https://thediplomat.com The Diplomat is a current-affairs magazine for the Asia-Pacific, with news and analysis on politics, security, business, technology and life across the region. Sun, 26 Jan 2025 15:42:09 +0900 en-US <![CDATA[Recent Chinese export curbs on capital goods and machinery to India amount to India’s biggest geoeconomic challenge since sanctions by the West following its successful nuclear test in 1998.]]> <![CDATA[Srijan Shukla ]]> <![CDATA[Sat, 25 Jan 2025 00:55:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-lesson-for-india-on-weaponized-interdependence/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-lesson-for-india-on-weaponized-interdependence/ <![CDATA[The fate of these 48 men has become a litmus test for human rights in Southeast Asia, with far-reaching implications that extend beyond the borders of Thailand and China. ]]> <![CDATA[Abdulhakim Idris]]> <![CDATA[Sat, 25 Jan 2025 00:34:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/forgotten-voices-the-uyghurs-facing-deportation-from-thailand-to-china/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/forgotten-voices-the-uyghurs-facing-deportation-from-thailand-to-china/ <![CDATA[The arc of one English teaching program in Shenzhen reflects broader trends that have eaten away at Americans’ interest in working and studying in China.]]> <![CDATA[Mark Witzke]]> <![CDATA[Sat, 25 Jan 2025 00:04:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-rise-and-fall-of-americans-china-dreams/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-rise-and-fall-of-americans-china-dreams/ <![CDATA[As a Chinese company works to complete Kenya's first international sports complex since 1987, basic details from the cost to the companies involved remain unclear.]]> <![CDATA[Istvan Tarrosy and Zoltan Voros]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 23:57:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-stadium-diplomacy-in-africa-pt-1-the-talanta-sports-stadium-in-nairobi/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-stadium-diplomacy-in-africa-pt-1-the-talanta-sports-stadium-in-nairobi/ <![CDATA[Comments from Abe Shinzo and his widow Abe Akie suggest that they saw cowardice lurking behind Trump’s bravado.]]> <![CDATA[Takahashi Kosuke]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 23:19:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-japans-late-pm-abe-shinzo-thought-of-trumps-true-nature/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-japans-late-pm-abe-shinzo-thought-of-trumps-true-nature/ <![CDATA[North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine provide a rare window into covert military collaboration.]]> <![CDATA[Elena Guido ]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 23:03:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-do-pows-in-ukraine-teach-us-about-north-koreas-military/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-do-pows-in-ukraine-teach-us-about-north-koreas-military/ <![CDATA[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.]]> <![CDATA[Javlon Vakhabov]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 23:10:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/renewed-horizons-strengthening-central-asia-us-relations-under-the-trump-administration/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/renewed-horizons-strengthening-central-asia-us-relations-under-the-trump-administration/ <![CDATA[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.]]> <![CDATA[Daisuke Akimoto]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 22:25:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/japan-is-ready-to-legalize-active-cyber-defense/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/japan-is-ready-to-legalize-active-cyber-defense/ <![CDATA[Government connections protect those implicated in sexual violence.]]> <![CDATA[Elaine Pearson]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 22:17:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/vietnam-no-country-for-metoo/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/vietnam-no-country-for-metoo/ <![CDATA[Ethnic politics is driving politicians in India, which accounts for 18 percent of the global population, to call for stepping up the population growth rate.]]> <![CDATA[Snigdhendu Bhattacharya]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 18:37:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-politicians-are-urging-indians-to-have-more-children/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-politicians-are-urging-indians-to-have-more-children/ <![CDATA[This year’s Maha Kumbh Mela is particularly significant. The alignment of stars and planets is said to be the same as when drops of celestial nectar fell on the earth.]]> <![CDATA[Akhilesh Pillalamarri]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 17:28:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-are-millions-of-people-flocking-to-indias-prayagraj/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-are-millions-of-people-flocking-to-indias-prayagraj/ <![CDATA[President Prabowo Subianto's about-turn on membership of the economic grouping is about status rather than material gains.]]> <![CDATA[Agastya Wardhana and Radityo Dharmaputra]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 14:09:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-brics-membership-means-for-indonesias-foreign-policy/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-brics-membership-means-for-indonesias-foreign-policy/ <![CDATA[Pop-up marriage booths were set up in Bangkok and other Thai cities to handle the eager backlog of couples.