Region
East Asia

Taking Enhanced Russia-North Korea Ties in Stride
By Lyle Goldstein
In the end, enhanced Russia-North Korea ties should not come as a surprise.

China’s Economy Slowed Last Quarter as Weak Consumer Demand Dragged on Growth
By Elaine Kurtenbach
The second quarter’s 4.7 percent growth was far below the 5.3 percent pace seen in the first quarter of 2024.

Why Did China, Mongolia, and Russia Skip Their Trilateral Leaders’ Summit at This Year’s SCO Gathering?
By Sumiya Chuluunbaatar
Instead, a trilateral foreign ministerial level meeting between China, Mongolia, and Russia was held. What does the change mean?

Who Is Han Dong-hoon?
By Eunwoo Lee
South Korea’s ruling People Power Party is riven by internal conflict in the lead up to its national convention, where Han seeks to return as party chief.

Navigating Next-Gen Air Power in the Indo-Pacific
By Wilder Alejandro Sánchez
The United States’ Indo-Pacific adversaries are already working on their next-generation fighter jets. Washington can’t fall behind.

How Is China’s Global Education Strategy Evolving?
By Pippa Ebel
Growing numbers of Chinese universities are drawing students from partner regions such as Africa with science-focused programs.

How Mongolia’s Foreign Policy Can Bolster Critical Mineral Supply Chains
By Bolor Lkhaajav and Enkhtur Lkhagvajav
Mongolia has a significant opportunity to contribute to the regional and global energy transition by supplying key commodities.

Japan Warms up to NATO
By Yukari Easton
Nothing can substitute Japan’s collective defense with the United States, but working with a multilateral bloc such as NATO is an important effort to bolster deterrence.

Japan’s Defense White Paper Sounds Alarm Over China, North Korea, Russia
By Takahashi Kosuke
A situation similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may occur in East Asia, Tokyo warns.

With or Without Opening? Previewing China’s Third Plenum Reforms
By Nathaniel Sher and Ray Wang
Without efforts to revive market confidence, Beijing’s broader reform agenda could falter.

China’s Third Plenum Shines Light on Center-Local Fiscal Challenges
By Jennifer Lee
China watchers should temper their expectations and anticipate incremental changes building off of existing policy rather than deep reform.

The Folly of Interlinking NATO and US Asian Alliances
By James Park and Artin DerSimonian
NATO’s drift into the Asia-Pacific could only heighten tensions in an already fraught regional environment.