Top Stories
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February 04, 2023
Amid Reports of Blinken Visit, China Remained Ambivalent
By Hemant Adlakha
Sections of China’s officialdom and academia are adamant that the U.S. secretary of state should not be welcome in Beijing.
February 01, 2023
Is the Aral Sea a Lost Cause?
By Elena Gordillo
The impacts of the Aral Sea’s desiccation are threatening the lives of millions and hopes for its revival are plummeting.
February 01, 2023
What Does a New IMF Loan Mean for Bangladesh?
By Ashraful Alam Chowdhury
The loan was largely a precautionary measure, but Bangladesh must ensure the additional funds truly benefit the economy over the long term.
January 28, 2023
Japan’s Population Crisis Nears Point of No Return
By Thisanka Siripala
Japan’s population decline is following the worst-case scenario, prompting the government to devise urgent policies to incentivize more births.
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Magazine
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February 01, 2023
Do Pakistan-Russia Ties Have a Future?
By Salman Rafi Sheikh
There are strategic, economic, and geopolitical reasons for Islamabad to prefer ties with Washington over Moscow.
February 01, 2023
The Ebb and Flow of Protest in Thailand
By James Buchanan
With street politics halted and parliamentary politics effectively on hold until the election, Thailand feels in limbo.
February 01, 2023
Islamic State Khorasan: Global Jihad in a Multipolar World
By Lucas Webber
The Islamic State sees great opportunity in the churn of great power competition, with ISKP at the forefront of its vision of international jihad.
February 01, 2023
Beyond the Putin-Xi Relationship: China, Russia, and Great Power Politics
By Alexander Korolev
While the Putin-Xi friendship is important, it mostly oils the wheels of a relationship driven by longer-term structural trends.
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
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February 09, 2023
Where Is China’s Politics Headed in 2023?
By Dan Macklin
Beijing continues to face significant uncertainties at home and abroad, as the recent “Balloon-gate” saga demonstrates.
February 09, 2023
Leader From Taiwan’s KMT Starts China Trip as Beijing Ups Pressure
February 09, 2023
Data Shows China’s Coercive Diplomacy Isn’t Working
February 08, 2023
China Is Far From Alone in Experiencing Population Decline
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
F
February 09, 2023
How ‘Like-Mindedness’ Became the Key Attribute of the China Containment Strategy
By Andreas B. Forsby
The stronger identity dynamics become, the more likely they are to reduce all the specific strategic choices into a single decision: to side with the U.S. or China.
February 07, 2023
The Chinese Spy Balloon Incident: An Urgent Need for Communication
February 06, 2023
What Does International Law Say About China’s Spy Balloon and the US Response?
February 04, 2023
Singapore Strives to Protect Consumer Data
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
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February 07, 2023
India’s Aircraft Carriers Key to Indo-Pacific Strategy
By Ashok Sharma and David Rising
A refurbished Russian aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, will join the indigenously manufactured INS Vikrant soon to boost India’s power projection in the Indian Ocean.
February 05, 2023
Japan’s New Defense Direction and Its Indo-Pacific Policy
February 03, 2023
What’s Behind Proposed Changes to US Marine Deployments in Okinawa?
February 02, 2023
The Problem With European Militaries’ Indo-Pacific Push
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
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February 09, 2023
Vietnam’s Anti-Corruption Drive Can Never Go Far Enough
By David Hutt
In centralizing power to fight graft, Nguyen Phu Trong has created a system in which corruption has an even greater chance of flourishing once he’s gone.
February 09, 2023
Philippine President Marcos Embarks on 4-Day Visit to Japan
February 08, 2023
It’s Time to Re-evaluate the Myanmar Military’s Intelligence Capabilities
February 08, 2023
Inflation in Laos Continues to Rise, Reaches 23-Year High
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
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February 09, 2023
An Alarming New Bill Takes Aim at Pakistan’s Shias
By Asad Gokal and Jaffer A. Mirza
Pakistan is strengthening its controversial anti-blasphemy laws – with potentially deadly results for religious minority groups.