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 08:11:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/hundreds-of-couples-wed-as-thailands-marriage-equality-bill-comes-into-effect/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/hundreds-of-couples-wed-as-thailands-marriage-equality-bill-comes-into-effect/ <![CDATA[In Kurram, rival tribes have clashed over competing narratives, claims of victimhood, and accusations of foreign interference.]]> <![CDATA[Hassan Turi]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 02:21:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-narratives-of-war-in-pakistans-kurram-district/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-narratives-of-war-in-pakistans-kurram-district/ <![CDATA[Hun Manet urges calm as investigations into the killing continue in Thailand.]]> <![CDATA[Luke Hunt]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 06:33:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/cambodian-pm-says-government-not-behind-lim-kimyas-assassination/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/cambodian-pm-says-government-not-behind-lim-kimyas-assassination/ <![CDATA[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. ]]> <![CDATA[Shannon Tiezzi]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 03:15:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/new-bill-asks-us-congress-to-revoke-chinas-normal-trade-relations-status/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/new-bill-asks-us-congress-to-revoke-chinas-normal-trade-relations-status/ <![CDATA[Chinese officials generally stick to rigidly scripted talking points. In a military context, a lack of real communication could prove fatal. ]]> <![CDATA[Michael Gritzbach]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 01:10:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-chinas-military-needs-a-new-communication-playbook/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-chinas-military-needs-a-new-communication-playbook/ <![CDATA[Since the Cold War, relations have followed a pattern: a thaw, followed by a concoction or recycling of the boundary dispute.]]> <![CDATA[Rahul Jaybhay]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:50:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/china-india-relations-the-thaw-provoke-repeat-cycle/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/china-india-relations-the-thaw-provoke-repeat-cycle/ <![CDATA[Given Trump’s past approaches, it’s entirely possible that the new U.S. president will demand that Central Asia’s governments “do more” with respect to Russia.]]> <![CDATA[Catherine Putz]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:02:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/trumps-russia-gambit-puts-central-asia-on-notice/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/trumps-russia-gambit-puts-central-asia-on-notice/ <![CDATA[Advisers in the interim government argue that four agreements signed by the Hasina government with India are unequal.]]> <![CDATA[Sudha Ramachandran]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 23 Jan 2025 22:58:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-indias-fence-along-its-bangladesh-border-riles-dhaka/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-indias-fence-along-its-bangladesh-border-riles-dhaka/ <![CDATA[Unlike TikTok, RedNote primarily operates in China. As a result, concerns over content censorship, data privacy, and CCP control are even greater. ]]> <![CDATA[Chauncey Jung]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 23 Jan 2025 22:16:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/for-tiktok-refugees-a-more-censored-chinese-app-wont-be-the-solution/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/for-tiktok-refugees-a-more-censored-chinese-app-wont-be-the-solution/ <![CDATA[It presents India with a challenge but also an opportunity to diversify its oil imports. ]]> <![CDATA[Rushali Saha]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 23 Jan 2025 15:27:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/will-recent-us-sanctions-on-russian-oil-trigger-an-oil-crisis-in-india/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/will-recent-us-sanctions-on-russian-oil-trigger-an-oil-crisis-in-india/ <![CDATA[China says it is leading regional efforts to crack down on online scamming operations and other transnational criminal activities.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 23 Jan 2025 09:44:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/mekong-nations-pledge-to-bolster-anti-scam-efforts-in-2025/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/mekong-nations-pledge-to-bolster-anti-scam-efforts-in-2025/ <![CDATA[Lawrence Wong is set to lead the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) into an election for the first time since taking office last May.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 23 Jan 2025 13:16:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/singapore-pm-forms-electoral-boundaries-committee-paving-way-for-election/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/singapore-pm-forms-electoral-boundaries-committee-paving-way-for-election/ <![CDATA[Despite its promises, the Pheu Thai government's approach to the southern question has been depressingly familiar.]]