Top Stories
TOP
June 24, 2022
Falling out of Favor: How China Lost the Nordic Countries
By Andreas B. Forsby
In 2016, the Nordic countries were actively seeking to deepen cooperation with China. Today, they are looking instead to limit China's presence and influence. What happened?
June 22, 2022
Nepal Backs Away From US State Partnership Program
By P.K. Balachandran
Suspicious about the military content and wary of antagonizing China, Nepal rejects a U.S. disaster mitigation program.
June 21, 2022
Indonesia’s New Plans for Papua Can’t Hide Its Decades of Failures
By Aprila Wayar and Johnny Blades
A plan to create three new provinces in the Papua region highlights how Jakarta's development approach has failed to resolve a long-running conflict.
June 20, 2022
Hong Kong Is Unrecognizable After 2 Years Under the National Security Law
By Angeli Datt
Five ways the law has deepened authoritarianism in the territory as conditions are set to worsen.
Diplomat Risk Intelligence
Insights Today – for Tomorrow
Diplomat Risk Intelligence offers you dedicated access to an exclusive network of subject matter experts on geopolitical, security, economic, and political trends covering the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Research Notes
Published by Diplomat Risk Intelligence, Research Notes
offer actionable insight to strategic decision-makers seeking to understand political risk and economic
trends in Asia.
June 24, 2022
As China Enters Final Preparations for National Congress, Rumors Abound. The November Gathering Is Already Shaping Policy
June 17, 2022
United States Launches New Economic Initiative in Indo-Pacific. Twelve Other Countries Join, But for Now Symbolism Reigns
June 2, 2022
A New Buzzword From China: “National Unified Market.” Impact Will Take Time but May Be Profound
May 25, 2022
Labor Party Returns to Power in Australia. Social and Economic Changes Explain the Outcome. No Geopolitical Shifts Expected
Magazine
M
June 01, 2022
The Pamir Powderkeg
By Catherine Putz
The latest outbreak of violence in GBAO followed six months of tensions after nearly 30 years of both pressure and government neglect.
June 01, 2022
The New Face of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia
By Zam Yusa
What do we know about the man supposedly leading Islamic State’s East Asia branch?
June 01, 2022
Carrie Lam’s Legacy
By John P. Burns
Carrie Lam leaves behind a new Hong Kong: less free, less capable, and more dependent on the mainland.
June 01, 2022
Japan’s Tangled Territorial Dispute With Russia
By Cristian Martini Grimaldi
In northernmost Hokkaido, residents can easily see Russian-held islands that once belonged to Japan. Some still hold out hope for the islands’ return.
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
P
June 30, 2022
Hong Kong’s Dismantled Society
By Michael Mo
The remaking of Hong Kong includes weakening or disbanding political representation down to the neighborhood level.
June 30, 2022
China’s Baidu Races Waymo, GM to Develop Self-driving Cars
June 27, 2022
China’s Non-Leadership in the Taliban’s Afghanistan
June 25, 2022
China’s ‘Fragmented Authoritarianism’ During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
F
June 27, 2022
Australian Defense Minister’s India Trip: A Sign of Growing Defense Ties
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
Canberra and New Delhi need to streamline their defense and security agenda on an accelerated pace in the face of pressure on both from Beijing.
June 23, 2022
Could Argentina Join the BRICS?
June 21, 2022
Learning to Live With a Nuclear North Korea
June 17, 2022
China-India Relations: 2 Years After Galwan Clash
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
D
June 29, 2022
China’s Directed Energy Weapons and Counterspace Applications
By Oskar Glaese
China's non-kinetic physical anti-satellite weapons, including DEWs, will play a critical part in future warfare.
June 29, 2022
Australia Foreign Minister Stresses AUKUS Will Not Create Nuclear Weapons
June 27, 2022
Indian Experts Want New Delhi to Buy Fewer Arms From Russia (and Everyone Else, Too)
June 23, 2022
Japan’s MHI Launches 5th Mogami-Class Multirole Frigate for JMSDF
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
B
June 29, 2022
Marcos Jr. is Steering the Philippines Towards a Foreign Policy Reset
By Richard Javad Heydarian
The president-elect has sent clear signals that he doesn’t want to be too dependent on the U.S. – nor wind up too cozy with China.
June 29, 2022
Philippine Authorities Order News Site Rappler to Shut Down
June 28, 2022
Report Reveals Inhumane Conditions in Malaysia’s Immigration Detention Centers
June 28, 2022
ASEAN Envoy Calls for Release of Aung San Suu Kyi from Solitary Confinement
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
P
June 30, 2022
Nepal Plans to Lower Age at Marriage
By Santosh Sharma Poudel
The minimum age was set higher to ensure that girls finish school, become independent and make informed choices. Will the proposed change reverse the gains achieved?
