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The premier international affairs magazine for the Asia-Pacific, covering politics, defense and society from China and Kazakhstan to Myanmar and Australia. thediplomat.com
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The Diplomat
@thediplomat.com
· Dec 3
The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific Current Affairs Magazine
In-depth analysis and commentary on events across the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on geopolitics, defense, economics, social, and environmental issues.
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Hello Bluesky!
We're The Diplomat and if you want to know what's happening in Asia you should read us.
Hello Bluesky!
We're The Diplomat and if you want to know what's happening in Asia you should read us.
To Lam has become a veritable strongman, the most powerful single leader Vietnam has seen in decades. How did he do it?
To Lam: The Spectacular Rise of Vietnam’s New Strongman
How did To Lam survive a brush with scandal to become Vietnam’s most powerful leader in decades?
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 1:28 PM
To Lam has become a veritable strongman, the most powerful single leader Vietnam has seen in decades. How did he do it?
I've documented various PLAN procurement efforts in the past half decade. Now it’s time to review some of these past projections in context of what actually materialized.
The Growth of China’s Navy: Past, Present, and Future
A review of major developments in the PLAN over the past 5 years – and where the fleet is likely to go from here.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 12:33 PM
I've documented various PLAN procurement efforts in the past half decade. Now it’s time to review some of these past projections in context of what actually materialized.
The Philippines and Japan signed a new security agreement that will permit the tax-free provision of supplies and services between the two nations when they undertake joint military exercises.
Japan, Philippines Sign New Defense Pact to Facilitate Flow of Military Supplies
The new deal will support the implementation of the two nations’ Reciprocal Access Agreement, which came into force in September.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 11:29 AM
The Philippines and Japan signed a new security agreement that will permit the tax-free provision of supplies and services between the two nations when they undertake joint military exercises.
There is a temporary thaw in China-U.S. relations, but India will have to balance its ties deftly with both powers.
Trump and Xi May Meet in Beijing in April, But India’s Worries Remain
There is a temporary thaw in China-U.S. relations, but India will have to balance its ties deftly with both powers.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 10:36 AM
There is a temporary thaw in China-U.S. relations, but India will have to balance its ties deftly with both powers.
Takaichi has called for a snap election in February - and the outcome is downright unpredictable.
Takaichi’s Big Election Gamble: Will It Pay Off?
This is a high-stake gamble for Takaichi. But a snap election like this is not without a precedent.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 9:34 AM
Takaichi has called for a snap election in February - and the outcome is downright unpredictable.
The decision likely reflects a broad unanimity about the reappointment of Party chief To Lam to a second five-year term.
Vietnam’s Communist Party Votes to Cut Short 14th National Congress
The decision likely reflects a broad unanimity about the reappointment of Party chief To Lam to a second five-year term.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 8:38 AM
The decision likely reflects a broad unanimity about the reappointment of Party chief To Lam to a second five-year term.
The nomination of President Prabowo Subianto's nephew to the board of Bank Indonesia has added to the uncertainties surrounding Indonesia's economic trajectory.
Indonesian Rupiah Touches New Low Amid Worries of Central Bank Independence
The nomination of President Prabowo Subianto’s nephew to the board of Bank Indonesia has added to the uncertainties about Indonesia’s economic trajectory.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 7:32 AM
The nomination of President Prabowo Subianto's nephew to the board of Bank Indonesia has added to the uncertainties surrounding Indonesia's economic trajectory.
Uzbekistan’s declaration of an anti-corruption “state of emergency” signals a turning point in its decade-long reform efforts.
Uzbekistan’s Anti-corruption Emergency: What Comes After a Decade of Reform?
Uzbekistan’s declaration of an anti-corruption “state of emergency” signals a turning point in its decade-long reform efforts toward a system-based model of control and prevention.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 6:40 AM
Uzbekistan’s declaration of an anti-corruption “state of emergency” signals a turning point in its decade-long reform efforts.
America’s AI-fueled boom and China’s export-led model are showing signs of strain. For India, the implications are weaker global demand, tougher trade conditions, and limited room for easy external growth in 2026.
The World India Must Budget For
America’s AI-fueled boom and China’s export-led model are showing signs of strain. For India, the implications are weaker global demand, tougher trade conditions, and limited room for easy external…
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 5:31 AM
America’s AI-fueled boom and China’s export-led model are showing signs of strain. For India, the implications are weaker global demand, tougher trade conditions, and limited room for easy external growth in 2026.
How did To Lam survive a brush with scandal to become Vietnam’s most powerful leader in decades?
To Lam: The Spectacular Rise of Vietnam’s New Strongman
How did To Lam survive a brush with scandal to become Vietnam’s most powerful leader in decades?