> <![CDATA[Mark S. Cogan]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 23 Jan 2025 09:23:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/making-the-most-of-pm-paetongtarns-visit-to-thailands-deep-south/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/making-the-most-of-pm-paetongtarns-visit-to-thailands-deep-south/ <![CDATA[Will Trump scrap the incentives offered to foreign firms like TSMC under the CHIPS Act – while upping the pressure for Taiwan to invest in the United States?]]> <![CDATA[Ming-Yen Ho and Chiang Min-yen]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 23 Jan 2025 03:13:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/carrots-and-sticks-taiwan-and-semiconductor-supply-chains-under-trump-2-0/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/carrots-and-sticks-taiwan-and-semiconductor-supply-chains-under-trump-2-0/ <![CDATA[Due to global turmoil, the importance of the Middle Corridor has grown exponentially. However, the Caspian Sea continues to pose a significant obstacle to the realization of the corridor’s economic potential.]]> <![CDATA[Douwe van der Meer and Julian Postulart]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 23 Jan 2025 03:06:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/receding-waters-rising-challenges-navigating-the-caspian-seas-geopolitical-moment/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/receding-waters-rising-challenges-navigating-the-caspian-seas-geopolitical-moment/ <![CDATA[A recent investigation raises serious questions about the role Pakistani authorities and institutions are playing in global cases of human trafficking.]]> <![CDATA[Marcus Andreopoulos]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 23 Jan 2025 00:25:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/pakistans-human-trafficking-problem/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/pakistans-human-trafficking-problem/ <![CDATA[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.]]> <![CDATA[Sami Bensassi and Agelos Delis]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 23:49:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/with-trump-back-in-the-white-house-the-age-of-free-trade-could-be-coming-to-an-end/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/with-trump-back-in-the-white-house-the-age-of-free-trade-could-be-coming-to-an-end/ <![CDATA[The unprecedented loss of life in a foreign conflict means that the war in Ukraine could be the Kim regime’s most significant test since the 1990s famine.]]> <![CDATA[Karl Anthony Borg]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 23:27:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/will-casualties-in-ukraine-lead-to-change-in-north-korea/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/will-casualties-in-ukraine-lead-to-change-in-north-korea/ <![CDATA[Han Kuo-yu led a bipartisan delegation to Washington in a rare moment of cooperation amid severe political contention between the two main parties.]]> <![CDATA[Brian Hioe]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 23:05:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/amid-kmt-dpp-clash-at-home-taiwans-speaker-han-kuo-yu-attends-trump-inauguration/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/amid-kmt-dpp-clash-at-home-taiwans-speaker-han-kuo-yu-attends-trump-inauguration/ <![CDATA[Both governments denied allegations in the Washington Post about the Indian intelligence agency’s involvement in an aborted plot to impeach President Muizzu.]]> <![CDATA[Ahmed Naish]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 18:24:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/india-and-maldives-reticent-over-alleged-raw-backed-coup-plot/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/india-and-maldives-reticent-over-alleged-raw-backed-coup-plot/ <![CDATA[The National Unity Government must be honest with the public about what the recent arrest warrant application does – and does not – entail.]]> <![CDATA[Tin Shine Aung]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:56:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/myanmars-resistance-must-be-transparent-regarding-icc-arrest-warrants/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/myanmars-resistance-must-be-transparent-regarding-icc-arrest-warrants/ <![CDATA[The country's nuclear ambition hinges on its leaders' ability to overcome infrastructure bottlenecks and carry the anti-corruption campaign forward.]]> <![CDATA[Huynh Tam Sang and Nguyen Quoc Anh]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 09:03:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/vietnams-reborn-nuclear-energy-ambitions-challenges-and-prospects/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/vietnams-reborn-nuclear-energy-ambitions-challenges-and-prospects/ <![CDATA[The former leader is seeking to convert his current prison sentence, handed down for his involvement in the 1MDB corruption scandal, to house arrest.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:47:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/malaysia-seeks-gag-order-on-ex-pm-najibs-royal-document-case/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/malaysia-seeks-gag-order-on-ex-pm-najibs-royal-document-case/ <![CDATA[The agreement between the military and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army came after months of Chinese pressure to return to political dialogue.