Topic
Security
Laos Bestows National Development Award on Sanctioned Chinese ‘Crime Boss’
By Sebastian Strangio
Zhao Wei is the head of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Bokeo province, a known haven of cyber-scam operations.
Ethnic Armed Group Claims Full Control of Myanmar’s Border With Bangladesh
By Sebastian Strangio
The Arakan Army says that it has captured the last remaining junta base in Maungdaw Township, after six months of fighting.
Cyberscamming is Southeast Asia’s Incurable Disease
By David Hutt
The region has experienced its share of criminality, but the recent explosion of online scam operations is both quantitatively and qualitatively different.
For Japan, Whaling Is Intertwined With Maritime Sovereignty
By Maxime Polleri
Japan argues that whaling is part of its history and culture. A rigid insistence on maritime sovereignty offers a more convincing explanation for Tokyo’s stance.
The Overlooked Trend in China’s Military Violations of Taiwan’s ADIZ
By Cheng-kun Ma and K. Tristan Tang
The world should focus not only on the PLA’s daily violation sorties but also on the near-weekly joint combat readiness patrols.
What Do the Latest Purges Mean for China’s Military?
By Duncan Bartlett
The dismissal of senior commanders creates a sense of “chaos and disarray,” says a leading defense expert.
China’s Mineral Export Ban Strikes at the US Defense Industrial Base
By Gregory Wischer, Morgan Bazilian, and Jahara “Franky” Matisek
The U.S. defense industry could experience short-term mineral shortages and higher prices – not to mention the impact on the U.S. economy more broadly.
Revisiting ‘Forces Goal 2030’: Bangladesh’s Military Modernization Plan Under the New Government
By Khandakar Tahmid Rejwan
Every major step taken during the Hasina administration is now subject to change – including Bangladesh’s first formalized military modernization blueprint.
China-Pakistan’s ‘All Weather Friendship’ Gets Rebuff From Taliban
By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
Beijing has sought to press the Taliban, on behalf of Pakistan, to deal with the TTP. The Taliban remain unmoved.
Philippines, China Again Clash at Two Disputed South China Sea Shoals
By Sebastian Strangio
The confrontations at Scarborough and Sabina shoals indicate that Beijing has no intention of easing off on its pressure campaign in disputed waters.
What Drives the Recurring Deadly Sectarian Violence in Pakistan’s Kurram District?
By Osama Ahmad
The region has a decades-long history of sectarian violence, exacerbated by land disputes and proxy warfare.
The Okinawa Conundrum: Rethinking Regional Security
By Cathy Fang
As regional tensions escalate, particularly concerning the Taiwan Strait, discussions of Okinawa often fall prey to reductionist narratives.