Latest Stories
Are the Russians Eyeing West Papua for an Overseas Military Base?
Indonesia has denied reports that Russia is seeking to station military aircraft in its easternmost province. But this may not be the end of the matter given Russia’s interests in the region.
Ending China’s De Minimis Exception Brings 3 Benefits for Americans
President Trump’s executive order ending the de minimis rule for China is set to strengthen U.S. manufacturing, safeguard public health, and advance human rights efforts.
2 Rohingya Refugees Die in Indonesia Amid Global Funding Crunch
The deaths of two men in their 20s highlight the deepening crisis facing Rohingya refugees in Indonesia: inadequate housing, little or no access to healthcare, and a dearth of humanitarian assistance.
The 4 Keys to Australia’s Democracy Edge
Threats to democracy seen in the U.S. are a global issue, but differences in the media and political systems limit their impact in Australia — for now.
Unsung Heroes of World War I Bring Together Chinese and Europeans
Chinese state institutions are bypassing Marxist-Leninist historiography to embrace transnational narratives of World War I shared among European and Chinese communities.
Beijing Cannot Be Trusted to Mediate on Iran’s Nuclear Program
The growing adversarial alignment between the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia, and Iran goes beyond diplomatic posturing.
Most Read
The BM-04 Missile: India’s Next-Generation Conventional Counterforce Weapon
The BM-04 missile development confirms a military doctrine aimed at conducting limited operations under the nuclear umbrella at conventional and subconventional levels.
Taiwan’s Youth Are Not Defeatist — and The Data Proves It
A wide body of academic surveys with nationally representative samples shows Taiwanese people’s willingness to fight to defend their homeland, including those under 30.
Trump’s Tariffs Won’t Change the Trajectory of Vietnam’s Foreign Policy
The country’s economic response to the tariffs will be guided by its multilateral and diversified foreign policy approach.
Magazine
Adani’s Controversial Footprint in India’s Neighborhood (and Elsewhere)
The growth of the Adani Group, especially overseas, has mirrored Modi’s political ascendancy. As a result, controversy involving Adani projects causes backlash against India as a whole.
Cambodia: The Unbearable Memory of the Khmer Rouge
April 17, 1975 – the day Phnom Penh fell – can perhaps never be fully reappropriated because of the strong sense of shame and pain that surrounds it.
Will Lee Jae-myung Rise From South Korea’s Political Chaos?
Lee Jae-myung’s strategic bet – that he can leverage widespread public discontent without further deepening societal divisions – will pose a key test for South Korea’s democracy.
Larry Diamond on the Importance of US Foreign Aid
“Ending aid is not a strategy to make America great again. It’s a strategy to make America resented and isolated in the world.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
Unsung Heroes of World War I Bring Together Chinese and Europeans
Chinese state institutions are bypassing Marxist-Leninist historiography to embrace transnational narratives of World War I shared among European and Chinese communities.
How China’s Companies Are Responding to the US Trade War
Amid US Tariff War, China Convenes Rare Central Conference on Neighborhood Diplomacy
Trump Tariffs Spark Political Debate in Taiwan
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
China’s New Deep-Sea Cutting Tool Exposes Vulnerability of Undersea Cables
China, in developing deep-water cable-cutting technology, may be sending a message of intent.
The Big Lie: Being Pro-US Won’t Force China to Invade Taiwan
The Indo-Pacific Region in the Agenda of Germany’s Coalition Government
PLA Assertiveness in the Tasman Sea Is a Wake-up Call on China’s Dual-Use Infrastructure in the Pacific
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Are the Russians Eyeing West Papua for an Overseas Military Base?
Indonesia has denied reports that Russia is seeking to station military aircraft in its easternmost province. But this may not be the end of the matter given Russia’s interests in the region.
The Evolution of the Baloch Liberation Army
F-47: The US 6th-Generation Aircraft Plan Signals a Shift Toward Superiority
Taiwan Races to Scale Up Revamped Conscription Program Before 2027
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
2 Rohingya Refugees Die in Indonesia Amid Global Funding Crunch
The deaths of two men in their 20s highlight the deepening crisis facing Rohingya refugees in Indonesia: inadequate housing, little or no access to healthcare, and a dearth of humanitarian assistance.