June 29, 2022
India’s Struggle Between Democracy and Authoritarianism
June 29, 2022
Hindu Man Killed as Religious Tensions Boil in India
June 29, 2022
Co-Founder of Fact-Checking Website Arrested in India
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
K
June 28, 2022
Domestic and Global Political Impacts of K-Pop: BoA, BTS, and Beyond
By Jason Bartlett
Korean entertainment, in particular K-Pop, has provided a unique opportunity for Seoul to improve its global standing.
June 23, 2022
Kim Jong Un Convenes 3rd Enlarged Meeting of WPK’s Military Commission
June 23, 2022
South Korea Launches First Satellite With Homegrown Rocket
June 21, 2022
What Does South Korea’s First Lady Do?
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
R
June 30, 2022
Japan Pushes for Stronger Cooperation to Counter China at G7
By Thisanka Siripala
Japan's prime minister stressed that Russia and China pose similar threats to the rules-based international order.
June 28, 2022
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Continues in Japan
June 24, 2022
Japan’s PM Kishida Faces a Crucial National Election
June 18, 2022
The Struggles of the Nippon Ishin no Kai
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
D
June 29, 2022
China’s Vast Maritime Claims Are Becoming Reality
By Raymond Powell
Recent comments from Chinese officials highlight how Beijing purposefully conflates existing legal terminology with its own extralegal claims.
June 28, 2022
Amid Afghanistan’s Emergency, Its Neighbors Need Support
June 27, 2022
Indonesia Criminal Code Update Risks Backsliding on Freedoms
June 24, 2022
A Revived G7 Needs to Talk About China
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
A
June 30, 2022
Uzbek Company Falls Afoul of Russia Sanctions
By Catherine Putz
In listing an Uzbekistan-based company, the U.S. State Department has a warning: “If you do business with sanctioned entities or individuals, you risk exposure to sanctions.”
June 29, 2022
Russia’s Putin Makes First Trip Abroad Since Invasion, to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan
June 29, 2022
Tajikistan Lifts Internet Block on GBAO. What’s Next?
June 28, 2022
Mongolia Hosts 7th Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
V
June 21, 2022
How the US Can Help Strengthen Disaster Management in Southeast Asia
By Meghan Sullivan
Bolstered U.S. support for disaster preparedness would align with Washington's broader objectives in the region.
June 15, 2022
Will IPEF Help the US Counter China?
June 13, 2022
Vietnam Eyes Pragmatic Gains from the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
June 09, 2022
Can the US Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Meet the Value Proposition Challenge?
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
M
June 28, 2022
Garuda Indonesia Strikes Debt Restructuring Deal
By James Guild
The arrangement will help keep the partly state-owned airline airborne for the foreseeable future.
June 21, 2022
What the Federal Reserve’s Rate Hikes Mean for Southeast Asia
June 20, 2022
Inflation: The Threat to ASEAN Economic Recovery in 2022 and Beyond
June 17, 2022
India’s Tech Unicorn Count Continues to Grow Despite Broad Market Turbulence
Oceania
The South Pacific
O
June 29, 2022
Opinion Poll Reveals Australian Public’s Collapsing Trust in China
By Sebastian Strangio
The latest Lowy Institute public opinion survey found that the public feels less safe in 2022, due to China's growing power and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
June 28, 2022
How One Nation and UAP Fit Into Australia’s Political Landscape
June 27, 2022
Can Jacinda Ardern Save New Zealand’s Free Trade Deal With the EU?
June 27, 2022
Australian FM Embarks on Trip to Vietnam, Malaysia
Videos
Asia on Video
V
June 30, 2022
What Do the Pacific Island Countries Think About China?
Henry Ivarature, Lice Movono, and Patricia O’Brien discuss the hopes and concerns Pacific Island governments – and people – have about China.
May 12, 2022
Russia-Ukraine War: The Economic Impact for the Asia-Pacific
April 21, 2022
What’s Driving Pakistan’s Political Crisis?
March 16, 2022
What Does Russia’s Ukraine Invasion Mean for Central Asia?
Podcasts
Asia Geopolitics
P
June 29, 2022
NATO’s Madrid Summit and the Interlinkages Between European and Asian Security
By Ankit Panda and Catherine Putz
Why are the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan heading to a NATO summit?
June 15, 2022
Takeaways From the 2022 Shangri-La Dialogue
June 01, 2022
What Is the Biden Administration’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework About?
May 30, 2022
‘Delikado’: Saving Palawan from the Chainsaws
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
E
June 28, 2022
Rohingya Refugee Children Face Uncertainty in India
By Mehran Bhat
In refugee camps in Jammu, children avoid going out to study or play as they fear being attacked by right-wing groups or detained by police.