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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.
Will American and Chinese Societies Support a New Type of Cold War?
By Matt Ferchen and Hanns W. Maull
Leaders on both sides are taking a more confrontational line, but are the people willing to go along?
A Skirmish in Galwan Valley: India and China’s Deadliest Clash in More Than 50 Years
By Ankit Panda
After the death of at least 20 Indian soldiers, the Sino-Indian border has heated up to levels unseen in recent years.
The Taliban and al-Qaeda: Enduring Partnership or Liability?
By Saurav Sarkar
Can the Taliban really be expected to sever all ties with al-Qaeda?
Chinese Tanks Conduct High-Altitude Drills Amid Border Standoff With India
By Ankit Panda
The exercises were announced by the PLA’s Tibet Military Region.
Blunting China’s South China Sea ‘New Normal’ Quest Starts With the Southeast Asian Claimants
By Prashanth Parameswaran
Beijing’s continued inroads are unlikely to be reversed unless the most interested parties in the South China Sea work to get past familiar obstacles.
Why a US-China Détente Is Coming in 2021: The Biden Factor
By Dingding Chen
Beyond Trump’s policies, the possibility of a Biden presidency looms large over the U.S.-China relationship.
The China-India Standoff and the Myth of a New Cold War
By Sajid Farid Shapoo
Chinese media are trying to cast the present crisis as a part of the “New Cold War” between the United States and China. Don’t be fooled.
China-US Military Confrontation in the South China Sea: Fact and Fiction
By Hu Bo
The China-U.S. rivalry in the South China Sea is certainly growing, but war is still some way off.
US Returns to Human Spaceflight
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
The growing private space sector is beginning to create new energy and excitement about space.
Taiwan Repels Chinese Fighters After US Military Transport Flies Over Its Airspace
By Ankit Panda
Taiwanese fighters repelled the Chinese aircraft after verbal warnings.
South China Sea: US Joins the Battle of Diplomatic Notes
By Nguyen Hong Thao
Washington’s letter on the South China Sea to the UN secretary general supports the position expressed by Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
India, China Achieve Partial ‘Disengagement’ of Ongoing Border Standoffs
By Ankit Panda
The “disengagement” has not resulted in major change to the ongoing standoff at Pangong Lake.