Cambodia’s Haunted Present: 50 years After Khmer Rouge’s Rise, Its Murderous Legacy Looms Large
In Malaysia, China’s Xi Jinping Again Strikes Cooperative Note
‘Comrades and Brothers’: Is China Pulling Vietnam Back Into Its Orbit?
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
The Emerging Exception: India Sees Itself as Transcending Middle Power
India no longer sees itself as merely a middle power, but as a key player shaping the global order: an “emerging great power.”
The National Security Implications of Starlink’s Entry Into India
Bangladesh Pokes India in the Eye; Delhi Hits Back
Through Climate Diplomacy, Nepal Sounds the Alarm on the Himalayas
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
Will the PPP’s Attempt at an Anti-Lee Jae-myung Coalition Work?
Would-be presidential candidates within the ruling People Power Party are looking to form a big tent to prevent the opposition leader from becoming president, but there’s reason for skepticism.
Will the PPP Survive After the Snap Presidential Election?
North Korea Human Rights Advocacy in Turmoil
Unlocking India-South Korea Trade Opportunities: Insights from the Recent Partnership Economic Forum in Seoul
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
Tariff Talks an Opportunity to Reinvigorate the Japan-US Alliance
With the 24 percent additional tariffs on Japan suspended for 90 ninety days for negotiations, the U.S. and Japan should approach this moment as a chance to forge a new economic compact.
Abe Shinzo and Japan’s ‘Discovery of India’
Japan and Europe Should Forge Ahead With Their Own Alliance, Without the US
Japan Enacts FY 2025 Budget After Rare Revisions
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Beijing Cannot Be Trusted to Mediate on Iran’s Nuclear Program
The growing adversarial alignment between the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia, and Iran goes beyond diplomatic posturing.
Trump’s Second Coming: Mongolia Watches the Chaos With Caution
We Owe Afghan Women a Chance to Make Their Own Destiny
To Protect the Sea, the Kazakh Government Must Disclose Caspian Oil Agreements
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Trans-Afghan Railway: Will Uzbekistan Develop the Kandahar Route?
The route through Kandahar can lead to both Pakistan and Iran, an attractive prospect for Tashkent.
Why Uzbekistan Continues to Push for Engaging With Afghanistan
What Mongolia Can Learn From South Korea’s Waste Management System
The Time Is Now For Kazakhstan to Achieve Energy Independence From Russia
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
Ending China’s De Minimis Exception Brings 3 Benefits for Americans
President Trump’s executive order ending the de minimis rule for China is set to strengthen U.S. manufacturing, safeguard public health, and advance human rights efforts.
China Doesn’t Fear Tariffs. It Fears a Credible US Industrial Strategy.
After FM Phone Call, Are Pakistan-US Ties on the Mend?
Vietnam Pledges to Crack Down on Illicit Transshipment of Chinese Goods: Report
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
The US Flip-flop Over H20 Chip Restrictions
Last week, reports surfaced that the White House would still allow Nvidia to export its H20 chips to China, surprising the tech industry. Now the restrictions are back on.
The Trump Tariff Shock Should Push Indonesia to Reform Its Economy
Why ASEAN Countries Often Run Trade Surpluses
What a US Exit From the Information Technology Agreement Would Mean for America and the World
Oceania
The South Pacific
The 4 Keys to Australia’s Democracy Edge
Threats to democracy seen in the U.S. are a global issue, but differences in the media and political systems limit their impact in Australia — for now.
Solomon Islands, FSM Consider Labor Mobility Scheme
Rabuka’s Support for Trump Doesn’t Earn Fiji Reprieve From US Tariffs
Cooperation, Coordination, and Strategic Denial: Echoes and Lessons from Cold War Oceania
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
Trump, Tariffs, and America’s Global Messaging
The Asia Geopolitics podcast discusses the latest developments in Washington and their implications for Asia policy.
Duterte in The Hague: The Philippines and the Geopolitics of International Law
Is the United States Relitigating Its Grand Strategy?
DeepSeek and the AI Competition
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.