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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.
5 Reasons Why India Agreed to a Logistics Agreement With the United States
By Rupakjyoti Borah
India's willingness to go for a logistics agreement with the United States is an important development.
The Big Nuking of 1959: How the US Would Have Nuked East Asia
By Robert Farley
A recently declassified nuclear target list shows how the U.S. planned to use its nuclear weapons in the late-1950s.
Russia and Japan Unlikely to Make ‘Serious Progress’ in Kuril Islands Dispute
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The Kremlin cautions that this Friday’s Abe-Putin meeting will not resolve a long-standing territorial dispute.
China’s Navy Conducts South China Sea Drills Involving Paracel and Spratly Islands
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The People’s Liberation Army Navy’s annual South China Sea combat drill kicked off this Wednesday.
U.S. Credibility in the South China Sea
By William G. Frasure
China’s growing presence in the South China Sea is raising doubts about the U.S. policy there.
China's Okinotori Position Reveals an UNCLOS Double Standard
By Ankit Panda
China's position on a remote Japan-held feature reveals an important inconsistency in its approach to international law.
South China Sea Tit-for-Tat? China Refuses US Aircraft Carrier Port Call
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The Hong Kong port visit of a U.S. Navy command ship, however, appears to be unaffected by the recent announcement.
Vietnam Fears Isolation on South China Sea Issue
By Du Nhat Dang
Laos' new courtship with China has Vietnam worried.
The Ongoing Saga of the China-India Border Talks
By Stephen Westcott
No one seems to expect actual progress at the talks -- but there's still good reason to hold them.
China and Russia to Hold First Computer-Enabled Missile Defense Exercise in May
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The drill is not intended against a third party, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Russia Intercepts US Aircraft (Maybe) Spying on Moscow’s Newest Ballistic Missile Sub
By Franz-Stefan Gady
A Russian MiG-31 intercepted a U.S. Navy P-8 Maritime patrol aircraft in Northeast Asia on April 21.
Managing The South China Sea: Where Policy Meets Science
By James Borton
The marriage of policy and science is essential to navigating these waters.