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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 hour 37 min ago

What the West Misses About China’s Nuclear Build-up

Fri, 27/03/2026 - 14:42
Until Western analysts honestly grapple with what U.S. and allied conventional capabilities look like from Beijing, no stable strategic relationship with China is achievable.

The Global Implications of China’s 5-Year Plan AI Ambitions

Fri, 27/03/2026 - 14:09
China’s quest for global leadership in AI and cybersecurity threatens free expression and information integrity around the world.

Despite a Supposedly Defensive Policy, China’s Military Budget Rises Fast

Fri, 27/03/2026 - 14:03
China’s sustained higher defense spending has altered the military balance in the region.

Australia, New Zealand Set Ambitious Course for Deeper Defense Cooperation

Fri, 27/03/2026 - 13:31
Building on the long-standing bilateral alliance under the ANZUS Treaty, Canberra and Wellington aim to translate political commitments into greater practical military cooperation by 2035. 

Europe’s China Confusion: From Global Trade to Russia

Fri, 27/03/2026 - 13:15
From trade issues to the Russia-Ukraine war, China presents a dual face to Europe.

How an Indonesian Pulp Giant Built a Carbon Project to Save a Forest From Itself

Fri, 27/03/2026 - 06:45
A months-long investigation into APRIL Group’s flagship Riau Ecosytem Restoration reveals how its carbon project was built on a hypothetical deforestation threat that is unlikely to materialize.

Takaichi Sanae and the Constitutional Revision Debate

Fri, 27/03/2026 - 06:38
It’s not as simple as China would have it.

What Does North Korea Think of Japan’s Prime Minister?

Fri, 27/03/2026 - 06:17
The country’s newspaper of record has been noticeably silent of late.

Shopee Finally Became Profitable in 2025

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 22:15
Southeast Asia's big consumer-facing tech firms are finally starting to fulfill investors' expectations.

The Strait of Hormuz Is Burning, But China Is Not Panicking

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 20:33
China appears better insulated than most against the energy shocks emerging from the latest Middle East conflict. 

TPP Founder Ko Wen-je Gets 17 Years in Prison

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 18:03
Ko’s corruption scandal has roiled the third largest party in Taiwan’s legislature. 

Trump Must Act Quickly to Protect Diego Garcia

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 16:16
The Iran war once again proved the base’s importance. To ensure that the U.S. military keeps access for decades to come, Trump must endorse the Mauritius-U.K. Chagos agreement.

Understanding the Ongoing France-Vanuatu Negotiations About Matthew and Hunter Islands

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 15:28
Unpacking the longstanding territorial dispute between Vanuatu and France’s New Caledonia involves untangling complexity, nuance, and sensitivities.

The Politics of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 15:23
With the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway to be completed by 2030, discussion is shifting from regional connectivity to who will benefit most. 

More Questioned, Arrested, in Expanding Kyrgyzneftgas Probe

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 15:15
This week the former head of the National Bank and the brother of Kamchybek Tashiev were questioned, the former then detained. 

The Security Architecture of the Taiwan-US Trade Deal

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 14:21
Read carefully, the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade is something far more consequential than a mere trade deal.

Japan to Send Combat Units to Philippines-US Balikatan Exercises for the First Time

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 13:51
The move represents a historic shift in Japan’s security engagement with Southeast Asia – and Manila specifically.

What the Engagement Debate Misses: Visiting China Is Not the Same as Understanding It

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 13:20
When U.S. policymakers visit China, they encounter a curated performance, not a country. A different approach to engagement is possible – but it requires abandoning the comfort of the guided tour.

Pakistan’s Attacks and the World’s Silence Over Afghanistan

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 13:12
The illegitimacy of the Taliban does not mean that the fundamental rights of the Afghan people have been suspended. 

How Pakistan is Redefining Middle Power Agency in the US-Israel War on Iran

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 12:41
Islamabad’s emergence as a channel illustrates how middle powers can punch above their weight when larger actors are hemmed in by their own alignments.

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