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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.
Report: 'China's Strategic Assertiveness' Fueling Tensions in Asia
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The 2015 SIPRI Yearbook emphasizes Beijing's critical role in aggravating tensions in East Asia.
What's Missing from China and Japan's East China Sea Crisis Management Framework?
By Ankit Panda
Japan and China will agree to exclude territorial waters and airspace from their maritime crisis management mechanism.
South China Sea Clash Complicates Vietnam-China Meeting
By Shannon Tiezzi
Media reports of violence used against Vietnamese fishermen come just before a major bilateral meeting in Beijing.
Time to Bust This Myth: The United States Didn't Modernize China
By Dingding Chen
Both countries benefited tremendously from their close economic ties.
Are Chinese Drones Heading to the East China Sea?
By Ankit Panda
East China Sea, South China Sea, and history. Links to start your week.
China’s Maritime Disputes: Trouble to the South, but the East Stays Quiet
By Andi Zhou
Tensions are rising in the South China Sea — so why is the East China Sea so calm?
Intelligence Check: Just How 'Preposterous' Are China's South China Sea Activities?
By Greg Austin
It's time for the Pentagon to issue a sober and balanced public assessment on the South China Sea territorial disputes.
Full Speed Ahead: Russia to Accelerate Construction in the Kurils
By Catherine Putz
Moscow's push to speed up development of the islands is, in part, a jab at Tokyo over Abe's visit to Ukraine.
G7 Leaders Call for 'Rules-Based' Maritime Order, Condemn North Korea
By Ankit Panda
The leaders of the G-7 came together to call for maritime security, and condemned North Korea's nuclear program.
The Rise of China’s New Soft Power
By Dingding Chen
This time it is not the Confucius Institute; it is China’s new type of think tanks.
No, China Is Not Reclaiming Land in the South China Sea
By Carl Thayer
Rather, China is slowly excising the maritime heart out of Southeast Asia.
India, Pakistan, and the Limits of Effective Deterrence
By David J. Karl
The Indian defense minister may have inadvertently acknowledged the limits of India's conventional deterrence.