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:03:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/trade-resumes-after-myanmar-military-and-major-rebel-group-agree-to-ceasefire/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/trade-resumes-after-myanmar-military-and-major-rebel-group-agree-to-ceasefire/ <![CDATA[Correlations between state and national policy, cross-state coordination, and future directions under a second Trump presidency.]]> <![CDATA[Flora Yan]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 03:05:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/us-state-legislatures-and-china-the-national-context/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/us-state-legislatures-and-china-the-national-context/ <![CDATA[Insights from William Alberque.]]> <![CDATA[Mercy A. Kuo]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 03:35:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/2-regions-1-theater-indivisibility-of-security-between-the-euro-atlantic-and-indo-pacific/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/2-regions-1-theater-indivisibility-of-security-between-the-euro-atlantic-and-indo-pacific/ <![CDATA[India is pushing ahead with an ambitious project to build an indigenous constellation of space-based surveillance capabilities.]]> <![CDATA[Usman Haider]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 01:06:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/indias-new-space-based-spy-network/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/indias-new-space-based-spy-network/ <![CDATA[President Trump should not stand in the way of the breakthrough, which benefits all sides. ]]> <![CDATA[Peter Harris]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:47:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-mauritius-uk-chagos-agreement-is-a-good-deal-for-the-us/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-mauritius-uk-chagos-agreement-is-a-good-deal-for-the-us/ <![CDATA[Can data alone map out the countries that are most important for India? To a degree – yes.]]> <![CDATA[Krzysztof Iwanek]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:12:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/mapping-indias-global-interests-and-us-significance-for-new-delhi/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/mapping-indias-global-interests-and-us-significance-for-new-delhi/ <![CDATA[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.]]> <![CDATA[Mitch Shin]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:20:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/south-korean-president-attends-impeachment-trial/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/south-korean-president-attends-impeachment-trial/ <![CDATA[While some see the moves as reflecting India’s greater security concerns over China, army veterans say the secular foundations of the Indian Army are being undermined.]]> <![CDATA[Snigdhendu Bhattacharya]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 21 Jan 2025 23:11:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/2-recent-moves-by-the-indian-army-trigger-hinduization-concerns/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/2-recent-moves-by-the-indian-army-trigger-hinduization-concerns/ <![CDATA[Allowing the Caspian Sea to succumb to industrial exploitation and climate-induced desiccation would be an irreversible tragedy.]]> <![CDATA[Vadim Ni]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 21 Jan 2025 22:47:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-shrinking-caspian-sea-an-environmental-and-geopolitical-emergency/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-shrinking-caspian-sea-an-environmental-and-geopolitical-emergency/ <![CDATA[Last week, the Indian Navy commissioned two indigenously developed warships and one submarine.]]> <![CDATA[Elizabeth Roche]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 21 Jan 2025 19:28:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/india-strengthens-its-naval-muscle-amid-an-uptick-in-global-uncertainty-challenges/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/india-strengthens-its-naval-muscle-amid-an-uptick-in-global-uncertainty-challenges/ <![CDATA[If Pakistan does not keep its part of the pipeline agreement with Iran, it will have to shell out a potential $18 billion to Tehran.]]> <![CDATA[Mariyam Suleman Anees]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 17:48:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/will-the-trump-administration-grant-the-iran-pakistan-pipeline-project-a-sanctions-waiver/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/will-the-trump-administration-grant-the-iran-pakistan-pipeline-project-a-sanctions-waiver/ <![CDATA[China’s Sinopec has agreed to set up an oil refinery with an investment of $3.7 billion in Hambantota.]]> <![CDATA[Rathindra Kuruwita]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 21 Jan 2025 19:19:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/sri-lankan-president-seals-several-deals-in-china/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/sri-lankan-president-seals-several-deals-in-china/ <![CDATA[Middle powers with rapidly growing economies feel they have more bargaining power than they once did – and some are not afraid to use it.]]