Latest Stories
Trump 2.0 and the Taliban’s Afghanistan
Afghanistan, now under the Taliban, is no longer a conflict begging to be solved with a deal. It needs a more nuanced approach than the Trump administration may be capable of.
Bridging Divides: Malaysia’s Middle Power Diplomacy in ASEAN’s Future
In a world increasingly defined by great power rivalries, Malaysia’s position as a middle power within ASEAN has never been more critical.
Taliban-US Prisoner Swap Could Lead to More Engagement Between Washington and Kabul
The Taliban have high hopes for engaging with the Trump administration, which has its own wishlist from Afghanistan's de facto government.
What’s Next for India-Indonesia Ties?
Indonesian President Prabowo was the chief guest at India’s 75th Republic Day – a testament to growing strategic ties.
China’s Undersea Cable Sabotage
Insights from Raymond Powell.
China’s Position in the Global Aviation Industry
China is trying to set up domestic firm COMAC as a challenger to Western giants Airbus and Boeing.
Most Read
What Do POWs in Ukraine Teach Us About North Korea’s Military?
North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine provide a rare window into covert military collaboration.
New Bill Asks US Congress to Revoke China’s Normal Trade Relations Status
The bill would “suspend normal trade relations” with China and increase tariffs on all Chinese exports to the United States to at least 35 percent.
Why India’s Fence Along its Bangladesh Border Riles Dhaka
Advisers in the interim government argue that four agreements signed by the Hasina government with India are unequal.
Magazine
Malaysia’s Turn in the ASEAN Hotseat
Malaysia’s year as ASEAN chair arrives at a pivotal moment to confront unprecedented challenges facing the bloc.
How COVID-19 Transformed China’s Domestic and International Trajectory
The pandemic left an indelible but mixed imprint on everything from patterns of socio-economic development to China’s state apparatus and foreign relations.
2025: What to Expect in the Asia-Pacific
Welcome to the new year, and to our annual primer on what to expect in the Asia-Pacific.
Meera Gopal on the Asia-Pacific at COP29
“All in all, vulnerable countries lamented that [COP29] was a lost opportunity for collective action and the outcome did not reflect a meaningful agreement on climate finance.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
China’s Position in the Global Aviation Industry
China is trying to set up domestic firm COMAC as a challenger to Western giants Airbus and Boeing.
China’s Stadium Diplomacy in Africa, Pt. 1: The Talanta Sports Stadium in Nairobi
For ‘TikTok Refugees,’ a More Censored Chinese App Won’t Be the Solution
Amid KMT-DPP Clash at Home, Taiwan’s Speaker Han Kuo-yu Attends Trump Inauguration
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
China-India Relations: The Thaw-Provoke-Repeat Cycle
Since the Cold War, relations have followed a pattern: a thaw, followed by a concoction or recycling of the boundary dispute.
Will Casualties in Ukraine Lead to Change in North Korea?
The US Pivot to Asia Depends on Peace in Ukraine
Beijing’s Targeting of Taiwan’s Undersea Cables Previews Cross-Strait Tensions Under a Trump Presidency
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
What Do POWs in Ukraine Teach Us About North Korea’s Military?
North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine provide a rare window into covert military collaboration.
Why China’s Military Needs a New Communication Playbook
India’s New Space-Based Spy Network
New Zealand-Singapore Defense Relations in a Volatile World
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Bridging Divides: Malaysia’s Middle Power Diplomacy in ASEAN’s Future
In a world increasingly defined by great power rivalries, Malaysia’s position as a middle power within ASEAN has never been more critical.
What’s Next for India-Indonesia Ties?
What BRICS Membership Means For Indonesia’s Foreign Policy
Hundreds of Same-Sex Couples Wed as Thailand’s Marriage Equality Bill Comes Into Effect
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
Trump 2.0 and the Taliban’s Afghanistan
Afghanistan, now under the Taliban, is no longer a conflict begging to be solved with a deal. It needs a more nuanced approach than the Trump administration may be capable of.
Japan and China Vie for Influence in Sri Lanka Via Soft Power Strategies
Bangladesh Probes Hasina’s Niece for Corruption in Russian Nuclear Power Deal
Pakistan’s Multi-Pronged Afghan Strategy
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
South Korean President Attends Impeachment Trial
Despite his refusal to appear for questioning in the CIO's investigation, Yoon Suk-yeol attended the impeachment trial held by the Constitutional Court on Tuesday.
Pro-Yoon Rioters Attack Courthouse After New Arrest Warrant Against the President
The Case for South Korea Prohibiting Anti-North Korean Leaflet Launches
South Koreans Separate Support on PPP and President Yoon
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
Japan Is Ready to Legalize ‘Active Cyber Defense’
The 2022 National Security Strategy called for an overhaul of Japan's cybersecurity posture. This might be the year the legislation finally gets over the finish line.
What Next for Japan’s Relations With China?
Trump 2.0 and Japanese Firms: Assault, Acclimation, and Adaptation
Can Ishiba Shigeru Fulfill His New Year’s Resolution?
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Renewed Horizons: Strengthening Central Asia-US Relations under the Trump Administration
As the new administration charts its foreign policy course, a stronger Central Asia-U.S. partnership can serve as a model for mutually beneficial cooperation.
Forgotten Voices: The Uyghurs Facing Deportation From Thailand to China
Vietnam: No Country for #MeToo
Myanmar’s Resistance Must Be Transparent Regarding ICC Arrest Warrants
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Trump 2.0 and Central Asia: Optimism After Rubio’s Comments
During his nomination hearing last week, now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio endorsed the annulment of the Jackson-Vanik amendment, although its removal is ultimately a Congressional task.
Trump’s Russia Gambit Puts Central Asia on Notice
Receding Waters, Rising Challenges: Navigating the Caspian Sea’s Geopolitical Moment
The Shrinking Caspian Sea: An Environmental and Geopolitical Emergency
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
Taliban-US Prisoner Swap Could Lead to More Engagement Between Washington and Kabul
The Taliban have high hopes for engaging with the Trump administration, which has its own wishlist from Afghanistan's de facto government.
What Japan’s Late PM Abe Shinzo Thought of Trump’s ‘True Nature’
New Bill Asks US Congress to Revoke China’s Normal Trade Relations Status
With High-level Visits, India, US Look to Sustain Momentum Ahead of US Presidential Transition
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
With Trump Back in the White House, the Age of Free Trade Could Be Coming to an End
China did very well in a rule-based trade system. But it’s far less clear how the country will sustain its surging exports in the more protectionist world envisioned by Trump.
Why Indonesia is Blocking Apple From Selling the iPhone 16
The Johor-Singapore SEZ: 1963 Reimagined?
The Return of Malaysia’s Government Investment Funds
Oceania
The South Pacific
Australia’s Population Has Grown, But Its House of Representatives Hasn’t
In the upcoming election, the Australian House of Representatives will be losing a seat – the result of a quirk in the constitution.
Erasing Taiwan: Implications of a Growing China-Solomon Islands Partnership
Christopher Luxon’s Important Trip to the UAE
Legislate First, Think Later: Déjà Vu in Australian Tech Lawmaking
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
Life in Ladakh Along the Disputed Sino-Indian Border
For Changpa women in Chushul, the 2020 clashes came during a larger societal shift in gender roles.