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.
What to Make of Biden’s Latest Promise to Defend Taiwan
By Dean P. Chen
A range of intertwined international and domestic factors are driving Washington’s current policy toward the Taiwan Strait.
China-India Name War Intensifies in the Himalayas
By Subir Bhaumik and Pratyusha Mukherjee
New Delhi’s plan to rename sites in Tibet – a response to China’s own renaming blitz in Arunachal Pradesh – is “tantamount to India reopening the Tibetan question.”
Zelenskyy Finally Calls out China’s Role in Russia’s War on Ukraine
By Rakshith Shetty
Zelenskyy’s unusually direct comments in Singapore marked a significant shift in Kyiv’s stance and a long-overdue reckoning with China's role in the war.
In the New Cold War, Europe’s Approach to China Is Already Outdated
By Maximilian Mayer and Emilian Kavalski
The hope that Beijing would distance itself, however minimally, from Moscow has finally been extinguished. Europe needs to adjust its approach accordingly.
Top US and Chinese Defense Officials Seek to Restore Communications as Tensions Rise in Indo-Pacific
By David Rising
A closed-door meeting Friday was the first in person contact between the top Chinese and U.S. defense officials since 2022.
The Challenges of a North Korea Breakthrough
By ISOZAKI Atsuhito
Reaching an agreement with Pyongyang is hard enough; implementing it would be even tougher.
How Will the Lai Government Handle Taiwan’s Maritime Disputes?
By Brandon Tran
Like Beijing, Taipei officially maintains claims over islands in the East and South China Seas disputed with Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Yes, Japan Will Defend Taiwan
By Ryan C. Bercaw
For Japan, peace in the Taiwan Strait is a matter of national survival. A proper discussion of Japanese intervention should thus ask “how” not “if.”
The Indo-Pacific Could Be Within Europe’s Reach
By Francis Shin
The U.K.-led Joint Expeditionary Force could potentially provide a framework to grow Europe’s security presence in the Indo-Pacific.
China Coast Guard Shadows Filipino Activists Sailing Toward Disputed Shoal
By Jim Gomez
About 100 Filipinos are sailing to Scarborough Shoal to assert the Philippines' sovereignty, while being trailed by at least two Chinese ships.
China and Russia Disagree on North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons
By Wooyeal Paik
Beijing and Moscow have different perspectives on – and different appetites for – Pyongyang’s nuclear program.
The China Coast Guard and Beijing’s Strategic Ambiguity
By TSURUTA Jun
Chinese law is creating ambiguity at sea. Other coastal states need to respond.