Region
East Asia
Japan’s Weak Yen Hampers Its Post-COVID Recovery
By Thisanka Siripala
The Japanese yen has tumbled to its lowest level, pinching household purses and clouding Japan’s economic outlook.
A Former Chinese Ambassador’s Trenchant Comments on Ukraine War Attract Notice
By Lizzi C. Lee
Career diplomat Gao Yusheng spoke openly about how disastrous the war has been for Russia, but his comments have since been quietly deleted.
Hong Kong Arrests Roman Catholic Cardinal, an Actress, and Others
By Associated Press
Cardinal Joseph Zen, singer-actress Denise Ho, lawyer Margaret Ng, and scholar Hui Po-keung were detained by Hong Kong's National Security Police on May 11.
South Korea’s New Government Looks to Reinvigorate Japan-South Korea-US Trilateral
By Eunil Cho
New President Yoon Suk-yeol has been clear about his intentions. Putting rhetoric into practice will prove more difficult, but not impossible.
Will Australia and Japan Move Beyond the ‘Quasi-Alliance’?
By Daisuke Akimoto
The Russia-Ukraine War has only accelerated the deepening defense ties between Canberra and Tokyo. Will the two countries consider a formal alliance?
Xi Jinping’s Legitimacy Malaise Is Bad News for Cross-Strait Relations
By Anthony Toh Han Yang and Jonghyuk Lee
Xi’s achievements as a core leader of the party are far inferior to those of Mao and Deng. Taiwan may be his only chance to secure a legacy-defining victory.
A New Russian Gas Pipeline Is a Bad Idea for Mongolia
By Munkhnaran Bayarlkhagva
The Soyuz-Vostok pipeline, part of the larger Power of Siberia 2 project, will make Mongolia even more vulnerable to pressure from its autocratic neighbors.
The Ukraine War Might Kill China’s Nuclear No First Use Policy
By Denny Roy
Putin has used nuclear threats to prevent direct NATO intervention in the Ukraine War. Could China do the same in a Taiwan conflict?
Wary of Policy Shift, China Reaches out to South Korea’s New President
By Shannon Tiezzi
Beijing is showing its sunny side, in hopes of convincing Yoon Suk-yeol that cooperation is a better choice than the hard line he embraced on the campaign trail.
At Inauguration, Yoon Suk-yeol Shows Old-School Approach to North Korea
By Mitch Shin
During his inauguration speech, South Korea’s new president floated the possibility of providing economic packages to Pyongyang in return for denuclearization.
Will China Learn From Its Biggest COVID-19 Mistake?
By Zhuoran Li
Amid the Shanghai lockdown, government efforts to silence and prosecute critics have received more public attention – and sparked increasing outrage.
Hong Kong Leader Says China Patriots Now Firmly in Charge
By Associated Press
Chief Executive Carrie Lam thanked the government in Beijing for “improving Hong Kong’s electoral system” a day after John Lee was almost unanimously chosen as her successor.