Latest Stories
Cambodia, China Open New Facilities at Ream Naval Base
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said that the refurbished base would be open to "all friendly parties," but U.S. suspicions are likely to persist.
Targeted Aid and Strategic Competition in Southeast Asia
As China recalibrates its aid and financing to the region, Western donors need to offer an alternative that is both credible and matches the region’s development priorities.
Trump’s Tariffs Won’t Change the Trajectory of Vietnam’s Foreign Policy
The country’s economic response to the tariffs will be guided by its multilateral and diversified foreign policy approach.
Indonesia’s Quiet Militarization Under President Prabowo Subianto
The revision of the TNI Law has eroded the principle of civilian supremacy. It could also undermine the cohesion of the military itself.
Prominent American Academic Accused of Defaming Thai Monarchy
The Royal Thai Army has accused Paul Chambers, a lecturer at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok, of violating the lese-majeste law and Computer Crime Act.
New Law Gives Government a Foothold in Indian Muslim Waqf Properties
Opposition parties and Muslim groups are challenging the legislation’s constitutional validity in the Supreme Court.
Most Read
China Coast Guard Makes Its Longest Intrusion Into Disputed East China Sea Waters
The record-setting intrusion occurred on the same day that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi came to Tokyo.
Can Philippine President Marcos Survive the Wrath of the Dutertes?
The economy may pose a more serious threat than the fulminations of the Mindanao-based political clan.
Why India Must Stop Ignoring Bangladesh’s Interim Government
India needs to understand the nuanced reality of the ground situation in Bangladesh.
Magazine
Adani’s Controversial Footprint in India’s Neighborhood (and Elsewhere)
The growth of the Adani Group, especially overseas, has mirrored Modi’s political ascendancy. As a result, controversy involving Adani projects causes backlash against India as a whole.
Cambodia: The Unbearable Memory of the Khmer Rouge
April 17, 1975 – the day Phnom Penh fell – can perhaps never be fully reappropriated because of the strong sense of shame and pain that surrounds it.
Will Lee Jae-myung Rise From South Korea’s Political Chaos?
Lee Jae-myung’s strategic bet – that he can leverage widespread public discontent without further deepening societal divisions – will pose a key test for South Korea’s democracy.
Larry Diamond on the Importance of US Foreign Aid
“Ending aid is not a strategy to make America great again. It’s a strategy to make America resented and isolated in the world.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
China Is an Indispensable US Trade Partner. Will Trump’s Tariffs Hurt Beijing?
The tariffs imposed on China’s exporters will likely be paid by American consumers.
Is China’s Peace Plan Still Relevant for Gaza?
Without Radio Free Asia, Who Will Expose China’s Atrocities?
Chinese Influencer Ordered to Leave Taiwan Over Pro-Unification Content
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
On Defense, Trump’s Early Moves in Asia Have Been Notably Normal
Despite its high-decibel MAGA rhetoric, the administration has largely upheld the regional commitments made during Joe Biden's presidency.
The DNI Report Reveals Why the US Must Enhance Deterrence
China Coast Guard Makes Its Longest Intrusion Into Disputed East China Sea Waters
Malaysia to Tighten Chip Controls After Pressure From US, Report Says
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Cambodia, China Open New Facilities at Ream Naval Base
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said that the refurbished base would be open to "all friendly parties," but U.S. suspicions are likely to persist.
Capitalizing on PLA Vulnerabilities: Taiwan’s Opportunities for Enhanced Defense
US Clears Possible $5B Sale of Jet Fighters to Philippines
How Indonesia’s Revised Military Law Could Impact Regional Security Dynamics
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Targeted Aid and Strategic Competition in Southeast Asia
As China recalibrates its aid and financing to the region, Western donors need to offer an alternative that is both credible and matches the region’s development priorities.
