Latest Stories
Maldives Balks at Banning Israeli Tourists
The ruling party and tourism industry associations oppose a “blanket ban” on Israeli passport holders as proposed by the opposition and backed by a pro-Palestine public consensus.
US Announces Fresh Round of Duties on Solar Imports From Southeast Asia
The Commerce Department says that Chinese firms based in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia are flooding the U.S. market with artificially cheap solar panels.
Bhopal Gas Tragedy: 40 Years of Injustice
To this day, Union Carbide has failed to name any of the chemicals and reaction products that leaked along with MIC on that fateful night.
Philippine President Discourages Impeachment Bid Against the Vice President
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has also described his feud with Vice President Sara Duterte and her family as a "storm in a teacup."
COP29 Finance Goal Falls Short of Addressing Southeast Asia’s Needs
The conference put more money on the table for developing countries, but this will not solve the “chicken-and-egg” dilemmas facing the region.
Myanmar Navy Fires At Thai Fishing Boats, Detains 31 Crew
Thailand continues to experience the backwash from the internal ructions in Myanmar.
Most Read
Assessing the J-35A: The Chinese Air Force’s New Stealth Fighter
After its official reveal at the Zhuhai Airshow, what do we know about China's new fifth-generation fighter?
Myanmar Rebel Leader Has Been Detained in China, Report Says
Peng Daxun, the head of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, is reportedly under house arrest in Yunnan.
Trump 2.0 and the Future of the Taiwan Strait Conflict
Trump’s return to the White House, along with his hawkish advisers, will have Beijing expecting a conflict – and acting accordingly.
Magazine
Is the Indian Ocean Ready for Another Mega-Tsunami?
The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami sparked the world’s largest humanitarian and disaster recovery effort. But 20 years on, governments still fail to sufficiently integrate disaster reduction into longer-term strategic thinking.
Kelly Grieco on Indo-Pacific Reactions to Trump’s Reelection
“The Trump administration can have a tough-on-China policy, or it can have a tough-on-allies policy, but it probably cannot have both.”
The United States and the Democracy Question in South Asia
The inconsistencies and contradictions in U.S. democracy promotion, are not limited to one particular administration, but to the U.S. approach as a whole.
Southeast Asia’s Semiconductor Play
Integrated circuits are acquiring ever greater currency as a geopolitical flashpoint, and this is creating a window of opportunity for countries that are eager to move up the value chain.
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
In Handling the North Korea-Russia Alliance, Trump Should Follow Nixon
It is high time to improve North Korea-U.S. relations, and the U.S. president-elect is uniquely positioned to do so.
Chinese Vessel Suspected of Damaging European Submarine Cables
Can Trump’s Tariffs Slow Down China’s Push to Lead High-tech Supply Chains?
‘America First’ and Threading the Needle on Tech Sovereignty
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Japan, Germany Listed as Finalists for Royal Australian Navy’s Future Frigates
Will Australia strategically choose Tokyo to strengthen bilateral cooperation? Or will it opt for a German-designed frigate that is familiar to the Royal Australian Navy?
Beyond the Clouds: The Thai Air Force’s Grand Rebrand
Indonesia’s Defense Minister Has a Chance to Remake the Military For a New Era
The Australia-Japan-US Trilateral: Forming Collective Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Philippine President Discourages Impeachment Bid Against the Vice President
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has also described his feud with Vice President Sara Duterte and her family as a "storm in a teacup."
Myanmar Navy Fires At Thai Fishing Boats, Detains 31 Crew
Indonesian President’s Coalition Set For Victory in Regional Elections
ICC Prosecutor Requests Arrest Warrant for Myanmar Junta Chief
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Maldives Balks at Banning Israeli Tourists
The ruling party and tourism industry associations oppose a “blanket ban” on Israeli passport holders as proposed by the opposition and backed by a pro-Palestine public consensus.
Bhopal Gas Tragedy: 40 Years of Injustice
Calls for ISKCON Ban Grow Louder in Bangladesh
Debating Victimhood: The Complexities of Forced Criminality in Southeast Asia’s Scam Compounds
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
North Korea’s Struggles to Deliver on Its Plans
The yawning gap between Pyongyang’s pledges and reality.
Seoul’s Boycott of Sado Mine Tribute Highlights Japan’s Flawed Approach to South Korea
Lee Jae-myung’s Legal Perils Could Threaten His Presidential Bid
How South Korea Should Prepare Before Trump Returns to the White House
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
60 Years of Japan-South Korea Relations: A Moment for Reflection and Progress
Under the leadership of Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, there is hope that recent momentum will continue.
Was the Abe-Trump ‘Bromance’ a Real Thing?
The China-Japan Travel Visa Spat
Turbulence in Japan’s Power Corridors Amid Trump’s Return
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
COP29 Finance Goal Falls Short of Addressing Southeast Asia’s Needs
The conference put more money on the table for developing countries, but this will not solve the “chicken-and-egg” dilemmas facing the region.
The Time of Impunity for Myanmar’s War Criminals Must End
Global Plastic Treaty Talks Offer Final Hope to Protect Pacific Island Oceans
A Plea for Justice and Clemency for a Brother on Singapore’s Death Row
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Can the US Be a Weapons Supplier to Central Asia?
The United States' footprint in the Central Asian arms market is minimal, but the State Department believes this situation could change in the future.
Security Service Shakeup in Wake of Allamjonov Assassination Attempt
India-Kazakhstan Cooperation in Critical Minerals Signals a Shifting Regional Approach
Central Asia’s Green Transition Goals Highlighted at COP29
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
Trump and Great Power Competition in the Pacific Islands
From climate change to security cooperation, the decisive election victory of former President Donald Trump will have important consequences for Pacific Island nations.
Rubio’s Nomination to Head US Diplomacy Bodes Well for Human Rights in China
The Democratic Party’s Electoral Rout Stemmed From Its China Strategy
US-Philippine Relationship to ‘Transcend’ Changes in Administration, Austin Says
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
US Announces Fresh Round of Duties on Solar Imports From Southeast Asia
The Commerce Department says that Chinese firms based in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia are flooding the U.S. market with artificially cheap solar panels.
Why Thailand Plans to Stretch the National Budget in 2025
Will the Trump Administration Save TikTok? What’s Next for the Platform
Is China Ready for the Trump Trade War 2.0?
Oceania
The South Pacific
Why Is Australia Banning Social Media for Youth Under 16?
Canberra is sounding the alarm: Social media usage has been linked to a host of horrible outcomes for youth and something needs to be done.
A Little Less Like-minded? Australia and the US Under Trump 2.0
The Australia-Pacific Bid to Host UN Climate Talks in 2026 Is in Limbo
Australia-China Relations: From Comprehensive Strategic Partners to Frenemies
Videos
Asia on Video
What’s Driving Taiwan’s Mass Protests?
Chiang Min-yen, a non-resident fellow at the Taiwan Economic Democracy Union, joins The Diplomat to discuss the concerns over the bill, the China factor, and what comes next.
What’s Behind Vietnam’s Political Upheaval?
The Danger of China’s Digital Silk Road
What Will China’s Shift From Oil Mean for Saudi Arabia and Russia?
Podcasts
Asia Geopolitics
America First, Again: US-China Relations and the Second Trump Administration
Where does the U.S.-China relationship go from here?
America First, Again: Asian Geopolitics and the Second Trump Administration
A New China-India Border Deal?
The Geopolitical Implications of the UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands Deal
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
Life in Ladakh Along the Disputed Sino-Indian Border
For Changpa women in Chushul, the 2020 clashes came during a larger societal shift in gender roles.