Most Read

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.

4 Obstacles to India Joining the UN Security Council
Despite persistent lobbying, experts say it’s unlikely India will gain permanent membership of the U.N. Security Council anytime soon for several reasons.

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

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.

Kashmir at the Boiling Point as Elections Loom
Behind the government’s narrative of new stability and prosperity lies suppressed, collective anger.

The Domestic Politics Behind Inter-Korean Relations
Recent actions by North and South Korea demonstrate a deep breakdown in their relationship. What are the political calculations driving this dynamic on both sides?

Amin Saikal on the United States’ Many Mistakes in Afghanistan
The United States “overestimated the power that the U.S. military could bring to bear in changing Afghanistan.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order

China’s Property Market: Explaining the Boom and Bust
Before the real estate sector bottomed out, it catapulted hundreds of millions of Chinese into the middle class.
Unveiling the Remote-Poaching Model: Taiwan’s Strategy to Limit China’s AI Chip Progress
China Is Gobbling up Chile’s Energy Sector
Taiwan’s Political Divide on UN Resolution 2758
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means

The Risks of North Korean Provocations in the West Sea
The West Sea’s strategic and economic significance for both Koreas increases the likelihood of future provocations.
In Historic First, Japan Sends Naval Ship Through the Taiwan Strait
EU China Policy Under von der Leyen 2.0
India’s Technology Engagement Strategy: Beyond the Quad
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific

Singapore Navy Commissions First Two Invincible-Class Submarines
The German-built boats are the first that have been custom-built for the congested tropical waters surrounding the city-state.
Great Power Competition and China’s New Era of ICBM Testing
The Decline of US Naval Power (and How It Can Make a Comeback)
China Establishes Defense Mobilization Units Around Taiwan’s Outlying Islands
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion

Indonesia To Improve Supervision of Commodities Sector, Official Says
Jakarta plans to review the U.S. Department of Labor's claim of forced labor by Chinese majority-owned nickel mining and processing firms.
Just How Proactive is Thailand’s ‘Proactive Diplomacy’?
Chinese FM Criticizes US Missile Deployment in the Philippines
Myanmar Military Calls on Opponents to Enter Political Dialogue
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia

Turkmenistan Eyes Pakistan’s Gwadar Port for Trade Expansion
But Ashgabat could hesitate to fully commit to the project, given the dire security situation in Balochistan and regional security challenges.
Tirupati Temple’s Sweet Offering to the Gods Is Caught in Bitter Political Controversy
Conspiracy Theories as Fomenters of Violent Extremism in South Asia
How the Baloch Struggle Went Mainstream
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

Ex-Defense Minister Ishiba Shigeru Will Be Japan’s Next Prime Minister
In his fifth attempt, Ishiba was chosen to lead Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Japan’s Current Rice Shortage Foreshadows Long-Term Problems
The Evolving Geopolitical Dynamics of PALM 10
‘Realism’ Looms Large Over the CDP Leadership Race
The Debate
Comment and Opinion

To Solve the Plastic Crisis, We Must Phase out Production
Promoting recycling without a systems change that unlocks drastic reduction of plastics is merely greenwashing.
Getting to Know Prabowo
The Global Community Must Stop Enabling the Taliban’s Abuse
Singapore or Bangladesh?: The Two Futures of Indonesia’s Economy Under Prabowo Subianto
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road

Uzbek Politician Alisher Qodirov Takes on Russian Chauvinism and Soviet Legacy
Alisher Qodirov’s outspoken criticism of Russian chauvinism and the Soviet legacy marks a significant shift in Uzbekistan’s political discourse, sending a clear message to Moscow.
The Latinization of Kazakhstan: Language, Modernization and Geopolitics
Will Central Asia Speak Up? A Look at the Upcoming UNGA Session
Uzbekistan’s Approach to Afghanistan in the Context of Strengthening Regional Security
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia

Why Isn’t the ‘China Card’ Effective in This US Election?
China has not emerged as a key issue in this campaign cycle, due to both policy convergence and a focus on domestic issues.
US Forced Labor Ruling on Indonesian Nickel Could Backfire
An American Pastor Detained in China for Nearly 20 Years Has Been Released
The US Withdrawal from Afghanistan: ‘Willful Blindness’ or a Face-Saving Act?
Pacific Money
Economy And Business

Laos and Cambodia Don’t Include Scam Industries in Their GDP Data. Should They?
As strange as it sounds, it is not unusual for nations to include criminal activities in their official economic reports.
Is Indonesia’s Middle Class Really Shrinking?
The Rise of VietJet, Explained
Bangladesh at a Crossroads: The Urgent Need to Revitalize Foreign Investment
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.