Region
East Asia
North Korea’s No-Mask Military Parade Angers South Korea
By Tae-jun Kang
Apparently North Korea’s commitment to fighting COVID-19 – which saw a South Korean official killed in early October – has its limits.
Trump Reportedly Eyes More Chinese Firms for Sanction
By Eleanor Albert
The administration is considering restrictions on Chinese digital payment platforms, on top of existing bans.
A Nuclear North Korea’s Wake-up Call
By Ankit Panda
A spectacular pre-dawn parade on Saturday served to remind the world of North Korea’s continuing missile progress.
US Military Bases Are Poisoning Okinawa
By Jon Mitchell
The U.S. military has contaminated the drinking water for almost half-a-million Japanese – but Japanese authorities can’t do anything about it.
The Japan–China Summit Telephone Conference
By Shin Kawashima
What did the new Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga talk about with his Chinese counterpart?
North Korea’s Parade: The Domestic Context
By Ankit Panda
North Korea’s upcoming October 10 celebrations will have an important ideological component.
After Abe, Will Press Freedom Improve in Japan?
By Henry Laurence
New Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is widely seen as a continuity choice. Will he change course on media freedoms?
As COVID Restrictions Ease in China, Silk Road Tourism Blooms Again
By Chen Zhixin and Tim Winter
The BRI has led to a dramatic uptick in Silk Road heritage projects in China.
North Korea Strengthens Propaganda Efforts Ahead of Key Party Anniversary
By Tae-jun Kang
There hasn't been much to celebrate in North Korea this year. But with a key anniversary looming, the propaganda machine is trying to set a more festive mood.
KMT Pushes for Formal US-Taiwan Ties in Course Change for Beijing-Friendly Party
By Nick Aspinwall
Two recently passed resolutions hint at a strategic shift within the KMT, but could also be aimed at fracturing the ruling DPP’s careful approach toward relations with the U.S.
Which Countries Support China on Hong Kong’s National Security Law?
By Shannon Tiezzi
A recent U.N. statement saw 54 countries backing China’s Hong Kong policy, against 39 voicing concern in a rival bloc.
Behind Xi Jinping’s Steely Façade, a Leadership Crisis Is Smoldering in China
By Sarah Cook
Recent party purges suggest ebbing confidence in the all-powerful chairman.