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.
Hillary Clinton Is Angry With China Over Cyber Attacks
By Franz-Stefan Gady
Will cyber attacks purportedly carried out by Chinese hackers be a campaign issue in 2016?
Game Changers? Chinese Submarines in the Indian Ocean
By P K Ghosh
The presence of Chinese submarines in India’s strategic “backyard” requires a more effective response from India.
Is Vietnam Pivoting Toward the United States?
By Carl Thayer
In an unprecedented move, the secretary-general of Vietnam's Communist Party will visit the United States.
How America and China Have Different Visions of International Order
By Alek Chance
One man’s leadership is another man’s hegemony.
The American Colonel Who Changed Asia
By Colonel Robert Farley
Who is the most famous Kentuckian?
Confronting China’s 'New' Military Challenge in the South China Sea
By Prashanth Parameswaran
Beijing is just getting started, and its actions demand a response.
Japan’s South China Sea Strategy
By Mina Pollmann
Tokyo doesn’t have a claim to the sea, but it certainly cares about what happens there.
Meet China's East China Sea Drones
By Ankit Panda
Satellite imagery analysis confirms that Chinese BZK-005 drones are operating in the East China Sea.
Is the South China Sea Anything Like the Ukraine Crisis?
By Ankit Panda
Plus, Indian tanks, China's strategy for Taiwan, the Iran deal, and more. Defense links.
Why China Can't Change Course in the South China Sea
By Ankit Panda
According to China's foreign minister, concessions in the South China Sea would embarrass China's ancestors.
Islamic State Eying Afghanistan’s Natural Resources
By Brian M. Perkins
An expansion of the group’s operations in Afghanistan could threaten the fledgling mining industry.
The Missing Piece in Australia's South China Sea Approach
By Greg Raymond
The government needs to give multilateral diplomacy a serious chance.