump’s policy combined with a pessimism of Biden as it relates to Japan is both unfounded and misguided
January 19, 2021
Japan’s Struggling Single Mothers Expose the Flaws of Womenomics
January 19, 2021
Institutionalizing the Quad?
January 19, 2021
Japan Urges South Korea to Drop Wartime Compensation Demands
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
D
January 20, 2021
Love-Hate Relationships: The Divergent US Perceptions of Japan and China
By Su-Mei Ooi
A pervasive pro-Japan bias in the U.S. has blinded Americans to the dangers of Japan’s far-right leaders – and reinforced enmity with China.
January 20, 2021
The Jury Is Still Out on Beijing’s ‘Vaccine Diplomacy’
January 19, 2021
A Crisis Waiting to Happen: Unemployment and Informality in Southeast Asia During COVID
January 18, 2021
Vietnam’s Prisoners of Conscience: ‘Like Fish Under the Blade’
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
A
January 20, 2021
Murky Waters Surround the Case of the Sardoba Reservoir Failure
By Catherine Putz
A trial is ongoing, but behind closed doors, while citizens complain of unfair distribution of promised compensation.
January 16, 2021
Should Europe Worry About Kyrgyzstan?
January 14, 2021
Dariga Nazarbayeva Headed Back to Parliament
January 13, 2021
Winter Energy Woes Bedevil Central Asia
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
V
January 19, 2021
US Won’t Penalize Vietnam, Despite ‘Unreasonable’ Currency Practices
By Sebastian Strangio
In a short statement, the U.S. Trade Representative bats the trade dispute into the Biden administration’s court.
January 16, 2021
US Justice Department Pushes Ahead With Counter China Plan
January 15, 2021
The Trump Administration’s Mixed Messaging on Taiwan Strait Transits
January 15, 2021
Biden’s Cabinet Picks Will Hold India-US Relations in Steady Course
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
M
January 20, 2021
North Korea’s New Economic Plan Looks a Lot Like the Old One
By Jonathan Corrado
The five-year economic plan laid out at the Party Congress is no course correction for the country.
January 19, 2021
Low Rates Are Pushing US Capital Into Southeast Asia. What Happens When Rates Go Up?
January 14, 2021
China Won’t Rush to Join CPTPP. Neither Should the US.
January 12, 2021
What’s Driving Vietnam’s Renewable Energy Boom?
Asia Life
The Other Asia-Pacific
L
January 14, 2021
Australia to Kill Pigeon that Crossed Pacific from Oregon
By Associated Press
Named after the U.S. president-elect, the world-traveler is now at the mercy of Australia's strict quarantine service.
January 04, 2021
Spell It Out: Should English Transcription of Indian Words Be Reformed?
December 23, 2020
Official Costs of Tokyo Olympics Up by 22% to $15.4 billion
December 19, 2020
Taiwanese Horror Game ‘Devotion’ Gets Pulled Again Over Chinese Objections
Oceania
The South Pacific
O
January 14, 2021
Australia’s Reading of the US Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific
By Joshua Mcdonald
Australia is noted in the document not nearly as often as Japan, South Korea, or India, but that likely underscores the already tight relations between the two countries.
January 14, 2021
Biden Administration’s Momentum Bodes Ill for Australia’s Lackluster Climate Change Policies
January 13, 2021
Australia Debates Vaccines, Worries About New COVID-19 Strain
January 12, 2021
After Trump, Can Australia Trust the United States?
Podcasts
Asia Geopolitics
PJanuary 14, 2021
Elections in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan: What Next?
By Ankit Panda
A presidential election in Kyrgyzstan and a parliamentary election in Kazakhstan kick off 2021 in Central Asia.
December 31, 2020
A Conversation With the President of the Overseas Press Club of Cambodia
December 23, 2020
The Flashpoints of Hun Sen’s Cambodia
December 17, 2020
Afghanistan, Central Asia, and the Coming Biden Presidency
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
E
January 11, 2021
Dhanushkodi Fisherfolk: 50 Years of Life on the Edge
By Sugato Mukherjee
At India’s southernmost tip, a fishing community remains resilient over 50 years after a cyclone wiped their home off the map.