Latest Stories
Southeast Asia’s Uneven Tourism Recovery, Explained
The region's major tourism markets are still struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels – with one exception.
Censored Thai Exhibition Undermined ‘Core Interests,’ China Claims
A Bangkok gallery was last month forced to remove materials about Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong from an exhibition about global authoritarianism.
India-Philippines Ties Now Strategic Partnership on Upward Trajectory
Visa-free travel, direct flights, technological cooperation and cultural exchanges are set to complement the new defense-heavy alignment, aiming to turn a once-distant relationship into a broad-based alliance.
Chinese Vessels Collide While Pursuing Philippine Patrol Ship in South China Sea
The incident took place in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal, a frequent point of contention between Manila and Beijing.
Divorce and Depression: Mongolia’s New Social Dilemma
A rising divorce rate and lack of mental health services is taking a toll on Mongolia’s youth.
Japan Wins Australia’s Multi-billion Dollar Frigate Project
There are three major reasons why the upgraded Mogami-class frigate was selected, in a major milestone for Japan's defense industry.
Most Read
Why Cambodia Is Losing the Information War With Thailand
The lack of an independent press has made it hard for the government to communicate its side of the story.
Taiwan’s Civil Society Is Not Ready for War
Ukraine’s civil society was well-prepared, psychologically and practically, for Russia’s invasion. Taiwan's is not.
Trump’s Tariffs on India Imperil India-US Strategic Relationship
In addition to a 25 percent tariff on Indian exports, Trump has announced an “unspecified penalty” on India for buying Russian oil and arms.
Magazine
How Is Vietnam Navigating the New Trade War Era?
Can Vietnam adapt its economic model to this era of geopolitical fragmentation – or will it become collateral damage in someone else’s trade war?
The Evolution of ‘Made in China 2025’
Since the policy’s launch a decade ago, China’s industrial upgrade has widened to boost economic security and self-reliance.
The Quad in an ‘America First’ World
Eight years after its resurrection, the Quad still faces a significant gap between ambition and capability.
Ahmede Hussain on Bangladesh After the Monsoon Revolution
“The most significant challenge facing Bangladesh right now isn’t from the street or the public, but from the ruling elites themselves, particularly some of the major political parties.”
Blogs
China Power
A New World Order
China’s ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy Persists in Latin America
In general, Beijing has turned away from extreme diplomacy. But in Latin America, the wolf warrior spirit remains very much alive.
Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?
Damming the Climate for Rights in Tibet
The ‘Three Pats’: Xi Jinping’s Enduring Governance Dilemma
Flashpoints
Diplomacy by Other Means
Tracking Conflict in the Asia-Pacific: August 2025 Update
An overview of conflict, from protests to military and militant violence, in the Asia-Pacific in July 2025.
Diplomatic Maneuvering Intensifies Ahead of US-Russia Alaska Summit
Calibrated Signals: How Middle Powers Are Rewriting the Rules of Cyber Attribution in the Indo-Pacific.
Can the SCO Survive Its Own Conflicts?
Asia Defense
Militaries of the Asia-Pacific
Japan Wins Australia’s Multi-billion Dollar Frigate Project
There are three major reasons why the upgraded Mogami-class frigate was selected, in a major milestone for Japan's defense industry.
Serbia and China Boost Security Ties With Special Forces Exercise
Thailand’s Cabinet Approves Changes to Troubled Chinese Submarine Deal
Philippines, India Wind Up First Joint Naval Exercise in South China Sea
ASEAN Beat
Insights Into Half a Billion
Censored Thai Exhibition Undermined ‘Core Interests,’ China Claims
A Bangkok gallery was last month forced to remove materials about Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong from an exhibition about global authoritarianism.
Chinese Vessels Collide While Pursuing Philippine Patrol Ship in South China Sea
Malaysia to Lead ASEAN Delegation to Myanmar Next Month, FM Says
Thailand Again Accuses Cambodia of Laying Fresh Landmines Along Disputed Border
The Pulse
Perspectives on South Asia
India-Philippines Ties Now Strategic Partnership on Upward Trajectory
Visa-free travel, direct flights, technological cooperation and cultural exchanges are set to complement the new defense-heavy alignment, aiming to turn a once-distant relationship into a broad-based alliance.
