Latest Stories
Harris, Human Rights, and a Problem for Modi
Trump won’t bother about India’s human rights record. Harris might. That’s a worry for the Modi administration.
How the Patriotic Investment Act Can Counter China’s Stimulus Package
A little-noticed bill introduced in the U.S. Congress has the potential to chill American investors’ appetite for Chinese assets.
Prabowo’s 8% Growth Gamble: Reform or Bureaucratic Bloat?
Indonesia's incoming president has an ambitious economic plan, but his current approach may not be up to the task.
Military-Ruled Myanmar Falls to Bottom of Internet Freedom Ranking
According to the latest Freedom on the Net report, the nation's digital space is now as constrained as China's.
Malaysia’s Anwar Again Says Oil and Gas Exploration Will Continue
China has protested the state energy firm Petronas' exploration activities in the South China Sea.
Why Bangladesh-China Defense Ties Are Poised to Strengthen After the Monsoon Revolution
Beijing is keenly aware of the opportunities arising from the ouster of PM Sheikh Hasina, and will seek to strengthen its existing defense diplomacy with Dhaka.
Most Read
Taiwan’s Semiconductor Export Conundrum
Taiwan’s sales of semiconductors to Chinese entities paradoxically feed a threat to Taiwan’s very existence. Why, then, does Taiwan persist with these exports?
Sri Lanka’s New President Is More a Pragmatist Than a Marxist
Anura Kumara Dissanayake is well aware that his handling of Sri Lanka’s vulnerable economy will determine his political future.
Competing Sectarianisms in Malaysia
A new bill seeks to tighten Islamic orthodoxies, imperiling the country's reputation for religious tolerance and inclusion.
Magazine
How Jokowi Conquered Indonesian Politics
He’s long been the most popular politician in the country. But will his 10 years in power leave a lasting legacy?
Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Power Conundrum
What is true and not in the arguments for and against nuclear power in Kazakhstan? Why does Russia loom so large in this debate? And is the government listening to the people?
The 75-Year Quest to Make China Great Again
On the surface, there is little that connects Xi Jinping’s PRC to that of Mao and Deng. But a closer examination of Xi’s rejuvenation strategy reveals an enduring set of political and economic principles and a high degree of policy continuity.
Moonis Ahmar on the Future of Bangladesh-Pakistan Relations
“Pakistan’s alignment with the BNP or Jamaat has always been counterproductive.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
Why Bangladesh-China Defense Ties Are Poised to Strengthen After the Monsoon Revolution
Beijing is keenly aware of the opportunities arising from the ouster of PM Sheikh Hasina, and will seek to strengthen its existing defense diplomacy with Dhaka.
Mongolia and China Celebrate 75 Years of Partnership
Boiling 54 Eggs: China’s Approach to Africa
Why Do China Bulls Keep Getting It Wrong?
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
The Quad’s Coast Guard Cooperation: New Dynamics in Power Politics
The new Coast Guard cooperation among the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan is a crucial step in building a resilient and unified front in the Indo-Pacific.
How Vietnam Can Realize Its Semiconductor Ambitions
Innovating Vietnam’s Public Diplomacy in the South China Sea
China Conducts More Military Drills Around Taiwan
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
North Korea’s Nuclear Submarine Program Could Seriously Complicate a Future US War Effort
As Pyongyang reportedly begins construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine, the question is whether it will be a strategic ballistic missile sub or a more conventional attack sub.
The Quad Is Quietly Adapting Methods of Security Cooperation
Minding Global South Realities Amid Indo-Pacific Strategic Competition
US Marine Corps Deploys a New Unmanned Semi-submersible Vessel on Okinawa, Japan
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Military-Ruled Myanmar Falls to Bottom of Internet Freedom Ranking
According to the latest Freedom on the Net report, the nation's digital space is now as constrained as China's.
Malaysia’s Anwar Again Says Oil and Gas Exploration Will Continue
Indonesian Prabowo Seeking PDI-P Support for Governing Coalition
Revived Cambodian Nationalism Threatens to Undermine ‘Special’ Relationship With Vietnam
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Maldives Moves to Hike Tourism Taxes and Tighten Belts
President Muizzu announced plans to dismiss more than 200 political appointees as part of efforts to reduce government spending but postponed politically difficult subsidy reforms.
How Hunger Drives Mass Uprisings in Bangladesh
India Turns to Maritime Neighbors to Navigate Troubled Neighborhood
India-Canada Relations in a Downward Spiral
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
Harris or Trump? South Korea’s Own Political Divide Colors Views of the US Election
Depending on their foreign policy preferences, South Korea’s political groups have varied perceptions of what they would like to see from the next U.S. administration.
Han Kang Becomes First South Korean to Win the Nobel Prize in Literature
8 Months on, South Korean Doctors Are Still on Strike
The Plight of the ‘Zainichi’ Koreans
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
The History of Japan’s Nobel Peace Prize-Winning Nuclear Survivors’ Group
Nihon Hidankyo was honored “for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.” It’s a culmination of nearly 70 years of work.
Ishiba’s Push for an ‘Asian NATO’ Is a Non-starter
Japan’s Foreign Policy Beyond the US Presidential Election
Japan’s New Prime Minister and the North Korean Abduction Issue
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
How the Patriotic Investment Act Can Counter China’s Stimulus Package
A little-noticed bill introduced in the U.S. Congress has the potential to chill American investors’ appetite for Chinese assets.
In Financing ‘Infrastructure for Tomorrow,’ the AIIB Refuses to Learn From Its Past
Navigating Security and Privacy in the Asia-Pacific: A Legal and Diplomatic Balancing Act
Amid the China-US Competition, Beware of Data Colonialism
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
How Tajikistan and Uzbekistan Are Resolving Transport Connectivity Issues
Despite the potential for a conflict of interests on the transport and transit track, it is still beneficial for Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to cooperate rather than compete.
What Does Kyrgyzstan Have to Do With the Spanish Seizure of Chemical Products Bound for Russia?
The View From the Ground: China’s Evolving Strategy in South and Central Asia
The Power of Names: Turkey’s Shift From Central Asia to Turkestan
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
Prabowo’s 8% Growth Gamble: Reform or Bureaucratic Bloat?
Indonesia's incoming president has an ambitious economic plan, but his current approach may not be up to the task.
The EUDR Hints at the Limits of Market Access as Leverage
Prabowo to Reappoint Sri Mulyani as Indonesia’s Finance Minister
Indonesia Asks Apple, Google to Block Chinese E-Commerce App Temu
Oceania
The South Pacific
Australia’s Response to Atrocities: A Tale of 2 Tragedies
The impacts of media coverage and public deliberations on Australia’s foreign policy – from the 2017 Rohingya crisis to the current war in Gaza.
Australian Public Diplomacy and a National Rugby League Team in Papua New Guinea
How the US Election Could Affect New Zealand Foreign Policy
At UN, Australia’s FM Wong Defends International Institutions at a Time of Crisis
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
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
Voters Show up in Record Numbers to Kick off Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections
Eight constituencies in the Jammu region and 16 from the Kashmir Valley voted on the first phase of assembly elections. Two more rounds of voting remain.