> <![CDATA[James Guild]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 21 Jan 2025 13:11:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-indonesia-is-blocking-apple-from-selling-the-iphone-16/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/why-indonesia-is-blocking-apple-from-selling-the-iphone-16/ <![CDATA[Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged programmers to infuse "Islamic" values into tech.]]> <![CDATA[Sophie Lemière]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 21 Jan 2025 07:25:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/should-ai-convert-to-islam/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/should-ai-convert-to-islam/ <![CDATA[Since taking office in October, the Indonesian president's popularity has been boosted by his tax cuts and free meal program.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 21 Jan 2025 12:47:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/prabowos-approval-rating-tops-80-percent-after-100-days-in-office/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/prabowos-approval-rating-tops-80-percent-after-100-days-in-office/ <![CDATA[The bloc says that any poll must be "inclusive," but it has limited power to deter the junta from its election plans.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 21 Jan 2025 09:49:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/asean-foreign-ministers-tell-myanmar-junta-to-prioritize-peace-over-elections/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/asean-foreign-ministers-tell-myanmar-junta-to-prioritize-peace-over-elections/ <![CDATA[Former Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani writes about pragmatism in foreign policy.]]> <![CDATA[Sribala Subramanian]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 21 Jan 2025 07:13:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/small-fish-in-the-dangerous-ocean/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/small-fish-in-the-dangerous-ocean/ <![CDATA[What is China up to with its diplomatic outreach to U.S. allies Japan and the EU before Trump’s inauguration?]]> <![CDATA[Muhammad Murad]]> <![CDATA[Mon, 20 Jan 2025 22:37:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-last-minute-preparations-for-trump-2-0/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-last-minute-preparations-for-trump-2-0/ <![CDATA[In the wake of the court’s decision to extend the detention of Yoon Suk-yeol, his supporters used violence against the police and stormed the courthouse.]]> <![CDATA[Mitch Shin]]> <![CDATA[Mon, 20 Jan 2025 21:56:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/pro-yoon-rioters-attack-courthouse-after-new-arrest-warrant-against-the-president/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/pro-yoon-rioters-attack-courthouse-after-new-arrest-warrant-against-the-president/ <![CDATA[The damage to Pakistan’s economy from internet shutdowns and social media restrictions reached new heights in 2024 – something the country can ill afford.]]> <![CDATA[Osama Ahmad]]> <![CDATA[Sat, 18 Jan 2025 01:24:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-economic-impact-of-pakistans-internet-crisis/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-economic-impact-of-pakistans-internet-crisis/ <![CDATA[Taiwan’s approach to cybersecurity governance is not only a lesson in resisting cyber threats from China but also an important bulwark against Beijing’s attempts to set repressive digital norms.]]> <![CDATA[Michael Caster and Liu I-Chen]]> <![CDATA[Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:51:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/how-taiwan-balances-cybersecurity-with-human-rights-in-resisting-china/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/how-taiwan-balances-cybersecurity-with-human-rights-in-resisting-china/ <![CDATA[For ISKP Central Asian members in particular, the victory of HTS in Syria is a significant challenge, but also presents an opportunity.]]> <![CDATA[Abdul Sayed and Riccardo Valle]]> <![CDATA[Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:19:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/how-did-iskp-react-to-the-hts-victory-in-syria/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/how-did-iskp-react-to-the-hts-victory-in-syria/ <![CDATA[Contracts with Chinese power producers have left Pakistan footing a massive bill for inefficient supply – all while electricity shortfalls continue.]]> <![CDATA[Nishant Yadav]]> <![CDATA[Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:15:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/china-in-pakistans-power-sector-the-hidden-costs-behind-pakistans-energy-overcapacity/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/china-in-pakistans-power-sector-the-hidden-costs-behind-pakistans-energy-overcapacity/ <![CDATA[That the provocations exchanged between the Koreas – leaflets, balloons, and noise – were of relatively low intensity should give no one a sense of security. ]]> <![CDATA[Chaerin Kim]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 23:45:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-case-for-south-korea-prohibiting-anti-north-korean-leaflet-launches/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-case-for-south-korea-prohibiting-anti-north-korean-leaflet-launches/ <![CDATA[In the 1950s the U.S. carried out a pivot from Asia to Europe – despite the outbreak of the Korean War. Trump can learn from that history.]]