Latest Stories
Chinese Vessel Suspected of Damaging European Submarine Cables
European officials have suggested that the severing of two separate cables in the Baltic was “sabotage.” The Yi Peng 3 is the prime suspect.
On India’s Roads, Ill-suited Infrastructure Drives Pedestrian Deaths
Indian roads are among the deadliest in the world – and most fatalities occur close to pedestrian infrastructure.
South Korea’s Dockyards: A New Factor in Korea-US Military Burden-sharing
Negotiating with Trump will not be easy, but Seoul now possesses more leverage than before.
Central Asia Investing in Itself
Foreign investment has long been a focus for Central Asia, but regional countries are now increasingly investing within the region itself.
India’s Environment-for-Economy Trade-off
India's latest move to loosen pollution regulations in the name of cutting red tape has climate activists concerned.
With Start of Trilateral Hydropower Trade, South Asia Begins Historic Cooperation
Regional cooperation received a boost with the inauguration of a project that will see Nepali hydropower supplied to Bangladesh via the Indian power grid.
Most Read
The China-Japan Travel Visa Spat
Beijing wants Japan – and only Japan – to offer reciprocity.
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.
Did Indonesia Just Capitulate to China on the South China Sea?
Over the weekend, the two nations signed a joint development agreement that refers to "overlapping claims" in the disputed waterway.
Magazine
The United States and the Democracy Question in South Asia
The inconsistencies and contradictions in U.S. democracy promotion, are not limited to one particular administration, but to the U.S. approach as a whole.
Southeast Asia’s Semiconductor Play
Integrated circuits are acquiring ever greater currency as a geopolitical flashpoint, and this is creating a window of opportunity for countries that are eager to move up the value chain.
The State – and Fate – of America’s Indo-Pacific Alliances
China is the biggest factor behind the continued development of the U.S. alliance network – a trend that works independently of, and supersedes, any political dynamics in Washington.
Russell Hsiao on US Policies and Taiwan’s Politics
“Perhaps more so than in other countries given its unique political status, Taiwan’s voters attach greater significance to foreign policy and more precisely relations with the United States and China.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
Chinese Vessel Suspected of Damaging European Submarine Cables
European officials have suggested that the severing of two separate cables in the Baltic was “sabotage.” The Yi Peng 3 is the prime suspect.
Can Trump’s Tariffs Slow Down China’s Push to Lead High-tech Supply Chains?
‘America First’ and Threading the Needle on Tech Sovereignty
Talks With North Korea Will be Troublesome for Trump
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
South Korea’s Dockyards: A New Factor in Korea-US Military Burden-sharing
Negotiating with Trump will not be easy, but Seoul now possesses more leverage than before.
Prabowo’s Global Vision: Can the Indonesian Military Handle the Pressure?
The Risks of Oversimplifying Taiwan’s Defense Needs
The Tyranny of Distance: What Trump Needs to Know About the Japan-US Alliance
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Indonesia Agrees to Repatriate Filipina Drug Convict Mary Jane Veloso
Veloso, now 39, has been on death row in Indonesia since her arrest for heroin trafficking in Yogyakarta in 2010.
Myanmar Topped World For Landmine Casualties in 2023, Monitor Says
Young Southeast Asians Are Slowly Nudging ASEAN Toward Change
Philippines, US Sign Military Intelligence Sharing Agreement
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
On India’s Roads, Ill-suited Infrastructure Drives Pedestrian Deaths
Indian roads are among the deadliest in the world – and most fatalities occur close to pedestrian infrastructure.
India’s Environment-for-Economy Trade-off
With Start of Trilateral Hydropower Trade, South Asia Begins Historic Cooperation
International Spotlight on Bangladesh as Rohingya Leader’s Case Heads to the UN
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
Lee Jae-myung’s Legal Perils Could Threaten His Presidential Bid
Lee has been found guilty of violating election law, and more cases are still pending. What does this mean for the opposition leader’s political future?
How South Korea Should Prepare Before Trump Returns to the White House
North Korean Balloons and Kim Jong Un’s New Psychological Warfare
‘Kim Keon-hee Risk’ Is a Ticking Time Bomb for South Korea’s President
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
Was the Abe-Trump ‘Bromance’ a Real Thing?
There is no doubt that Abe and Trump had a genuine friendship. However, what is often overlooked was how hard Abe worked to make that a reality.
The China-Japan Travel Visa Spat
Turbulence in Japan’s Power Corridors Amid Trump’s Return
Will Japan’s Election Mark the End of Abe Diplomacy?
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Why Does It Matter What We Call the Oppression of Afghan Women?
What we want is for the cruelty being endured by women and girls in Afghanistan to be called what it actually is: gender apartheid, and a crime against humanity.
Asia-Pacific Gen-Zers at COP29
Fossil Gas is Not Compatible With Indonesia’s Net Zero Ambitions
As 45 Activists Face Life Sentences in Hong Kong, the World Must Respond
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Central Asia Investing in Itself
Foreign investment has long been a focus for Central Asia, but regional countries are now increasingly investing within the region itself.
Navigating the Challenging Path of Local Governance Reform in Uzbekistan
Mongolia’s Prime Minister Looks to Boost All-Important Economic Ties With China
Marco Polo and the Mongol Empire’s Strategic Diplomacy
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
US-Philippine Relationship to ‘Transcend’ Changes in Administration, Austin Says
Donald Trump's impending return to the White House has stirred up questions about the future of Washington's support for the Philippines.
Trump’s Hawkish Cabinet Could Be a Stepping Stone to Future Deals With China
New Delhi’s Optimism Over Trump 2.0 Belies Underlying Fault Lines in India-US Relations
What Trump’s Presidency Means for Afghanistan and the Taliban
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
Is China Ready for the Trump Trade War 2.0?
If China is able to seize the opportunity to revitalize its domestic economy and invigorate the multilateral system, Trump’s trade war 2.0 could end up a strategic gift to Beijing.
Indonesia’s PLN and the Clean Energy Conundrum
Thailand to Begin Phase 2 of ‘Digital Wallet’ Stimulus in January
The IMF Sends Laos a Reality Check Over Its Finances
Oceania
The South Pacific
What Lies Behind Melbourne’s Rash of Firebombings?
Organized crime groups are capitalizing on the country's tobacco taxes, which are among the highest in the world.
Australia Gives a Firm ‘No’ to UK-US Agreement to Advance Nuclear Technology
Australia Holds the Key to a Fair Deal for Timor-Leste
The Treaty Principles Bill Is Already Straining Social Cohesion in New Zealand
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
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.