Most Read
Why Are Taiwanese Youth Protesting Against Legislative Reform?
Many young Taiwanese voted for the third-party TPP, but now are opposed to its efforts to push through a new reform package.
Why US Semiconductor Export Controls Backfire
And how Washington can save its 21st century economic security strategy.
What’s Behind the Deadly Riots in New Caledonia?
The violent unrest in New Caledonia is alarming. Sadly, the island territory is no stranger to violence.
Magazine
The China-Pakistan-Afghanistan Triangle
The dynamics of this trilateral relationship will shape the future trajectory of Afghanistan and its broader implications for regional stability and prosperity.
Tandem Rule in Kyrgyzstan: The Pursuit of Money and Power
The Japarov-Tashiev tandem has sunk real roots into Kyrgyzstan’s society, and those roots are deeper and stronger than they might seem on the surface.
Thailand’s Grand Reconciliation: The Shinawatras and the Establishment
The rift between Thaksin and the establishment finally appears to have been resolved. This compromise not only fails to address any of Thailand’s past mistakes, but it actually repeats them.
Darcie Draudt-Véjares on South Korea’s Post-Election Politics
Economics doomed the PPP’s legislative chances. What now for President Yoon Suk-yeol?
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
Despite Protests, Taiwan’s KMT, TPP Pass Controversial Bills to Expand Legislative Powers
Up to 100,000 people turned out in protests against the bills, which will expand the power of Taiwan’s opposition-controlled legislature.
Xi’s Rare Symposium With Business Leaders Hints at Third Plenum Agenda
Deconstructing China’s Interest in the Niger-Benin Rapprochement
Striking a Balance: China’s AI Ambitions and the Quest for Safety
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
How Will the Lai Government Handle Taiwan’s Maritime Disputes?
Like Beijing, Taipei officially maintains claims over islands in the East and South China Seas disputed with Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
The Indo-Pacific Could Be Within Europe’s Reach
Yes, Japan Will Defend Taiwan
China Coast Guard Shadows Filipino Activists Sailing Toward Disputed Shoal
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Why Japan Is Lagging Behind in Cyber Defense Capabilities
To introduce active cyber defenses, Tokyo will need to overhaul its bureaucracy and legal framework.
With Military Drills, Info Ops, China Steps up Gray Zone Pressure on Taiwan’s New Government
Russian Fighter Deal Reflects Indonesia’s Goal of a ‘Sanctions-Proof’ Economy
South Korea’s Competitive Advantages as a Global Military Supplier
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Former Thai PM Thaksin to be Charged With Royal Defamation
The pact between Thaksin's camp and the royalist establishment, which allowed the former leader to return from self-exile last year, may be starting to fray.
How Timorese Women Perceive the Election of Prabowo Subianto in Indonesia
Asian Synthetic Drug Production Continued to Grow in 2023, UN Says
Two More Thai Activists Sentenced to Prison on Lese-Majeste Charges
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Pakistan Plans to Regulate Social Media Through Legislation
There are concerns that the authorities will misuse the proposed legislation to deal with critics and opponents.
What Drives People From ‘Booming’ Bangladesh to Migrate?
How India’s Politics Is Reshaping International Cricket
India, Iran, and the Taliban’s Gamble on Chabahar
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
Will Frozen China-South Korea Relations Thaw as Seoul Hosts Upcoming Trilateral Summit?
Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s expected visit for the summit will be a crucial indicator of the future of strained Seoul-Beijing relations under South Korea’s pro-U.S. President Yoon Suk-yeol.
South Korean Court Rejects Effort to Block Plan That Would Boost Medical School Admissions
The Great Debate Over South Korea Developing Nuclear Weapons Is Back
South Korea’s Tortuous Reckoning With the Itaewon Tragedy
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
Japan’s Slush Fund Scandal Intensifies in Diet Discussions
Political parties clashed over political fundraising reform as lawmakers deliberate on proposals for varying levels of transparency and punishment.
Osaka Will Host the 2025 World Expo. Can Japan Pull It Off?
Can Japan Boost Its Foreign Students Count to 400,000?
Decoding Japan Foreign Minister Kamikawa’s Tour of Africa, Europe, and South Asia
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Taiwan’s Democracy in Crisis: Next Steps and Their Importance for the World
Now that the controversial legislative reform bill has passed, what steps should Taiwan’s civil society take?
Days of Reckoning on the Future of ‘Natural’ Gas in Asia
In Lawmaking, the Details Matter. Taiwan Would be Wise to Remember That
China-Israel Relations: Caught in a Downward Spiral
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
State Projects and Proxies: All the President’s Men in Kyrgyzstan
A new OCCRP, Temirov Live, Kloop investigation finishes “the work of those who can longer do journalism in Kyrgyzstan” by uncovering a murky network of connections profiting from state projects.
Anti-Migrant Protests Expose Problems in Kyrgyzstan’s Evolving Migration Landscape
Competing Digital Futures: Europe and China in Central Asia’s Tech Development
Mongolia’s Political Parties Showcase Candidates for the 2024 Parliamentary Election
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
The Bipartisan Clash Over US Electric Vehicle Policy
The Biden administration’s strategy to compete with China’s dominance hasn’t won buy-in from Republicans, who are skeptical about the entire industry.
Why US Semiconductor Export Controls Backfire
The Luzon Economic Corridor: A Badly-Needed Win For the US in Southeast Asia?
No China-US Trade War This Year, But Uncertainty Ahead in 2025
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
Semiconductor Agreement at Japan-U.S. Summit
The two countries move forward with cooperation, despite some diverging interests.
Did Illegal Tin Mines Really Steal $26 Billion From the Indonesian State?
New Energy Competition: It’s Politics First for Both US and China
Thailand’s Showdown Over Interest Rates, Explained
Oceania
The South Pacific
Fears Rise of a Second Landslide and Disease Outbreak at Site of Papua New Guinea Disaster
An estimated 670 people died in the first landslide in Yambali village. Now there is a “serious risk” of a second that could impact up to 8,000 people.
Over 100 Feared Dead in Landslide in Remote Part of Papua New Guinea
In Riot-Stricken New Caledonia, French President Says He Won’t Rush Through Voting Reforms
New Caledonia Riots: The Azerbaijan Factor
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
New Delhi’s Quiet Student Solidarity With Palestine
Full-fledged protests in India’s capital were quickly muffled, so students have resorted to quieter means of dissent.