You are here

TheDiplomat

Subscribe to TheDiplomat feed
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 2 hours ago

What the Deaths of Indonesia’s Peacekeepers Mean for Its Foreign Policy

Tue, 07/04/2026 - 06:52
The deaths and injuries serve as a stark reminder of the risks of Jakarta becoming more closely involved in a volatile region.

Vietnam Communist Party Chief To Lam Appointed as State President

Tue, 07/04/2026 - 06:26
The decision marks a break with the collective decision-making model that has prevailed for most of the country's recent history.

Rights Groups File Genocide Complaint Against Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing

Tue, 07/04/2026 - 03:12
The complaint was accepted by the Attorney General's Office just days after the general was "elected" president by the military-dominated parliament.

Beijing’s Foreign Influence Tactics, Hidden in Plain Sight 

Mon, 06/04/2026 - 20:24
New reports document the scope and sophistication of the CCP's influence operations.

Why Cheng Li-wun’s Visit to China Matters

Mon, 06/04/2026 - 18:37
Cheng Li-wun’s visit signals that Beijing is still seeking to influence Taiwan’s political trajectory through selective engagement with the opposition KMT.

Pakistan’s Search for Diplomatic Relevance Amid the Iran War

Mon, 06/04/2026 - 17:08
Is Pakistan’s mediation effort a diplomatic breakthrough or an act of geopolitical opportunism?

Japan Must Stand Up for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament

Mon, 06/04/2026 - 16:35
At a time of growing global disorder, responsible and diplomatic behavior is in alarmingly short supply.

Taiwan and the Formosa Disaster in Vietnam: The Sound of Silence  

Mon, 06/04/2026 - 16:11
Ten years after a toxic waste dump poisoned Vietnam’s coast, the Taiwanese company responsible, both governments, and even the victims themselves have maintained a stunning silence.

Remembering Vietnam’s Worst Environmental Disaster – and the Ongoing Cover-up

Mon, 06/04/2026 - 14:03
It’s bad enough that the company at fault considers the issue closed, but the Vietnamese government has effectively sided with a foreign corporation – and arrested those who dared to protest.

Vietnam War Redux?

Mon, 06/04/2026 - 12:22
In an echo of history, Iran hints at a war of attrition with the U.S. and its allies.

India’s 59-Year Maoist Insurgency Collapses

Mon, 06/04/2026 - 07:03
The government appears to have met its March 31, 2026, deadline for ending the Maoist insurgency. But it is too early to celebrate.

How the India-Myanmar Border in the Northeast is Being Misread

Fri, 03/04/2026 - 18:59
The border is often spoken of as if it already exists in a fixed and continuous form, as if the line has been fully drawn and only needs to be defended. The reality is different.

Revisiting Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un’s Last Meeting

Fri, 03/04/2026 - 16:28
The 2019 snap summit at the DMZ was a mesmerizing reality show, for which there had been no preparation – but it almost worked.

TSMC’s Kumamoto Fab Upgrade: A Security-Driven Reconfiguration of Indo-Pacific Chip Competition

Fri, 03/04/2026 - 16:12
The move not only strengthens Japan’s position in the semiconductor sector, but also shows that chip competition is increasingly being shaped by geopolitics rather than market logic.

When Feminist Speech Disappears Online, Chinese Women Find New Ways to Speak

Fri, 03/04/2026 - 15:40
Post-censorship feminism offers insight into how activism adapts when public speech becomes risky. 

Beijing Is Racing to Get Concessions From Taiwan’s KMT

Fri, 03/04/2026 - 15:02
Cheng Li-wun is the party’s most pro-Beijing chair in a decade – and China is rushing to take advantage.

Australia’s EU Critical Minerals Deal Is No Quick Fix for Its China Dependence

Fri, 03/04/2026 - 15:02
Europe can provide capital, technology and market access, but it cannot quickly replace China’s unmatched role as a buyer, processor and integrated industrial ecosystem.

Why the Aral Sea’s Restoration Matters Beyond Central Asia

Fri, 03/04/2026 - 14:33
The Aral Sea’s story demonstrates how human actions can profoundly alter natural systems, yet it also shows that determined cooperation can begin to repair environmental damage that once seemed irreversible.

The Notion of the Chinese Nation: How Beijing’s New Ethnic Law Pushes Taiwan Further Away

Fri, 03/04/2026 - 14:29
Contrasting approaches to language and identity highlight a widening divide in how each side conceptualizes nationhood – part of the political and societal gap across the Taiwan Strait.

Pages