> <![CDATA[Martijn van Ette and Andrew Gawthorpe]]> <![CDATA[Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:40:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-us-pivot-to-asia-depends-on-peace-in-ukraine/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-us-pivot-to-asia-depends-on-peace-in-ukraine/ <![CDATA[Defense relations between New Zealand and Singapore clearly benefit their national security interests. What's the next step?]]> <![CDATA[Muhammad Faizal Abdul Rahman]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 23:12:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/new-zealand-singapore-defense-relations-in-a-volatile-world/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/new-zealand-singapore-defense-relations-in-a-volatile-world/ <![CDATA[After a surprising invitation from Donald Trump, Xi Jinping is sending his vice president, Han Zheng, to Washington.]]> <![CDATA[Shannon Tiezzi]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 22:39:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/in-first-chinas-vp-will-attend-us-presidential-inauguration/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/in-first-chinas-vp-will-attend-us-presidential-inauguration/ <![CDATA[In the upcoming election, the Australian House of Representatives will be losing a seat – the result of a quirk in the constitution. ]]> <![CDATA[Grant Wyeth]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 22:34:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/australias-population-has-grown-but-its-house-of-representatives-hasnt/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/australias-population-has-grown-but-its-house-of-representatives-hasnt/ <![CDATA[Wang Yi told ASEAN ambassadors that scamming poses “serious threats to the vital interests of citizens from China and other countries.”]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:25:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-fm-calls-on-southeast-asia-to-tackle-online-scamming-scourge/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-fm-calls-on-southeast-asia-to-tackle-online-scamming-scourge/ <![CDATA[Brazil takes the helm at a moment when diplomatic pragmatism should take precedence over some of the bloc’s more polarizing initiatives.]]> <![CDATA[Lucas Lima]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 09:14:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-challenges-for-brics-in-2025-under-the-brazilian-presidency/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-challenges-for-brics-in-2025-under-the-brazilian-presidency/ <![CDATA[The planned trip, which follows visits to China and the United States late last year, underscores Prabowo's focus on major power diplomacy over regional engagement.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 07:59:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/indonesias-president-prabowo-to-pay-state-visit-to-india-next-week/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/indonesias-president-prabowo-to-pay-state-visit-to-india-next-week/ <![CDATA[Analyzing 290 legislative proposals introduced in 44 states.]]> <![CDATA[Flora Yan]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 06:36:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-actions-did-us-state-legislators-attempt-to-take-on-china-in-2024/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-actions-did-us-state-legislators-attempt-to-take-on-china-in-2024/ <![CDATA[After the U.S. government threatened to ban TikTok, American users discovered an unlikely haven: Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media app.]]> <![CDATA[Anna Ge]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 06:22:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/when-american-tiktok-refugees-found-a-home-on-chinas-rednote/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/when-american-tiktok-refugees-found-a-home-on-chinas-rednote/ <![CDATA[Despite other positive trends, during the Biden administration, there was no substantial increase in U.S. businesses entering Mongolia.]]> <![CDATA[Bolor Lkhaajav, Egiimaa Tsolmonbaatar, and Adiya Oyungerel ]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 04:25:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/fostering-stronger-business-ties-between-mongolia-and-the-united-states/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/fostering-stronger-business-ties-between-mongolia-and-the-united-states/ <![CDATA[The Taliban authorities say that around 3 kilometers of the pipeline has been completed, out of more than 770 km needed to bring Turkmen gas to the Pakistani border.]]> <![CDATA[Catherine Putz]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 01:43:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/tiny-steps-for-tapi-in-the-talibans-afghanistan/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/tiny-steps-for-tapi-in-the-talibans-afghanistan/ <![CDATA[We can expect China to test the resilience of the Taiwan-U.S. partnership under Trump with more gray-zone operations.]]> <![CDATA[Hans Horan]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 01:02:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/%e2%80%8b%e2%80%8bbeijings-targeting-of-taiwans-undersea-cables-previews-cross-strait-tensions-under-a-trump-presidency/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/%e2%80%8b%e2%80%8bbeijings-targeting-of-taiwans-undersea-cables-previews-cross-strait-tensions-under-a-trump-presidency/ <![CDATA[With Honiara as host of this year’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, China could see its influence at the regional body soar.]]