Most Read
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China’s AI Breakthrough Signals a New Era of Tech Innovation
China’s major tech companies are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the shift to real-world applications for AI.
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From India to Russia and Back: Escaping the Russian Army
At least 12 Indian men have died fighting for the Russian army in Ukraine. In interviews, Indians share their stories of recruitment, fighting, and – in some cases – a lucky escape back home.
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Tracking Taliban Travel
Natalie Gonnella-Platts and Albert Torres explain how consistent travel ban exemptions undercut global efforts to pressure the Taliban.
Magazine
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The New Red Scare: When Fear Becomes a Political Weapon
More than seven decades later, the legacies of the Red Scare have resurfaced in the United States – this time targeting China.
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North Korea in Ukraine: What It Means for the World
It is time to examine not only the effects and effectiveness of North Korean troops in combat, but the wider implications for international security and conflict management.
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Making Sense of Bangladesh’s Monsoon Uprising
Six months ago, Asia’s Iron Lady, Sheikh Hasina, fell dramatically from power. What happened?
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Gi-Wook Shin on South Korea’s Political Maelstrom
The martial law episode – and all that followed – “reflects a broader global pattern of democratic erosion but also showcases Korea’s unique strengths.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
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Conversations With Chinese Feminists
Young women in China are less and less willing to have children or even marry. Conversations with several 20-somethings help reveal why.
China Revises PLA Regulations to Focus on ‘Conscious Discipline’
China’s Take on IMEC
In Phone Call, Putin, Xi Emphasize That China and Russia ‘Cannot Be Moved Apart’
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
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China Coast Guard Vessels Regularly Enter Territorial Waters of Disputed East China Sea Islands
Each month, the CCG conducts what appears to be a ceremonial intrusion into the territorial waters of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, which are administered by Japan but claimed by China.
The Unnoticed Beneficiary of the Mauritius-UK Chagos Island Deal? India.
The Quantum Tech Race Is Heating Up
How Did Asian Countries Vote in the 2025 UN Resolution Condemning Russia’s Ukraine Invasion?
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
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Could US Defense Cuts Affect Timor-Leste?
Trump’s policies may create uncertainties in Timor-Leste-U.S. relations, particularly in the defense realm.
China’s 6th-Generation Fighter: Potential Game Changer for Air Superiority in Asia?
Trump Wants Nuclear Arms Control Talks With China and Russia. Here’s Where to Start.
How China Integrated the PLA’s Aerospace-related Forces
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
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Thailand Secretly Surrenders At Least 40 Uyghurs Asylum Seekers to China
A decade-long ordeal ends with sneaky appeasement and a slap in the face of Marco Rubio.
Thai Opposition Party Files No-Confidence Motion Against PM Paetongtarn
Leading Vietnamese Scholar and Journalist Imprisoned for Critical Facebook Posts
Unruly Israeli Visitors, Thai Resentment, and Potential Dangers
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
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Bandit Rule: Pakistan’s Burning Domestic Security Issue
It’s not just terrorism and militancy – criminal gangs are a serious problem in parts of Sindh and Punjab.
India Could Put Chabahar on Slow Burner as IMEC Gathers Pace
Iron and the Archeological Battle Between North and South India
Saudi Arabia Emerges a Reliable Partner to Pakistan
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
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Constitutional Court Closes Impeachment Hearings for South Korea’s President
The six-week trial has ended. Now, the Constitutional Court will decide whether to uphold Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment.
South Korea’s Foreign Minister Holds 1st Meeting With US Secretary of State Rubio
Who Are the Potential Candidates to be South Korea’s Next President?
Angry Young Men Amid South Korea’s Impeachment Turmoil
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
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Japan’s #MeToo Movement Takes Center Stage With Controversial ‘Black Box Diaries’ Documentary
Japan’s #MeToo icon Ito Shiori faces backlash from her former legal team in Japan, which has delayed the premiere of her feature length documentary investigating her sexual assault.
Will Expo 2025 in Osaka Be a Success?
Tokyo’s Shining, Segregated Future
Caught in the Shockwave: Japan-US Relations Under Trump
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
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Funding Freedom in China: Time for Private Donors to Step Up
Many Chinese civil society organizations became reliant on now-frozen U.S. government aid after funding from private U.S. organizations dried up.
What’s Missing From Australia’s Gender Equality Strategy?
The Manipur Polycrisis: Indigenous Pathways for Peace and Healing
Trump Is Ditching America’s European Allies. Don’t Be Sure He Won’t Abandon Its Asian Allies, Too.
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
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Expanding Mongolia’s Partnership With Japan and South Korea
Given the current state of international affairs, it’s time to move beyond bilateral ties to explore a trilateral partnership between Ulaanbaatar, Tokyo, and Seoul.
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Finalize Border Agreement
Why Is Prominent Uzbek Imam Mubashshir Ahmad Wanted by Authorities?
Silenced Voices, Shifting Power: Mongolian Civil Society, Geopolitics, and the USAID Funding Freeze
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
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Trump Can Reverse a Biden Foreign Policy Mistake
The Biden administration’s rejection of Nippon Steel’s takeover bid for U.S. Steel made little sense. Trump has a chance to reverse course.
What Elon Musk’s Deep Ties to China Mean for Trump’s Foreign Policy
Can Young Americans and Chinese Build Bridges Over Troubled Waters?
Trump and the Philippines: Will the Squad Top the Quad?
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
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Sri Lanka’s 2025 Budget: Balancing IMF Commitments and Domestic Priorities
The 2025 budget – the first under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake – reveals a delicate balancing act between adhering to IMF mandates and addressing domestic economic realities.
Indonesia, Apple Agree Terms For Lifting iPhone Sales Ban: Report
Why Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad Is Going Private
DeepSeek Reflects Both the Success and Failure of US Tech Containment Against China
Oceania
The South Pacific
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‘Dark Ads’ Challenge Truth and Democracy in Australia
Political inaction and big tech’s reluctance to protect users leave Australians vulnerable to a murky world of digital misinformation going into the election.
Can ‘Digital Tuvalu’ Survive a Cyberattack?
Australia’s Intelligence Chief Expects More Communal Violence in a Worsening Security Environment
New Zealand’s Kiribati Aid Review Further Opens Door for Chinese Influence
Videos
Asia on Video
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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
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Is the United States Relitigating Its Grand Strategy?
What can be gleaned from the first month of the second Trump administration about the U.S. approach to world affairs?
DeepSeek and the AI Competition
Trump 2.0 in America: Geopolitical Ripples Across Asia and the World
The Biden Administration’s Asia Legacy
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
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In Photos: Rohingya Refugees’ Trial by Fire
Deadly fires in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar have become a terrifyingly regular occurrence.