Latest Stories
Kazakhstan’s Slow Shift Away From Celebrating Victory Day
While the Soviet victory in World War II 80 years ago is still celebrated today, its form has changed to be less about Soviet heritage, and more about Kazakh national identity.
The Taliban’s Role in the Fragile Ceasefire Between India and Pakistan
Afghanistan has long been linked to cross-border terrorism. That could prove a major factor if the combatants shift from state armies to proxy militias.
Uzbekistan and Afghanistan: A New Era of Limited Recognition
Uzbekistan’s current Afghanistan policy appears to be inching toward greater practical cooperation with its “circumstantial” partner, the Taliban government.
After Last-Minute PPP Drama, South Korea’s Presidential Campaigns Officially Kick Off
The candidates are set, despite some twists in the ruling party’s primary process. Now the 21-day presidential campaign has officially begun.
India-Pakistan Military Crisis: A Testing Ground for Chinese Military Hardware
Clashes between the regional rivals marked the first use in combat of several Chinese weapons systems. And the previously untested inventory appears to be effective.
North Korean Spy Arrest in China May Signal Beijing’s Unease over Growing Pyongyang-Moscow Ties
There are signs that Beijing is growing frustrated with Pyongyang – including the reported arrest of a North Korean spy in Shenyang, China.
Most Read
Amid India-Pakistan Clashes, China Faces a Difficult Balancing Act
Pakistan is China’s “iron brother,” but full support is a bridge too far when Beijing would much prefer de-escalation to an expanded conflict.
Pakistan Prepares Counterblow as India’s Airstrikes Raise War Fears
Islamabad's policy of "quid pro quo plus" in responding to any Indian attacks is likely to see it carry out more attacks in Kashmir and India.
How Japan’s $1.1 Trillion in US Treasuries Became a Strategic Lever in the New Tariff War
The country's large holding of U.S. debt has long been framed as a win-win. It now has the potential to serve as a diplomatic trump.
Magazine
Vicky Davis on Remembering World War II in Central Asia
“As the importance of Victory Day in Central Asia decreases, it is needed even more in Moscow to promote and validate the war in Ukraine.”
Mapping Coal Phaseouts in Key Asian Markets
Coal is on its last gasp – only legacy energy sector policy stands in the way of a self-reliant, self-sustaining future.
China-US AI Technology Competition: Who’s Winning in Key Inputs?
Energy, rare earth elements, and talent: these critical inputs face vastly different structures in the two countries and may determine the pace and scale of AI innovation.
The Fall of Saigon: The Day Domino Theory Died
Fifty years after the communist victory in Vietnam, the old domino theory seems to have been definitively replaced by a deeper conflict determined by history, power, and geography.
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
Don’t Be Fooled: The China-US Trade War Is Here to Stay
The tariffs may be lower, but the structural tensions at the heart of the trade conflict remain unchanged.
China’s Thinking on Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor
Chinese Mining Companies Steal The Show at Chile’s Expomin
Northern Myanmar Poses a Challenge to China’s Critical Minerals Strategy
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
The Taliban’s Role in the Fragile Ceasefire Between India and Pakistan
Afghanistan has long been linked to cross-border terrorism. That could prove a major factor if the combatants shift from state armies to proxy militias.
China, US Declare Temporary Truce in Their Trade War
Tracking Conflict in the Asia-Pacific: May 2025 Update
The CIA Is Making a New Push to Recruit Chinese Officials. Will It Work?
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
India-Pakistan Military Crisis: A Testing Ground for Chinese Military Hardware
Clashes between the regional rivals marked the first use in combat of several Chinese weapons systems. And the previously untested inventory appears to be effective.
Cambodia, China Prepare to Launch ‘Golden Dragon’ Military Exercises
The Japan-US Alliance: Has the ‘Bottle Cap’ Come Off?