> <![CDATA[John Augé and Leon Li]]> <![CDATA[Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:07:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/erasing-taiwan-implications-of-a-growing-china-solomon-islands-partnership/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/erasing-taiwan-implications-of-a-growing-china-solomon-islands-partnership/ <![CDATA[Despite the public’s support for impeaching the South Korean president, the ruling People Power Party just outpolled the main opposition Democratic Party.]]> <![CDATA[Mitch Shin]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 23:27:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/south-koreans-separate-support-on-ppp-and-president-yoon/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/south-koreans-separate-support-on-ppp-and-president-yoon/ <![CDATA[And what’s behind the recent flurry of diplomatic initiatives?]]> <![CDATA[KAWASHIMA Shin]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 23:16:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-next-for-japan-china-relations/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/what-next-for-japan-china-relations/ <![CDATA[As elections in Delhi draw near, political parties take to anti-immigrant rhetoric and penal action.]]> <![CDATA[Sucharita Sengupta]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:51:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/political-outbidding-in-india-on-illegal-bangladeshi-immigrants/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/political-outbidding-in-india-on-illegal-bangladeshi-immigrants/ <![CDATA[A series of incidents, both at home and in Europe, stoked concerns about Chinese attempts to disrupt telecommunications in Taiwan. ]]> <![CDATA[Brian Hioe]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:44:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/another-severed-submarine-cable-raises-alarm-in-taiwan/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/another-severed-submarine-cable-raises-alarm-in-taiwan/ <![CDATA[Tencent's dominance in the gaming world has turned digital entertainment into a powerful vehicle for projecting China’s culture and influence globally.]]> <![CDATA[Shaoyu Yuan]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:13:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-soft-power-play-how-video-games-are-boosting-beijings-global-influence/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/chinas-soft-power-play-how-video-games-are-boosting-beijings-global-influence/ <![CDATA[Speaking in Manila, Iwaya Takeshi said that his country's partnership with Southeast Asia was "vital for regional peace and stability,”]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 13:15:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/japan-gravely-concerned-about-south-china-sea-tensions-fm-says/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/japan-gravely-concerned-about-south-china-sea-tensions-fm-says/ <![CDATA[Government funds intended for the poor are often used by politicians as a form of political patronage.]]> <![CDATA[Mong Palatino]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 06:36:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-politics-of-ayuda-in-the-philippines/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-politics-of-ayuda-in-the-philippines/ <![CDATA[Like the other Cambodian national wanted in connection with the murder, Ly Ratanakrasmey, 43, has links to the Cambodian government.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:44:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/thai-police-issue-arrest-warrant-for-cambodian-linked-to-former-mps-killing/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/thai-police-issue-arrest-warrant-for-cambodian-linked-to-former-mps-killing/ <![CDATA[President Prabowo Subianto has initiated a discernible tilt away from regional engagement toward major-power diplomacy.]]> <![CDATA[Xue Song]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:52:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/indonesias-new-diplomatic-playbook-asean-on-hold-nam-in-limbo-giants-ahead/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/indonesias-new-diplomatic-playbook-asean-on-hold-nam-in-limbo-giants-ahead/ <![CDATA[Historian Henri Locard explains how Cambodia's communists differed from their counterparts in Vietnam.]]> <![CDATA[Luke Hunt]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 06:22:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/pol-pots-march-into-phnom-penh-50-years-on/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/pol-pots-march-into-phnom-penh-50-years-on/ <![CDATA[The messaging app is dominant among users in the Chinese diaspora, and it features heavy censorship and surveillance.]]> <![CDATA[Yaqiu Wang]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:44:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/with-all-eyes-on-tiktok-us-should-not-overlook-wechat/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/with-all-eyes-on-tiktok-us-should-not-overlook-wechat/ <![CDATA[Trump’s canal canard obscures a truth: Panama just wants to run its shipping passage without interference from China or the U.S.]]> <![CDATA[Carla Martínez Machain, Michael A. Allen, and Michael E. Flynn]]> <![CDATA[Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:31:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/trump-china-and-the-truth-about-the-panama-canal/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/trump-china-and-the-truth-about-the-panama-canal/ <![CDATA["Many people know of Huawei either as a smartphone brand, or a foreign firm with a history of intellectual property theft problems, but Huawei is more than either of those things."]]