Latest Stories
Will Sikh Separatist Pannun Spoil India’s Plans to Mediate Between Russia and Ukraine?
The timing of the U.S. scrutiny of top Indian officials is important. It came even as India’s rising role in Quad was evident at the Delaware summit.
India Must Match China’s Speedy Moves in Bangladesh’s New Political Landscape
Both were close to former Prime Minister Hasina. But China built ties with other parties too and has reached out faster to the new interim government.
The Coming Drift in India-Iran Relations
India is more aligned with Israel than Iran with regard to combating terrorism. The latter sponsors terror groups in the Middle East as does Pakistan in South Asia.
Former Singaporean Transport Minister Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison
S Iswaran pleaded guilty to accepting more than S$400,000 in valuable gifts from businessmen who had dealings with the government.
Harris or Trump: US Southeast Asia Policy Confronts Hard Realities
There is an urgent need to reinforce U.S. competitiveness in the region regardless of who emerges victorious at the November 5 election.
Why Have No Southeast Asian Leaders Won the Nobel Peace Prize?
The region's Nobel laureates have all been non-state actors whose advocacy has aligned with the narratives of Western powers.
Most Read
What’s in a Name? For Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ Capital, Everything.
The abrupt name change of the city formerly known as Port Blair has caused a backlash among locals, who already feel marginalized in their own home.
The Hidden Significance of China’s Aircraft Carrier Passage Near Japan’s Yonaguni Island
While the political implications of this voyage are undoubtedly important, three significant military trends related to Yonaguni Island have long been overlooked.
Myanmar’s Silent Digital Crisis
The country’s civil war has been accompanied by the growing prevalence of non-consensual pornography and other forms of cyber-attacks on women.
Magazine
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.”
The Solomon Islands-China Relationship: 5 Years On
The diplomatic relationship between the Solomon Islands and China has had profound and far-reaching effects on the country’s development, economy, and political landscape.
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
Beijing’s Push to Welcome Foreign Talent
Two years after zero-COVID ended, China is now serious about attracting foreign talent, especially in the tech space. But challenges remain in practice.
In First, China Sentences a Taiwanese National to Prison on Separatism Charges
From COVID-19 to Economic Stimulus: Why China Is Prone to Sudden Policy U-Turns
China’s Market Frenzy: Will the Euphoria Last or Fade Fast?
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
Gray Hulls in the Gray Zone: Indonesia’s Conundrum in the South China Sea
Due to long-time neglect of its coast guard equivalent, Indonesia has been forced to use its navy to respond to China’s incursions – giving Beijing an excuse to do the same.
Why Did China Test-fire an ICBM Into the South Pacific?
India’s Arctic Challenge: Aligning Strategic Interests With Regional Realities
The Risks of North Korean Provocations in the West Sea
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Rethinking Taiwan’s Defense Preparedness in the Context of Whole-of-Society Resilience
In the face of hybrid warfare and nontraditional threats, Taiwan's defense budget includes more than military expenditure.
AI and Indian Defense: Enhancing National Security Through Innovation
Singapore Navy Commissions First Two Invincible-Class Submarines
Great Power Competition and China’s New Era of ICBM Testing
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Former Singaporean Transport Minister Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison
S Iswaran pleaded guilty to accepting more than S$400,000 in valuable gifts from businessmen who had dealings with the government.
Why Have No Southeast Asian Leaders Won the Nobel Peace Prize?
Vietnam Protests ‘Brutal’ Chinese Attack on Fishermen in Paracel Islands
Rights Orgs, Press Freedom Groups Call for Release of Cambodian Journalist
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Will Sikh Separatist Pannun Spoil India’s Plans to Mediate Between Russia and Ukraine?
The timing of the U.S. scrutiny of top Indian officials is important. It came even as India’s rising role in Quad was evident at the Delaware summit.
India Must Match China’s Speedy Moves in Bangladesh’s New Political Landscape
The Coming Drift in India-Iran Relations
The Fall of Sheikh Hasina and the Potential Rise of a Radical Political Pariah in Bangladesh
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
Tourists and Diplomats Come Back to North Korea: A Chance for Renewed Engagement
North Korea’s near-simultaneous reopening to tourism and to Western diplomats after five years of isolation signals a dramatic shift in the country’s approach to international engagement.
Rice Prices in North Korea Surge to New Highs in September
South Korea’s Changing Position on Kim Jong Un’s Daughter
North Korea Gives Glimpse Into a Secretive Uranium-Enrichment Facility as Kim Pushes for More Nukes
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
Ishiba Shigeru Wants a Stronger Japan-US Alliance. He Has an Unorthodox Vision For Doing That.
Japan’s new prime minister has long called for more reciprocity in the alliance, including revisions in the Status of Forces Agreement and Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
Japan’s Official Development Assistance and the National Interest
3 Things to Know About Japan’s New Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru
Ex-Defense Minister Ishiba Shigeru Will Be Japan’s Next Prime Minister
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
What’s Wrong With Calling Hun Sen ‘Despicable’?
In clamping down so hard on the speech of its citizens, the Cambodian government only reveals the depth of its insecurities.
Why It’s Time to Rename the South China Sea
US Congress Should Support the Transnational Repression Reporting Act
The Arrest of Mech Dara (Part I): Repression and Retaliation
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Kyrgyzstan’s New North-South Highway Nears Completion
Work on Kyrgyzstan’s North-South Alternative Highway, an ambitious project to speed up travel throughout the mountainous country and help connect its disparate regions, may finally be coming to an end.
Central Asia’s War on Hijab
Tajikistan’s Winter Electricity Rationing Starts Early
Verdict Expected Soon in Trial of 11 Journalists in Kyrgyzstan
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
Harris or Trump: US Southeast Asia Policy Confronts Hard Realities
There is an urgent need to reinforce U.S. competitiveness in the region regardless of who emerges victorious at the November 5 election.
Why Isn’t the ‘China Card’ Effective in This US Election?
US Forced Labor Ruling on Indonesian Nickel Could Backfire
An American Pastor Detained in China for Nearly 20 Years Has Been Released
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
The Foreign Policy Connections of India’s Semiconductor Strategy
India’s mission to build up its semiconductor industry is closely tied to its foreign partnerships, like with the U.S. and Singapore.
US Commerce Department Imposes Duties on Southeast Asian Solar Imports
The Political Economy of Cinema in Thailand
A Potential Trade War With China: EU Strengths and Weaknesses
Oceania
The South Pacific
At UN, Australia’s FM Wong Defends International Institutions at a Time of Crisis
Wong argued, “We have no option and no excuse but to find a way through our challenges today, immense and intractable as they are.”
Tuvalu’s Water Woes
New Zealand’s Trade Deal With the UAE Could Be the Start of Something Much Bigger
Niue’s Strategic Diplomatic Expansion
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.