Shipbuilding Industry Takes Center Stage in US Relations With Japan and South Korea
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Malaysia’s PM Anwar Ibrahim Embarks on Second Visit to Russia
Malaysia's warming relations with Russia reflect Anwar's skepticism toward the current U.S.-led international order.
Duterte Allies Perform Strongly in Philippine Midterm Elections
Thaksin Shinawatra’s Casino Gamble
Filipino Journalists Continue to Face Attacks Despite ‘Improved’ Media Situation
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Pakistan Comes Out Emboldened After Clashes With India
Pakistan has established its own "new normal" with India, indicating that it will retaliate to India’s actions with resolve and firepower.
India and Pakistan Agree to Ceasefire
Bangladesh’s Interim Government Bans Awami League
Why India’s Northeast Frontier is More Vulnerable Than Its Western Border with Pakistan
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
After Last-Minute PPP Drama, South Korea’s Presidential Campaigns Officially Kick Off
The candidates are set, despite some twists in the ruling party’s primary process. Now the 21-day presidential campaign has officially begun.
North Korean Spy Arrest in China May Signal Beijing’s Unease over Growing Pyongyang-Moscow Ties
The Politics of Regional Gravity: South Korea’s Space Future Caught in Domestic Politics
Revealed: North Korea’s Diplomatic Missions Double as Trade Brokers
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
Richard Armitage, Joseph Nye, and the Future of the Japan-US Alliance
The Trump administration appears to have inherited the mantle of being “pro-U.S.-Japan alliance” from two establishment figures whose class the president publicly disparages.
How Japan’s $1.1 Trillion in US Treasuries Became a Strategic Lever in the New Tariff War
LDP’s Takaichi Proposes a ‘Quasi-Alliance’ While in Taiwan
What Could Japan’s Coast Guard Do in an Armed Attack?
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
20 Years Since Andijan, Remembering Past Abuses in Uzbekistan
Addressing the lack of accountability for past human rights abuses, including the 2005 Andijan massacre, has not been high on the current government’s agenda.
When Development Finance Does More Harm than Good: The Case of Indorama Agro in Uzbekistan
The Survival of Cambodian Press Freedom Requires More Than Funding
Australia’s Election Result Offers Certainty to a Region in Flux
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Kazakhstan’s Slow Shift Away From Celebrating Victory Day
While the Soviet victory in World War II 80 years ago is still celebrated today, its form has changed to be less about Soviet heritage, and more about Kazakh national identity.
Uzbekistan and Afghanistan: A New Era of Limited Recognition
Russian Pressure and Kazakhstan’s Embattled Civil Society
The Dimash Phenomenon: Kazakhstan’s Soft Power
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
Trump Administration Ends Temporary Protections for Afghan Immigrants
Homeland Security Secretary Noem determined that "permitting Afghan nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States.”
How Marco Rubio’s Dual Roles Could Impact the China-US Relationship
Trump Is Undermining 3 Key US Advantages Over China
Trump, Tariffs, and a Superpower Without Credibility
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
The Rise and Fall, and Rise Again, of Sea Ltd
The Southeast Asian tech giant has just come off its best year yet, and finally appears to be on a path toward stable profits.
Vietnamese Exports to the US Reach New Post-COVID High
The PhilHealth Supreme Court Case, Explained
World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings Send Signal to South Asia: Fix the Fundamentals
Oceania
The South Pacific
What Can Asia and the Pacific Expect From Australia’s New Government?
Foreign policy didn’t feature heavily in the campaign, but Labor’s pre-election budget plan offers clues to the government’s priorities.
Australia’s PM Albanese Bound For Indonesia on First Post-election Trip
Solomon Islands PM Avoids No Confidence Vote, But Is Potentially Weakened
Post-Election Canada and Australia Face Similar Security Challenges – and a Shared Opportunity
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
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
The Untold Stories of Peshawar’s Gemstone Market at Namak Mandi
Pakistan’s largest and most important gemstone and mineral market is deeply intertwined with the region’s borders, conflict, and undocumented economies.