Top Stories
TOP
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
Asia Can’t Save Russia’s Energy Sector
By Nicholas Trickett
Russia’s rising energy trade with Asia – including China and India – masks underlying problems, including artificially low prices and maxed-out infrastructure.
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 23, 2022
Japan’s MHI Launches 5th Mogami-Class Multirole Frigate for JMSDF
By Kosuke Takahashi
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is pursuing more compact ships to counter China and Russia in the East China Sea and broader Indo-Pacific.
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
July 01, 2022
Is Anyone Listening to the Pacific Islands?
By Cleo Paskal
What do people of the Pacific Islands think about China’s plans for the region and the U.S. response?
July 01, 2022
India’s Energy-Environment Catch-22
By Monika Mondal
Extreme weather events, like India’s heatwaves, pose new challenges to green solutions.
July 01, 2022
Botakoz Kassymbekova and Erica Marat on Russia’s ‘Imperial Myth’
By Catherine Putz
Russia’s longstanding “imperial myth” holds that “Russia did not attack and colonize, but liberated and saved the colonized.”
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.
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
P
July 02, 2022
Xi Defends Vision of Hong Kong on 25th Anniversary of Return
By Zen Soo
Xi Jinping praised the city for overcoming “violent social unrest” and emphasized Beijing’s “comprehensive jurisdiction” over Hong Kong.
July 01, 2022
With Kinmen Comments, Ko Wen-je Dives Into Cross-Strait Debate
July 01, 2022
Xi Visits a Changed Hong Kong for Handover Anniversary
June 30, 2022
Assimilation: China’s Failed Strategy in Xinjiang
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
F
June 30, 2022
As Cyber Threats Grow, Indonesia’s Data Protection Efforts Are Falling Short
By Estey Chen
Bureaucratic rivalry and overlapping mandates have prevented the country from pushing ahead with a planned data protection bill.
June 27, 2022
Australian Defense Minister’s India Trip: A Sign of Growing Defense Ties
June 23, 2022
Could Argentina Join the BRICS?
June 21, 2022
Learning to Live With a Nuclear North Korea
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
D
July 01, 2022
US-led RIMPAC, World’s Largest Maritime Exercise, Starts Without China or Taiwan
By Kosuke Takahashi
The exercises kicked off without Taiwan’s participation, despite a push from Congress, while China's previous invitations are a distant memory.
June 29, 2022
China’s Directed Energy Weapons and Counterspace Applications
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)
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
B
July 01, 2022
Myanmar Apologizes After Jet Fighter Violated Thai Airspace
By Sebastian Strangio
The aircraft strayed into Thai airspace on the same day as a Thai military delegation traveled to Naypyidaw for border talks.
July 01, 2022
What the G-7 Infrastructure Initiative Can Offer Southeast Asia
July 01, 2022
Jokowi Says Russia Agrees to Permit Vital Exports From Ukraine
June 30, 2022
Indonesia Shuts Down Bar Chain Following Blasphemy Controversy
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
P
July 01, 2022
Cups, Straws, Spoons: India Starts on Single-use Plastic Ban
By Aniruddha Ghosal
As a first step, India has identified 19 plastic items that aren't very useful but have a high potential to become litter, including plastic cups, straws, and ice cream sticks.
July 01, 2022
Bangladesh’s Padma Bridge Built Against All Odds
July 01, 2022
India Hindus Begin Pilgrimage in Kashmir Amid Heavy Security
June 30, 2022
Rohingya Man Sentenced to Death in Bangladesh
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
K
July 01, 2022
South Korea’s Space Program Is a Big Deal
By Andy Hong
The successful launch of the domestically produced Nuri rocket has implications for the nation, the region, and the world.
June 30, 2022
From Europe, Yoon Suk Yeol Calls for International Cooperation on North Korea’s Nuclear and Missile Threats
June 28, 2022
Domestic and Global Political Impacts of K-Pop: BoA, BTS, and Beyond
June 23, 2022
Kim Jong Un Convenes 3rd Enlarged Meeting of WPK’s Military Commission
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
R
July 01, 2022
How the War in Ukraine Could Change Japan’s Refugee Policies
By Jakob Ranglin Grissler
The case of the Ukrainian refugees, who do not fall into the traditional definition of refugees, could add momentum to efforts to overhaul Japan’s refugee and immigration policies.
June 30, 2022
Japan Pushes for Stronger Cooperation to Counter China at G7
June 28, 2022
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Continues in Japan
June 24, 2022
Japan’s PM Kishida Faces a Crucial National Election
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
DJune 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
July 01, 2022
New Constitutional Amendments in Mongolia: Real Reform or Political Opportunism?
By Munkhnaran Bayarlkhagva
There are serious issue with Mongolia's political system. Will the current proposals for constitutional amendment address those problems?
June 30, 2022
The Revival of Islam in Turkmenistan
June 30, 2022
Uzbek Company Falls Afoul of Russia Sanctions
June 29, 2022
Russia’s Putin Makes First Trip Abroad Since Invasion, to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
V
July 01, 2022
Biden’s Uphill Battle to Restructure the Global Semiconductor Sector
By Tian He and Anton Malkin
Is it possible – or advisable – to remake global value chains in order to boost U.S. national security?
June 21, 2022
How the US Can Help Strengthen Disaster Management in Southeast Asia
June 15, 2022
Will IPEF Help the US Counter China?
June 13, 2022
Vietnam Eyes Pragmatic Gains from the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
M
July 01, 2022
China’s Up-and-Coming Sports Gear Makers: When Politics Meets Business
By Nils Bayer
China’s indigenous sports apparel companies have made great strides in their domestic market, in part by embracing the CCP’s line. That decision poses steep hurdles for their expansion abroad.
June 30, 2022
India’s Urban Unemployment Crisis
June 28, 2022
Garuda Indonesia Strikes Debt Restructuring Deal
June 21, 2022
What the Federal Reserve’s Rate Hikes Mean for Southeast Asia
Oceania
The South Pacific
O
July 01, 2022
A Return to Values-based Foreign Policy in New Zealand
By Guy C. Charlton
As the recent U.S.-New Zealand joint statement makes clear, the values aspect in New Zealand’s diplomacy remains a priority in its Pacific diplomacy.
June 30, 2022
Indian Australians Fastest Growing Group in Australia
June 30, 2022
Ambassador Xiao Qian’s Speech: A New Way Forward for Australia-China Relations?
June 29, 2022
Opinion Poll Reveals Australian Public’s Collapsing Trust in China
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.