February 08, 2023
Sri Lankan Leader Appeals for Patience Amid Economic Crisis
February 08, 2023
Key Ally Quits Government in Nepal
February 08, 2023
In Afghanistan, Women Give Up Freedom to Stay Alive
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
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February 08, 2023
Kim Jong Un Stirs Up Loyalty of KPA Officers Ahead of Military Parade
By Mitch Shin
In a speech marking the 75th anniversary of the Korean People’s Army (KPA), leader Kim Jong Un urged his military to faithfully inherit the revolutionary and fighting spirit.
February 08, 2023
Court Says South Korea Responsible for Vietnam War Massacre
February 07, 2023
North Korea Calls for Perfecting War Preparedness
February 03, 2023
North Korean Defectors in China Can’t Get COVID-19 Vaccines, Treatments
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
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February 08, 2023
Japan Downgrades COVID-19 Threat Despite Spike in Deaths
By Thisanka Siripala
The government lowered the legal status of COVID-19 even as it grapples with a deadly outbreak.
February 07, 2023
Japan, China Hold Foreign Minister Call Days After NATO Chief’s Visit
February 01, 2023
Will Suga Yoshihide Make a Comeback?
January 28, 2023
Japan’s Population Crisis Nears Point of No Return
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
D
February 09, 2023
Neutrality and Non-alignment Are the Way Forward For ASEAN
By Kasit Piromya
The Southeast Asian regional bloc has ample experience in dealing with more powerful outside states – if only it can manage to draw on it.
February 08, 2023
Two Ways Indonesia is Helping China Persecute the Uyghurs
February 07, 2023
The Asia-Pacific’s Next Refugee Crisis Is Coming – Ready or Not
February 03, 2023
Hindu Nationalism on Display in India’s G20 Presidency
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
A
February 07, 2023
The Winds of Change: The Social and Political Cost of Climate Inaction in Central Asia
By Murod Ismailov
Climate change may be an “accelerant” for global cooperation, but it also poses significant social, political, and geopolitical challenges in Central Asia.
February 07, 2023
Kyrgyzstan’s Media Under Pressure
February 02, 2023
Cold Snap and Electricity Shortages Slam Central Asia, Afghanistan
February 02, 2023
A Gender Perspective on HIV Prevalence in Uzbekistan
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
V
February 08, 2023
What the Partisan Conflict Over Ilhan Omar Means for China-US Relations
By Jiachen Shi
Omar – and other progressive Democrats – seem to be pivoting toward a harder line stance on China as they come under Republican fire.
February 04, 2023
iCET: Strengthening the India-US Tech Agenda
February 03, 2023
Europe’s Misgivings About Sanctions Don’t Bode Well for US Export Controls
February 01, 2023
US Burma Act Uplifts the Resistance Movement in Myanmar
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
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February 09, 2023
New EU Regulation Could Hurt Small Palm Oil Producers: Watchdog
By Sebastian Strangio
Joseph D'Cruz, the head of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), believes that Brussels' new rules could have a "human, social and developmental cost."
February 08, 2023
Where Are Southeast Asia’s Tech Companies Headed?
February 08, 2023
Mitsubishi Scraps Development of Japan’s Homegrown Jet
February 02, 2023
Sun Cable’s Collapse and the Australian Role in Southeast Asia’s Energy Transition
Oceania
The South Pacific
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February 07, 2023
Australia, New Zealand Leaders Focus on China in First Meeting
By Rod McGuirk
On his first overseas trip, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins emphasized continuity with the Ardern government's foreign policy.
February 07, 2023
China-Australia Trade Ministers Hold 1st Meeting Since 2019
February 02, 2023
History’s Shadow Looms Over Fiji
January 31, 2023
Australia’s Nauru Conundrum
Videos
Asia on Video
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Podcasts
Asia Geopolitics
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February 07, 2023
What the Chinese Surveillance Balloon Incident Tells Us About US-China Relations
By Ankit Panda and Catherine Putz
A U.S. F-22 shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon that lingered in U.S. territorial airspace for days. What now?
January 27, 2023
The Drivers and Consequences of Vietnam’s January 2023 Political Shake-Up
January 09, 2023
Locking Horns With the Khmer Rouge
January 06, 2023
A New Defense Era: Japan’s 2022 National Security Strategy
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
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February 09, 2023
The Drowning Land
By Garry Lotulung
Sea level rises are often spoken about as a potential future impact of climate change. But on the Indonesian island of Java, they are already threatening millions.