Trump’s Tariffs Won’t Change the Trajectory of Vietnam’s Foreign Policy
Indonesia’s Quiet Militarization Under President Prabowo Subianto
Prominent American Academic Accused of Defaming Thai Monarchy
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
New Law Gives Government a Foothold in Indian Muslim Waqf Properties
Opposition parties and Muslim groups are challenging the legislation’s constitutional validity in the Supreme Court.
What Trump’s New Tariff Rules Mean for South Asia
The Man Who Would be King Again? Former Nepal King’s Delusions of Power
Frontline Failure: Pakistan’s Climate Vulnerability and Leadership Gap
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
South Korea’s Risky Bet on Online Regulation
As Seoul considers new regulations on online platforms, concerns about competition, national security, and possible U.S. retaliation loom large.
The Constitutional Questions Being Considered in President Yoon’s Impeachment Case
Constitutional Court Overturns Impeachment of South Korean Prime Minister
What’s Behind the Constitutional Court’s Delayed Verdict on Yoon Suk-yeol’s Impeachment?
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
Japan Enacts FY 2025 Budget After Rare Revisions
Rice prices and inflation are putting pressure on Ishiba’s minority government.
US, Japan ‘Stand Firmly Together’ in the Face of Aggressive Chinese Actions
In Japan, the Radicalness of Yamamoto Taro Meets the Moment
China’s ‘Malinformation’ Comes for Okinawa
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
ASEAN’s Position in Plastic Treaty Negotiations: Paper Tiger, Plastic Dragon?
ASEAN has become an attractive destination for petrochemical expansion and plastic waste exports, given its proximity to China and regional appetite for foreign investment. This will come at high risks to the region.
COP31: An Opportunity That Australia Cannot Afford to Miss
Airstrikes Amid Earthquakes: Myanmar’s Double Disaster
Modi’s Waqf Bill a Potential Death Blow for Muslim Property Rights
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
The EU and Central Asia Can Forge a Strategic Partnership Through Connectivity
The Samarkand summit marks a watershed moment in EU-Central Asia relations at a time when the international order is undergoing a fundamental realignment.
Kygyz, Tajik, Uzbek Presidents Hold Groundbreaking Trilateral Summit
China’s Expanding Footprint in Uzbekistan
USAID Cuts Devastating to Central Asia Programs
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
Trump’s Subtle Shift on China: From Economic Coercion to Military Confrontation
Trump may not entirely rule out a deal with Beijing, but the ongoing stalemates in Ukraine and Gaza are pushing him to seek breakthroughs elsewhere.
AI vs Art: Studio Ghibli Edition
Vietnam in US-China Trade Tensions
Voice of America Shutdown: Trump’s Gift to China
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
Tariffs and Inflation for the US, Disruption for Indian Supply Chains
India must work at making India great as opposed to bending over backwards to help Trump in Making America Great Again.
How Sri Lanka is Rewriting its Economic Narrative
The India-US Trade Dilemma: Tariffs, Tensions, and the Road Ahead
Why Grab Wants to Acquire Indonesia’s GoTo for $7 Billion
Oceania
The South Pacific
Cooperation, Coordination, and Strategic Denial: Echoes and Lessons from Cold War Oceania
With a fundamentally different playing field today, the United States and its Western partners should adapt, if not adopt, the strategies of the Cold War.
Australia’s Confidence Problem
Australia’s Upcoming Election: The Independent Factor
As Australia’s Election Called for May 3, Both Labor and Liberals See Cause for Hope
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
Trump, Tariffs, and America’s Global Messaging
The Asia Geopolitics podcast discusses the latest developments in Washington and their implications for Asia policy.
Duterte in The Hague: The Philippines and the Geopolitics of International Law
Is the United States Relitigating Its Grand Strategy?
DeepSeek and the AI Competition
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
The Untold Stories of Peshawar’s Gemstone Market at Namak Mandi
Pakistan’s largest and most important gemstone and mineral market is deeply intertwined with the region’s borders, conflict, and undocumented economies.