Blog
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.
‘Not Welcome’: China’s ICBM Test Raised Alarms in the Pacific Islands
By Camilla Pohle
Regional leaders probably criticized China more for its ICBM test than for anything else in recent years. The U.S. should take note.
The Falklands War of 1982: Lessons for a Potential 21st Century China-US Conflict Over Taiwan
By Martin Mitchell
While the situations are not identical, the tactical and geopolitical parallels make the Falklands War worth studying in the Taiwan context.
The Quad’s Coast Guard Cooperation: New Dynamics in Power Politics
By Prakash Panneerselvam
The new Coast Guard cooperation among the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan is a crucial step in building a resilient and unified front in the Indo-Pacific.
How Vietnam Can Realize Its Semiconductor Ambitions
By Ngoc Bach and Kenddrick Chan
Success will require the country to leverage its geo-economic strengths while navigating intensifying geopolitical tensions.
Innovating Vietnam’s Public Diplomacy in the South China Sea
By Nguyen Thanh Long
Should Vietnam adopt the Philippines’ “assertive transparency” approach to future incidents in the South China Sea?
China Conducts More Military Drills Around Taiwan
By Shannon Tiezzi
The drills were ostensibly a response to the National Day speech by Taiwan's president, which many overseas analysts had viewed as restrained.
Taiwan’s Semiconductor Export Conundrum
By Kai-Shen Huang
Taiwan’s sales of semiconductors to Chinese entities paradoxically feed a threat to Taiwan’s very existence. Why, then, does Taiwan persist with these exports?
Unmasking the ‘Group of Friends in Defense of the United Nations Charter’
By Andréa Worden and Rana Siu Inboden
Despite its name, this group, which includes many of the world's most repressive regimes, is actually a coalition to undermine U.N. principles.
UK to Cede Chagos Islands to Mauritius, But US Base Will Remain
By Shannon Tiezzi
The U.K. will maintain de facto control over Diego Garcia, and the crucial U.S. military facility there, for another 99 years.
Ishiba’s Integrated Deterrence: What Japan’s New Prime Minister Means for Taiwan
By Victor Lin
A former defense minister, Ishiba's victory will have important implications for the future of Japan-Taiwan relations.
Nuclear Stability in the 21st Century
By Rakesh Sood
The third nuclear age has forced strategic thinkers to confront the dilemma of nuclear deterrence anew, this time in a multipolar nuclear world.
Gray Hulls in the Gray Zone: Indonesia’s Conundrum in the South China Sea
By Joseph Kristanto
Due to long-time neglect of its coast guard equivalent, Indonesia has been forced to use its navy to respond to China’s incursions – giving Beijing an excuse to do the same.
Page 1 of 410