Top Stories
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September 18, 2021
AUKUS and Submarines: The Fallout for France
By Valerie Niquet and Marianne Peron-Doise
The less-than-strategic decision will discourage one of Europe’s most forward-leaning actors in the Indo-Pacific.
September 17, 2021
Pakistan’s Shameful Glee at the Taliban’s Rise
By Mohsin Dawar
An elected representative of North Waziristan urges the Pakistani government to confront the reality of what the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan will mean for Pakistan.
September 17, 2021
What Does the New AUKUS Alliance Mean for Southeast Asia?
By Sebastian Strangio
The new partnership is likely to be greeted with ambivalence in a region that has little appetite for a new Cold War.
September 16, 2021
Is China’s Evergrande Group Too Big to Fail?
By Nathan Handwerker
In a year marked by defaults, the potential collapse of China’s second largest property developer offers insight into Beijing’s changing attitude on bailouts and financial risk.
DRI | Report
DRI
DRI REPORT NO. 5
Dense Grey Webs
Cyber Risks and Trends in the Asia-Pacific
COVID-19 in Asia
September 22, 2021
Low Vaccination Rates are Hurting Southeast Asia’s Economy: ADB
By Sebastian Strangio
According to the bank, the uneven progress of vaccinations is "contributing to the divergence of growth paths in developing Asia."
September 22, 2021
Laos Tightens COVID-19 Restrictions as Infections Reach New Peak
By Sebastian Strangio
Like many of its neighbors, the nation has struggled to contain recent outbreaks of the Delta variant of COVID-19.
September 21, 2021
Vietnam Signs Cuban COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Deal
By Sebastian Strangio
The deal will see Vietnam purchase 10 million doses of the communist state's homegrown Abdala vaccine.
September 20, 2021
In Southeast Asia, Privatized Vaccination Schemes Gain Traction
By Simon Tran Hudes and Estey Chen
Governments struggling with under-capacity have turned to the private sector for assistance in distributing vaccines.
Magazine
M
September 01, 2021
The Soviet Water Legacy in Central Asia
By Asel Murzakulova
The Soviet legacy in Central Asia’s water and energy infrastructure is complex, weaving together conflict and cooperation.
September 01, 2021
The Philippines-US Alliance at 70
By Renato Cruz De Castro
The 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty became the most important element in the Philippine-U.S. alliance. How can it remain relevant in a changing Indo-Pacific?
September 01, 2021
Imran Khan and the Generals
By Ayesha Siddiqa
Imran Khan is unlikely to lose the army’s support anytime soon.
September 01, 2021
Asia and the ‘Global War on Terror’
By Mariya Y. Omelicheva, Abdul Basit, Bilveer Singh, and Sean R. Roberts
Launched in the wake of 9/11, the GWOT has had far-reaching consequences across Asia.
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
P
September 23, 2021
Taiwan Applies for CPTPP Membership
By Shannon Tiezzi
Taiwan is a natural fit for the CPTPP in economic terms, but its bid will likely face intense opposition from China.
September 23, 2021
China’s Xi, Like Biden Hours Earlier, Turns to Calm Language in UN Remarks
September 22, 2021
Don’t Count China Out of the CPTPP
September 22, 2021
China Keeps Virus at Bay at High Cost Ahead of Olympics
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
F
September 22, 2021
South Korea Commits to Combatting Increased Ransomware Attacks
By Jason Bartlett
Ransomware functions as an inexpensive tool to disrupt both major and minor network systems with potentially high financial gain.
September 21, 2021
Taiwanese Presidents Will Not and Can Not Unilaterally Change Taiwan’s Status
September 20, 2021
What Do North Korea’s Latest Missile Launches Mean?
September 21, 2021
France Seeks European Support After AUKUS Submarine Deal Surprise
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
D
September 22, 2021
Why Provide Nuclear Submarines to Australia, But Not South Korea or Japan?
By A. B. Abrams
Australia’s strategic location makes its deployment of SSNs a much greater asset to broader Western interests than if other U.S. allies did the same.
September 17, 2021
The Strategic Symbolism of Australia’s Nuclear Subs
September 16, 2021
Week of Tit-for-Tat Missile Tests on Korean Peninsula
September 16, 2021
Australia Dumps French Submarine Deal for US Nuclear Fleet
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
B
September 22, 2021
The Election Bells are Ringing Early in Cambodia – Again
By Luke Hunt
Charges against a political analyst were dropped on the urging of a Zoom-bombing prime minister.
September 22, 2021
Low Vaccination Rates are Hurting Southeast Asia’s Economy: ADB
September 22, 2021
Manila Mayor, Ex-Scavenger and Actor, to Seek Presidency
September 22, 2021
How Will the Taliban Affect Violent Extremism in Mindanao?
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
P
September 23, 2021
Under Taliban, Thriving Afghan Music Scene Heads to Silence
By Bernat Armangue
Afghanistan has a strong musical tradition and a thriving pop music scene -- now cowed into silence by the Taliban’s rise.
