Latest Stories
The CCP’s Antisemitic Experiment
China is showing more willingness to stoke ethnic and religious divisions to influence the outcomes of policy debates and elections.
In Defiant Address, Yoon Denies Treason Charges, Vows to Fight on
Reversing his decision to defer to the ruling party, Yoon implied that the main opposition Democratic Party was the “anti-state forces” he referred to in his declaration of martial law.
Beijing Is Squeezing Taiwan in the Pacific. The US Must Act.
Instead of abandoning Taiwan, the United States should be looking for ways to deepen our support for the island.
In Recent Border Controversies, Thailand’s Government Has Been Missing in Action
The failure of the Pheu Thai-led government to communicate with the public uniformly and effectively has created openings for its opponents.
Thai Government Approves Measures to Reduce Household Debt
The country's household debt-to-GDP ratio is among the highest in Asia, which has acted as brake on its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Myanmar Economy to Shrink Further in 2025, World Bank Says
Myanmar’s GDP is expected to contract by 1 percent in the fiscal year ending March 2025, a downward revision from the previous projection of modest growth.
Most Read
In Defiant Address, Yoon Denies Treason Charges, Vows to Fight on
Reversing his decision to defer to the ruling party, Yoon implied that the main opposition Democratic Party was the “anti-state forces” he referred to in his declaration of martial law.
PPP Neutralizes Vote to Impeach South Korea’s President
With the ruling party holding a meeting to avoid the vote, the National Assembly was short of a quorum.
The Significance of Putin’s Visit to India
The past month has seen definite progress in New Delhi’s relations with Moscow. That trend is set to continue into 2025, with the Russian leader's first post-COVID visit to India.
Magazine
Governing From Weakness: The LDP Under Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru
Ishiba is in a far weaker political position than his immediate predecessors – and has far more international volatility to contend with.
Traveling Through Myanmar’s War-Ravaged Arakan
In the region of Myanmar now held by the Arakan Army, the impacts of war and decades of economic neglect are easily visible.
Is the Indian Ocean Ready for Another Mega-Tsunami?
The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami sparked the world’s largest humanitarian and disaster recovery effort. But 20 years on, governments still fail to sufficiently integrate disaster reduction into longer-term strategic thinking.
Kelly Grieco on Indo-Pacific Reactions to Trump’s Reelection
“The Trump administration can have a tough-on-China policy, or it can have a tough-on-allies policy, but it probably cannot have both.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
The CCP’s Antisemitic Experiment
China is showing more willingness to stoke ethnic and religious divisions to influence the outcomes of policy debates and elections.
China Is Watching the Political Disarray in Nations Along the First Island Chain
Amid Political Turmoil, Germany Stresses De-Risking From China
Changing Cadre Incentives: The Untold Story of China’s Economic Challenge
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
How North Korea Views Yoon’s Declaration of Martial Law
Amid the political chaos in South Korea, Pyongyang is maintaining a strategic silence.
Salt Typhoon: China’s Attack on US Telecommunications Networks
Does Russia Really Believe the US is Seeking a ‘Reverse Nixon’?
China’s Mineral Export Ban Strikes at the US Defense Industrial Base
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Yoon’s Declaration of Martial Law: Implications for the South Korea-US Alliance
By invoking North Korean infiltration as a justification for his political moves, Yoon revived one of Washington’s great fears: entrapment in a conflict triggered by an ally’s recklessness.
The Overlooked Trend in China’s Military Violations of Taiwan’s ADIZ
Revisiting ‘Forces Goal 2030’: Bangladesh’s Military Modernization Plan Under the New Government
KMT, DPP Clash over Taiwan Defense Initiatives
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
In Recent Border Controversies, Thailand’s Government Has Been Missing in Action
The failure of the Pheu Thai-led government to communicate with the public uniformly and effectively has created openings for its opponents.
Thai Government Approves Measures to Reduce Household Debt
Did Filipino-Americans Help Trump Win Nevada?