> <![CDATA[Catherine Putz]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 22:24:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/eva-dou-on-the-secretive-house-of-huawei/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/eva-dou-on-the-secretive-house-of-huawei/ <![CDATA[Over 3,000 police came to bring in Yoon for questioning after a much smaller initial attempt was blocked by presidential security.]]> <![CDATA[Shannon Tiezzi]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 22:26:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/south-koreas-president-yoon-suk-yeol-detained-on-2nd-attempt/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/south-koreas-president-yoon-suk-yeol-detained-on-2nd-attempt/ <![CDATA[The project offers an opportunity to enhance the strategic partnership between Singapore and Malaysia, at a time when bilateral ties are on a solid footing.]]> <![CDATA[Marcus Loh]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 06:47:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-johor-singapore-sez-1963-reimagined/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-johor-singapore-sez-1963-reimagined/ <![CDATA[Whatever momentum there once was for getting the state out of the economy has seemingly stalled.]]> <![CDATA[James Guild]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 06:08:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-return-of-malaysias-government-investment-funds/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-return-of-malaysias-government-investment-funds/ <![CDATA[Hanoi is restarting its civilian nuclear program nearly a decade after canceling it over cost and safety concerns.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:09:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/vietnam-signs-nuclear-cooperation-deal-with-russian-government/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/vietnam-signs-nuclear-cooperation-deal-with-russian-government/ <![CDATA[As the harms of Cambodia's criminalized political economy ripple outward, governments in the region and further afield must move beyond their muted, incoherent response.]]> <![CDATA[Jacob Sims]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:15:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/coercion-and-criminality-cambodias-dual-threat-to-regional-and-global-stability/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/coercion-and-criminality-cambodias-dual-threat-to-regional-and-global-stability/ <![CDATA[2025 is shaping up as another year of friction and contention in disputed parts of the South China Sea.]]> <![CDATA[Sebastian Strangio]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:41:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/philippines-protests-fresh-chinese-deployments-at-disputed-shoal/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/philippines-protests-fresh-chinese-deployments-at-disputed-shoal/ <![CDATA[Taipei is bracing for reduced patience and heightened pressure from the incoming Trump administration.]]> <![CDATA[Calvin Chu]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 03:50:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/difficult-days-ahead-for-taiwan-in-the-trump-2-0-era/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/difficult-days-ahead-for-taiwan-in-the-trump-2-0-era/ <![CDATA[How will Colombo's economic relations with Beijing proceed in the post-default era?]]> <![CDATA[Umesh Moramudali and Yunnan Chen]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 04:27:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/beyond-debt-china-sri-lanka-economic-relations-in-a-new-era/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/beyond-debt-china-sri-lanka-economic-relations-in-a-new-era/ <![CDATA[The Awami League is unlikely to make a swift comeback in Bangladesh's political landscape]]> <![CDATA[Shahadat Swadhin]]> <![CDATA[Wed, 15 Jan 2025 03:05:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/can-hasinas-awami-league-make-a-comeback-in-bangladeshs-next-election/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/can-hasinas-awami-league-make-a-comeback-in-bangladeshs-next-election/ <![CDATA[The final India-U.S. exchanges before the Trump administration takes office set the stage for the next phase of the relationship.]]> <![CDATA[Araudra Singh]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 14 Jan 2025 23:56:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/with-high-level-visits-india-us-look-to-sustain-momentum-ahead-of-us-presidential-transition/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/with-high-level-visits-india-us-look-to-sustain-momentum-ahead-of-us-presidential-transition/ <![CDATA[Without the participation of U.S. banks in the NZBA, the already limited pool of climate finance may shrink further.]]> <![CDATA[Ardhi Rasy Wardhana ]]> <![CDATA[Tue, 14 Jan 2025 22:24:00 +0900]]> https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/how-the-exit-of-us-banks-from-the-net-zero-banking-alliance-threatens-climate-finance-in-southeast-asia/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/how-the-exit-of-us-banks-from-the-net-zero-banking-alliance-threatens-climate-finance-in-southeast-asia/