September 22, 2021
Does the Afghan Debacle Signal Declining US Influence?
September 21, 2021
Taliban Name Deputy Ministers, Double Down on All-Male Team
September 21, 2021
A Glimpse at What Went Wrong with the Afghan SIV Process
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
K
September 22, 2021
Despite Afghanistan Withdrawal, Americans Continue to Support US Presence in South Korea
By Juni Kim
A recent KEI-YouGov survey indicates most Americans support the South Korea-U.S. alliance and see crucial U.S. interests at stake in East Asia.
September 20, 2021
South Korea Leads the Fight Against Google and Apple’s App Market
September 15, 2021
North Korea Fires 2 Ballistic Missiles Off Its East Coast
September 13, 2021
In Signal to the US, North Korea Tests New Long-Range Cruise Missiles
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
R
September 22, 2021
Where Are Japan’s Policy Entrepreneurs?
By Jake Northey
For all the focus on Japan’s ruling LDP, some of Japan’s most influential policy innovators aren’t found within government at all.
September 10, 2021
What If Kono Taro Becomes Japan’s Next Prime Minister?
September 09, 2021
Japan’s Prime Minister Hopefuls Outline Different Visions
September 07, 2021
The Arrival of Kishida Diplomacy?
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
D
September 21, 2021
China, Wolf Warrior Diplomacy and Taiwan
By KODA Yoji
Beijing’s recalcitrance is ultimately going to be unsustainable.
September 20, 2021
The US Should Support South Korea’s Nuclear Submarine Aspirations
September 17, 2021
How Asia Can Achieve a Just Energy Transition in a Post-COVID World
September 17, 2021
Pakistan’s Shameful Glee at the Taliban’s Rise
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
A
September 22, 2021
A Look at Punitive Psychiatric Detention in Uzbekistan
By Catherine Putz
A new report catalogues the use of forced psychiatric detention to repress human rights activists in Uzbekistan, laying out the cases of six individual to illustrate the abusive practice.
September 22, 2021
What Explains Tajikistan’s Evolving Position on Afghan Refugees?
September 21, 2021
Iran’s Membership Raises the SCO’s Profile – and Expectations
September 15, 2021
Kazakhstan’s Cryptocurrency Mining Grows Despite Emissions Worries
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
V
September 21, 2021
What AUKUS and Afghanistan Tell Us About the US Asia Strategy
By Arash Reisinezhad
Put together, these two seemingly unrelated developments signal a new U.S. strategy in the competition with China.
September 21, 2021
‘We Were Them:’ Vietnamese Americans Help Afghan Refugees
September 20, 2021
US-Vietnam Relations: From Reconciliation to a Relationship of Substance
September 17, 2021
Has the ‘China Initiative’ Run Its Course?
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
M
September 21, 2021
Carbon Capture is the Key to Indonesia’s Net-Zero Emissions Future
By Haryanto and Filda C. Yusgiantoro
While obstacles remain, the technology could help transform Indonesia into a regional leader in renewable energy.
September 21, 2021
Why Vietnam Is Pushing Ahead With the Phu Quoc Tourism Sandbox
September 20, 2021
Revisiting RCEP’s Trade Implications
September 20, 2021
RCEP Edges Closer to Ratification in an Indonesia Battered by COVID-19
Oceania
The South Pacific
O
September 22, 2021
The AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Deal: Unanswered Questions for Australia
By Michael Clarke
From specific details of the submarines to the larger implications for Australia’s military and regional strategy, there are lots of question marks.
September 21, 2021
Australia Soured a Valuable Naval Partner in France
September 19, 2021
AUKUS Without Us: New Zealand’s Responses to a New Indo-Pacific Alliance
September 15, 2021
Samoa’s First Female-Led Government Sits, But Opposition Barred
Videos
Asia on Video
V
September 08, 2021
Where Does the China-India Border Dispute Stand?
Alka Acharya, M. Taylor Fravel, Lin Minwang, Lu Yang, and Sushant Singh discuss the state of the border today and the future of China-India relations.
August 10, 2021
Myanmar, Six Months After the Coup
July 17, 2021
Where Did COVID-19 Come From?
July 07, 2021
Webinar Alert: Where Did COVID-19 Come From?
Podcasts
Asia Geopolitics
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September 16, 2021
How Washington Sees Southeast Asia and ASEAN
By Luke Hunt
A conversation about why the Quad matters
September 09, 2021
The Biden Administration and US-China Relations in 2021
August 26, 2021
The Taliban, 9/11 and An American Evacuation
August 06, 2021
After 15 Years, Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge Tribunal Nears Its End
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
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August 14, 2021
A Visit to Pangong Lake
By Bhat Burhan
Situated on the Line of Actual Control between China and India, Pangong is at the heart of a tense, but beautiful, border region.