Israeli Tourist Boom in Sri Lanka’s Arugam Bay Stirs Local Unease
Mass Burials at Dharmasthala Point to Unholy Mix of Religion, Crime and Politics in India
Government to Issue Gun Licenses to Indigenous Groups in India’s Assam State
The Koreas
Divided Peninsula
South Korea’s Special Counsels Delve Into the Supernatural Side of Yoon’s Presidency
The extent to which the Yoon administration allowed spiritual figures and religious outfits to meddle in national affairs is coming to light.
Seoul’s Strategic Dilemma: Navigating a High-Stakes Summit With Trump
South Korea’s Foreign Aid at a Crossroads Under Lee Jae-myung
North Korea Has ‘No Interest’ in Talking to Lee Jae-myung
Tokyo Report
News From Japan
CEAPAD and Japan’s Cautious Approach to Palestine
Japan’s Palestine policy has long been cautious, development-oriented, and rooted in quiet multilateralism. That increasingly rings hollow amid the devastation of the Gaza War.
Will the Last Surviving Parent of a Japanese Abductee Get Closure?
Tokyo’s Shifting Priorities in Its Nuclear Policy
A Rare, Direct Warning From Japan Signals a Shift in the Fight Against Child Sex Tourism in Asia
The Debate
Comment and Opinion
Advancing Australia’s Trilateral Partnership With Two ASEAN Neighbors
Fruitful relations between Australia, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste should be consolidated through the establishment of new trilateral mechanisms.
The Geopolitics of Extraction: US Strategic Gaze on Balochistan
Indonesia’s Human Trafficking Crisis Demands a Community-led Response
Plastics: The New and Final Colonizer
Crossroads Asia
The New Silk Road
Divorce and Depression: Mongolia’s New Social Dilemma
A rising divorce rate and lack of mental health services is taking a toll on Mongolia’s youth.
Survey Work Begins in Kazakhstan for Russia-Built Nuclear Power Plant
What Does the Decline of Agriculture Really Mean for Central Asia’s Stability?
Swindler or Scapegoat? Provisional Verdict Announced in Large-Scale Kazakh Embezzlement Case
Trans-Pacific View
U.S. Policy on Asia
Is the Republican Party Moving Away From Taiwan?
The lack of Republican response to Lai Ching-te's cancelled trip reflects a deeper shift in the party's cross-strait policy.
As Trump Lifts Sanctions on Myanmar Elites, Is the US Eyeing Rare Earth Reserves?
Taiwan-US Ties Are Becoming a Political Headache for the Lai Administration
Why the US Is Letting China Win on Energy Innovation
Pacific Money
Economy And Business
Southeast Asia’s Uneven Tourism Recovery, Explained
The region's major tourism markets are still struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels – with one exception.
Amid US Tariffs, Africa’s Fashion Industry Looks to China
India’s Strategic Bet on Battery Security: Can It Turn ‘Black Mass’ into ‘White Gold’?
Indonesia’s Recent Banking Boom, Explained
Oceania
The South Pacific
Australia’s Intelligence Agency: Foreign Spying at Unprecedented Levels
The Australian Security Intelligence Organization chief said that the agency “is seeing more Australians targeted – more aggressively – than ever before.”
US Tariff Decision Gives New Zealand Plenty to Think About
France and New Caledonia Have Reached a Compromise. Will It Work?
As Australia Eyes COP31, Climate Politics Heats up in the Coalition
Videos
Asia on Video
Podcasts
Asia Geopolitics
Reviewing Thailand and Cambodia’s July 2025 Border Skirmish
What led to the flare-up of the long-running dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbors?
A Trade ‘Deal’ and a Historic Election: What’s Next for Japan?
The Geopolitics of the Second China-Central Asia Summit
What Does South Korea’s New Progressive Administration Portend for Northeast Asia?
Photo Essays
Asia in Pictures
Self-Help Groups Are Transforming Women’s Lives in India
For decades, men ruled the farms in Bihar. Now, it’s women who are reshaping the agricultural economy.