Region
East Asia
As COVID-19 Loses Steam, Hong Kong Protests Heat Up
By Associated Press
Dwindling case counts, coupled with Beijing’s latest moves to consolidate control over the city, have protesters braving in-person demonstrations yet again.
Japan’s Jobless Rate Spikes as Companies Clamor for Assistance
By Thisanka Siripala
Confusion, controversy, and red tape have critics warning that government assistance will arrive too late to keep businesses from going under.
Getting the Pacific Deterrence Initiative Right
By Benjamin Rimland and Patrick Buchan
The PDI will undoubtedly set the groundwork for U.S. defense posture in Asia for the foreseeable future. Getting it right matters.
North Korea Gives Rare Response to Panic Buying Rumor
By Tae-jun Kang
North Korea almost never reacts to reports in foreign media. What's different this time?
Tsai Ing-wen 2.0
By Lev Nachman and Jessica Drun
Tsai’s first term had its successes and failures, yet she still won a historic re-election victory. What can she deliver in her second term?
Taiwan High Court Overturns Acquittals, Finds Sunflower Movement Protesters Guilty
By Nick Aspinwall
The High Court’s decision to overturn not guilty verdicts for seven protesters who stormed the Executive Yuan led to outrage from civil society figures.
Japan and China’s Competition in the Pacific Islands
By Denghua Zhang and Miwa Hirono
Amid the geostrategic competition in the Pacific, the China-Japan dynamic is often overlooked.
COVID-19 Brings Cross-Strait Relations to a Crossroads
By Chieh-chi Hsieh
Even more than Tsai’s landslide re-election, the outbreak spells major trouble for the CCP’s unification agenda.
Yuen Yuen Ang on Corruption and Growth in China
By Shannon Tiezzi
Chinese corruption actually fuels growth – but at a steep cost.
US Commerce Department Tightens China Export Controls on Military Use Concerns
By Ankit Panda
The new rule expands the scope of existing export restrictions to cover all military end-users in China.
China Sets Date for ‘Two Sessions’ in Latest Move Toward Post-COVID Normal
By Associated Press
The annual sessions of the National People’s Congress and CPPCC, originally slated for March, will now take place in late May.
How South Korea Is Building Influence Through COVID-19 Testing Kits
By Kyle Ferrier
People-to-people ties and government connections below the national level have been playing an outsized role in exports of the crucial tests.