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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.
Updated: 1 day 21 hours ago

Kazakhstan Eyes Ambitious 2035 Goal for 2 Nuclear Power Plants

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 19:53
A deal with China hasn’t been settled yet but still, Astana hopes to complete both its first and second nuclear power plants within a decade.

The China-Israel-US Triangle, Then and Now

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 18:00
Insights from Eyal Propper.

China Is Defanging the Dollar, Not Dethroning It

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 16:57
Countries like Russia and Iran can settle transactions using the yuan – but those proceeds remain trapped in China by Beijing's design. 

The Next Phase of Japan-Vietnam Relations

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 16:52
The question now is whether the two countries can turn their increasingly ambitious partnership into tangible economic and strategic results.

How Some Media Shape Regional Australia’s Hostility to Renewable Energy

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 16:00
Research traces how partisan outlets link climate-delay narratives, fossil-fuel interests, and audiences, reshaping regional energy debates and public trust.

The Squad and the Quad: 2 Tracks of Security Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 15:44
The Squad should be understood not as a replacement for the Quad but as an expression of the Indo-Pacific’s increasingly layered security architecture.

Opium Is Back in Afghanistan

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 15:12
The resurgence of opium in Afghanistan is more than a statistical reversal.

Pakistan’s Abrupt (and Aborted) Revocation of Taiwan’s Overflight Privileges

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 15:07
Pakistan announced that Taiwanese airlines would not be allowed to fly over the country, before abruptly rescinding the change. Is this a new strategy from Beijing?

China’s Companionship Economy: Paying for Someone to Play With Me 

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 14:19
From video game partners to romantic role-playing games, more and more Chinese are paying for the chance to forge real connections.

Taking Stock of India-China Relations: Structural Divergences and the Limits of Diplomacy

Wed, 04/11/2026 - 08:51
Post Galwan, the Sino-Indian military balance has become more skewed. India’s procurement and defense industrial ecosystem has also led to lags in enhancing its military power.

The Danger of Being a Female Livestreamer in China

Tue, 03/11/2026 - 19:39
When a fan thinks he owns you, online entitlement can morph into real-world violence.

With Copyright Complaints, Even Imposters Can Silence Karakalpak Activists

Tue, 03/11/2026 - 17:20
An individual claiming to be a Diplomat editor filed a copyright complaint with Meta against a Karakalpak activist. They were an imposter. The post was taken down anyway. 

The China-Pakistan Information Corridor Is Made to Silence Journalists

Tue, 03/11/2026 - 16:28
CPIC arrives in a country where the words "fake news" can already put a reporter in prison.

How China Is Building Influence in Central Asia, One Laboratory at a Time

Tue, 03/11/2026 - 16:07
Scientific and educational cooperation may be less visible than a railway, but it may also have longer lasting and broader results.

Amid Stock Troubles, Is South Korea’s $880 Billion AI Infrastructure Buildout Under Threat? 

Tue, 03/11/2026 - 15:01
South Korea has emerged as one of the world leaders in the AI buildout. But now, as investor sell-offs continue to force the KOSPI lower, are its AI ambitions under threat?

Decouple Taiwan From China-Vatican Negotiations

Tue, 03/11/2026 - 14:33
Archbishop Gallagher’s remarks about the “price” of setting up an office in Beijing have struck a nerve in Taiwan. But the two aren’t actually related.

Does Reliance on China Undermine Iran’s Grand Strategy?

Tue, 03/11/2026 - 13:44
China’s interests in the Middle East increasingly conflict with Iran’s cooperation with regional proxies and use of coercive threats.

Indonesia’s Navy Is Growing. Is Its Combat Power Keeping Up?

Tue, 03/11/2026 - 08:06
While fleet size is an important measure of operational capacity, a lot depends on how effectively new platforms are equipped, operated, and integrated.

Tesla, Samsung Express Opposition to New US Tariffs on Vietnam

Tue, 03/11/2026 - 04:31
With a U.S. investigation into intellectual property violations set for conclusion at the end of the month, Hanoi could face fresh trade penalties.

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