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Flashpoints
Will China’s military rival the United States’ in the Pacific? Will Japan abandon the constitutional fetters on its own military? How will India respond to the String of Pearls strategy? The Diplomat has put together a team of leading analysts to offer must-read, regular commentary on the big defense and security issues in the Asia-Pacific.
A US Navy Blockade in the South China Sea Is Not Sound Strategy
By Robert Farley
Rex Tillerson's South China Sea comments just don't make strategic sense.
Japan Scrambles Fighter Jets to Intercept 3 Russian Strategic Bombers
By Franz-Stefan Gady
Is Russia stepping up its aerial patrols in the Asia-Pacific region?
Selective Revanchist Recognition: Trump, Crimea and the South China Sea
By Casey Michel
On the South China Sea, the Trump administration seems to be taking a hard line. Not so on the issue of Crimea.
Ambiguous Trump Policies Might Accelerate China’s Militarization in the South China Sea
By Steven Stashwick
China could use threats to block its Spratly bases to bolster their military capabilities.
Why Pakistan's Newly Flight-Tested Multiple Nuclear Warhead-Capable Missile Really Matters
By Ankit Panda
Pakistan's pursuit of a MIRV capability complicates strategic stability calculations in South Asia.
The Trump Administration Needs a Clear South China Sea Policy
By Ankit Panda
The first mention of the South China Sea by the new U.S. administration in office leaves more questions than it answers.
Japan, US, South Korea Hold Missile Defense Drill
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The naval exercise staged to counter North Korean missile threats concluded on Sunday.
China's Maritime Great Wall in the South and East China Seas
By Samir Tata
China is building a maritime cordon sanitaire.
US, India Sharing Information on Chinese Submarines. Here's Why That Matters
By Ankit Panda
The commander of U.S. Pacific Command confirms that the two countries are peering at Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean.
International Law Is Under Siege in the South China Sea
By Douglas Gates
China is the latest to flout international law, but the United States paved the way.
What Does China's 'New Asian Security Concept' Mean for the US?
By David C. McCaughrin
A closer look at China's vision for remaking Asian security, and what the United States can do about it.
Evaluating the US-China Cybersecurity Agreement, Part 3
By Gary Brown and Christopher D. Yung
Over a year later, what impact has the 2015 cyber agreement had on U.S.-China relations?