Philippines Will Not Deploy Navy in Stand-offs With China, Marcos Says
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Pakistan-Russia Relations Mark Shifting Sands in South Asia
The growing closeness in bilateral ties is both a sign of significant geopolitical change and the continuation of a historical trend.
Maldives Government Offers Concessions to Quell Revolt By Resort Operators
Why Sri Lanka’s Minorities Voted for a Sinhalese Party
With Fall of Bashar al-Assad, India Loses a Friend
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
In Defiant Address, Yoon Denies Treason Charges, Vows to Fight on
Reversing his decision to defer to the ruling party, Yoon implied that the main opposition Democratic Party was the “anti-state forces” he referred to in his declaration of martial law.
The Economic Costs of Delaying the Impeachment of South Korean President Yoon
After Blocking Impeachment, South Korea’s PPP Wants to Absorb Yoon’s Presidential Powers
PPP Neutralizes Vote to Impeach South Korea’s President
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
For Japan, Whaling Is Intertwined With Maritime Sovereignty
Japan argues that whaling is part of its history and culture. A rigid insistence on maritime sovereignty offers a more convincing explanation for Tokyo’s stance.
Yoon’s Martial Law Declaration Puts Japan-South Korea Relations in Jeopardy
The Okinawa Conundrum: Rethinking Regional Security
60 Years of Japan-South Korea Relations: A Moment for Reflection and Progress
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Beijing Is Squeezing Taiwan in the Pacific. The US Must Act.
Instead of abandoning Taiwan, the United States should be looking for ways to deepen our support for the island.
Arrest of Kyrgyz Lawyer an Attack on the Legal Profession
The ICC’s Action on the Rohingya is Historic, but the Court Should Go Further on Myanmar
India’s Mosques Are Under Siege. The Destruction of the Babri Masjid Explains Why.
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
In Kyrgyzstan, Matraimov Wriggles Free Again With a Fine
When he was extradited to Kyrgyzstan earlier this year, Matraimov was alleged to be connected to an opaque assassination plot. He just got off with a fine for hooliganism.
With Prime Minister’s Visit, Mongolia Boosts Third Neighbor Ties With the Middle East
The Legitimization of Land Grabbing in Uzbekistan’s Cotton Sector
No Rallies in 3 Years? Kyrgyz President Claims ‘Stability,’ Forgets Reality
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
With Visit to Angola, Biden Claims the US Is ‘All in on Africa’
U.S. Africa policy is often viewed through the prism of competition with China. If so, the United States has a long way to go to catch up.
Trump and Great Power Competition in the Pacific Islands
Rubio’s Nomination to Head US Diplomacy Bodes Well for Human Rights in China
The Democratic Party’s Electoral Rout Stemmed From Its China Strategy
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
Myanmar Economy to Shrink Further in 2025, World Bank Says
Myanmar’s GDP is expected to contract by 1 percent in the fiscal year ending March 2025, a downward revision from the previous projection of modest growth.
The Taxman Cometh in Southeast Asia
Asia-Pacific Leads World in Crypto Adoption Amid Bitcoin’s $100,000 Rally
Vietnam-UAE’s CEPA: A Strategic Gateway Between ASEAN and the Gulf
Oceania
The South Pacific
The Nauru-Australia Security Treaty: Win-Win or Trouble Ahead?
At first glance, Australia’s new treaty with Nauru seems to be benefit both sides. But questions remain.
Getting Australian Cities Back to Health
Why Are Votes of No Confidence So Common in the Pacific?
The Risks of Australia’s Approach to Sanctions
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
America First, Again: US-China Relations and the Second Trump Administration
Where does the U.S.-China relationship go from here?
America First, Again: Asian Geopolitics and the Second Trump Administration
A New China-India Border Deal?
The Geopolitical Implications of the UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands Deal
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
Life in Ladakh Along the Disputed Sino-Indian Border
For Changpa women in Chushul, the 2020 clashes came during a larger societal shift in gender roles.