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US East Asian Allies Offer Congratulations to Trump
Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have cause to be nervous, given some of Trump’s past actions and statements. But their leaders chose to express optimism in their first public reactions.
Germany’s Pivot to India
For both geopolitical and geoeconomic reasons, Germany has a growing interest in India.
Central Asian Leaders Swift to Send Congratulatory Notes to Trump
The messages provide a glimpse as to what the Central Asian states wish to see from the next U.S. administration and how they aim to position themselves.
Fiji’s Foreign Policy White Paper: Proponent of Peace or Pandering to Power in the Indo-Pacific?
Fiji seems inclined to promote a particular brand of peacemaking that aligns with the powerful.
Trump’s Second Term and the Future of the Quad
The grouping gained steam under President Joe Biden, who saw it as a crucial means to counterbalance China’s growing influence.
How Do Media Organizations Define Taiwan?
Country, nation, democracy, island, territory, or province – the question of how to refer to Taiwan is a vexed one for many media outlets.
Most Read
Harris vs. Trump: If Asia Could Vote in the US Election
For 13 Asia-Pacific countries, we ask: Would the government prefer Kamala Harris or Donald Trump as the next U.S. president?
Will the West Isolate New Delhi Amid the India-Canada Row?
Given deep linkages in multifaceted directions, the derailment of India’s ties with Western countries would require geopolitical realignment, which seems unlikely at this stage.
Why Taiwan Should be Disheartened by Iran’s Missile Strike on Israel
Taiwan has considered acquiring its own “Iron Dome,” but it is likely to be even less effective against China than it has been against Iran.
Magazine
The United States and the Democracy Question in South Asia
The inconsistencies and contradictions in U.S. democracy promotion, are not limited to one particular administration, but to the U.S. approach as a whole.
Southeast Asia’s Semiconductor Play
Integrated circuits are acquiring ever greater currency as a geopolitical flashpoint, and this is creating a window of opportunity for countries that are eager to move up the value chain.
The State – and Fate – of America’s Indo-Pacific Alliances
China is the biggest factor behind the continued development of the U.S. alliance network – a trend that works independently of, and supersedes, any political dynamics in Washington.
Russell Hsiao on US Policies and Taiwan’s Politics
“Perhaps more so than in other countries given its unique political status, Taiwan’s voters attach greater significance to foreign policy and more precisely relations with the United States and China.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
How Do Media Organizations Define Taiwan?
Country, nation, democracy, island, territory, or province – the question of how to refer to Taiwan is a vexed one for many media outlets.
Is China Furthering Its Purge of the Defense Industry? Here’s What to Watch.
Trump or Harris? Debate in China Heats up
Finland’s Tightrope Diplomacy: Stubb’s China Visit Navigates New Security and Trade Realities
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
What the Chagos Islands Deal Means for France’s Indian Ocean Territories and Indo-Pacific Strategy
The Mauritius-U.K. deal will likely draw attention to France, another European sovereign state with contested territories in the Indian Ocean region like Tromelin Island.
The BRICS Summit in Kazan and the Limits of Western Influence
What’s Driving North Korea’s Unstoppable Military Buildup?
What a Trump Re-election Would Mean for Taiwan
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Japan Awards MHI $368 Million Contract for Development of the Glide Phase Interceptor
Japan and the United States are planning to complete development of the next-generation missile defense system by the 2030s.
Vietnam Spratly Island Construction Continuing at Rapid Pace, Report Says
Sri Lanka Strengthens Maritime Capabilities With New Surveillance Aircraft
A Non-Weaponized Deterrence Approach to China-US Strategic Relations
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Myanmar Junta Chief Embarks on First China Visit Since Coup
Min Aung Hlaing's visit to Kunming seems to mark a watershed in Beijing's policy toward the country's civil war.
4 Thai Laborers Killed in Northern Israel, Thai Government Says
Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s Mini-Mahathir, Isn’t ‘Father of the Nation’
Sea Level Rise Is a Clear Threat to Malaysia
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Germany’s Pivot to India
For both geopolitical and geoeconomic reasons, Germany has a growing interest in India.
100 Years of the Discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization: How It Shaped Indian Politics
Can Bangladesh’s Judiciary Get on the Right Track Under the Interim Government?
India’s Canada Policy Is a Strategic Mistake
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
North Korean Balloons and Kim Jong Un’s New Psychological Warfare
North Korea’s “trash balloons” are billed internally as “enemy attack drills” – and the latest round targeted the Presidential Office in Seoul.
‘Kim Keon-hee Risk’ Is a Ticking Time Bomb for South Korea’s President
Can the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team Tackle North Korea’s Sanctions Evasion?
Drones Over Pyongyang? North Korea’s Official Narrative Meets Internal Skepticism
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
Will Japan’s Election Mark the End of Abe Diplomacy?
Ironically, the opposition parties may have more in common with the late Abe's approach than the LDP's current leader.
How Might Japan’s Hung Parliament Affect Foreign Policy?
In ‘Exceptionally Harsh Judgement’ From Japan’s Public, LDP Loses Its Majority
The Transformation of Japanese Politics and New Japan-Taiwan Relations
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Mekong Dams Are Undermining the Region’s Climate, Economic Health
Five years after the Xayaburi dam in northern Laos began operations, the cost of Mekong hydropower is becoming ever more clear.
A Just Transition for Asia’s Waste Pickers
Taiwan’s Role in Driving Climate Action and Regional Sustainability
The Next Chapter of Indonesia’s ‘Downstreaming’ Agenda
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Central Asian Leaders Swift to Send Congratulatory Notes to Trump
The messages provide a glimpse as to what the Central Asian states wish to see from the next U.S. administration and how they aim to position themselves.
The Men Jailed in Uzbekistan for Fighting Russia’s War in Ukraine
Chinese Investment in Kazakhstan Deepens With $2.5 Billion in New Deals
Russia Still a Cold Front for Central Asian Migrants
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
US East Asian Allies Offer Congratulations to Trump
Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have cause to be nervous, given some of Trump’s past actions and statements. But their leaders chose to express optimism in their first public reactions.
Trump’s Second Term and the Future of the Quad
If Trump Wins, What Will His China Policies Be?
With an Eye Toward Indian American Votes, Trump Decries Violence in Bangladesh
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
Growth in Southeast Asia’s Digital Economy Slows Slightly in 2024
The region's online economy is beginning to show signs of maturity, as firms attempt to pivot from growth to profitability.
How Will the US Election Affect Southeast Asia’s Economies?
Indonesia Bars Sale of Google Smartphones Over Local Content Rules
The ‘Fab 4’ Allies Are Pushing Back on US Export Controls on China
Oceania
The South Pacific
Fiji’s Foreign Policy White Paper: Proponent of Peace or Pandering to Power in the Indo-Pacific?
Fiji seems inclined to promote a particular brand of peacemaking that aligns with the powerful.
New Zealand Is Falling Behind in Protecting Its Oceans
New Zealand’s Breakthrough Free Trade Deal With the Gulf
Right-sizing the China Factor in Palau’s Election
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.