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 4:31 AM
How did To Lam survive a brush with scandal to become Vietnam’s most powerful leader in decades?
Geographically and politically, Central Asia – and Kazakhstan in particular – is positioned as a natural bridge between emerging technological blocs.
From Pax Silica to Hypergravity: Central Asia’s Place in the New Technological Era
Geographically and politically, the region – and Kazakhstan in particular – is positioned as a natural bridge between emerging technological blocs.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 3:29 AM
Geographically and politically, Central Asia – and Kazakhstan in particular – is positioned as a natural bridge between emerging technological blocs.
"The most disgraceful thing the Yunus administration has allowed — because it did not have to — is the use of anti-terror laws to arrest journalists and keep them in pre-trial detention for months on extraordinary, often outlandish charges."
When Interim Governments Use the Law to Silence the Press
640 journalists were targeted by Bangladesh’s interim government last year, a think tank report said. Do transitional democracies do more harm than good?
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 2:35 AM
"The most disgraceful thing the Yunus administration has allowed — because it did not have to — is the use of anti-terror laws to arrest journalists and keep them in pre-trial detention for months on extraordinary, often outlandish charges."
Ideological rhetoric and security-centric diplomacy have undercut the trust India fostered with its neighbors via previous economic engagement.
South Asia’s Strategic Shift: How India Lost the Diplomatic Initiative With Its Neighbors
Ideological rhetoric and security-centric diplomacy have undercut the trust India fostered with its neighbors via previous economic engagement.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 1:32 AM
Ideological rhetoric and security-centric diplomacy have undercut the trust India fostered with its neighbors via previous economic engagement.
Yes, China’s response to the violence in Iran has been muted. But don’t overlook the support that China has already provided in the form of surveillance and drone technology.
China Won’t Save Iran’s Regime – But Chinese Surveillance Technology Might
Yes, China’s response to the violence in Iran has been muted. But don’t overlook the support that China has already provided in the form of surveillance and drone technology.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 12:36 AM
Yes, China’s response to the violence in Iran has been muted. But don’t overlook the support that China has already provided in the form of surveillance and drone technology.
China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, and it always has a tried-and-tested toolkit for evading sanctions enforcement.
Why China Isn’t Worried About New US Sanctions on Iran
China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, and it always has a tried-and-tested toolkit for evading sanctions enforcement.
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 11:30 PM
China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, and it always has a tried-and-tested toolkit for evading sanctions enforcement.
The Socialist Patriotic Youth League offers a window into how the North Korean authorities uses state-run organizations to govern.
How North Korea Uses an 80-Year-Old Youth Group to Control Society
The Socialist Patriotic Youth League offers a window into how the North Korean authorities uses state-run organizations to govern.
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 10:39 PM
The Socialist Patriotic Youth League offers a window into how the North Korean authorities uses state-run organizations to govern.
America’s AI-fueled boom and China’s export-led model are showing signs of strain. For India, the implications are weaker global demand, tougher trade conditions, and limited room for easy external growth in 2026.
The World India Must Budget For
America’s AI-fueled boom and China’s export-led model are showing signs of strain. For India, the implications are weaker global demand, tougher trade conditions, and limited room for easy external…
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 9:30 PM
America’s AI-fueled boom and China’s export-led model are showing signs of strain. For India, the implications are weaker global demand, tougher trade conditions, and limited room for easy external growth in 2026.
ICFAI Group has carved a unique niche in India’s educational landscape.
ICFAI Group: Shaping India’s Future Through Quality Education
The institution’s commitment to accessibility, innovation and industry collaboration is transforming leadership in India’s higher education landscape.
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 8:35 PM
ICFAI Group has carved a unique niche in India’s educational landscape.
Questions are being raise worldwide, including in Taiwan, about the credibility of U.S. economic, security, and other commitments under a more openly transactional “Donroe Doctrine.”
What Does Trump’s Greenland Grab Mean for Taiwan?
Questions are being raise worldwide, including in Taiwan, about the credibility of U.S. economic, security, and other commitments under a more openly transactional “Donroe Doctrine.”
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Questions are being raise worldwide, including in Taiwan, about the credibility of U.S. economic, security, and other commitments under a more openly transactional “Donroe Doctrine.”
A review of major developments in the PLAN over the past 5 years – and where the fleet is likely to go from here.
The Growth of China’s Navy: Past, Present, and Future
A review of major developments in the PLAN over the past 5 years – and where the fleet is likely to go from here.
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 6:37 PM
A review of major developments in the PLAN over the past 5 years – and where the fleet is likely to go from here.
Given all that’s at stake, how would Japan respond if China invaded Taiwan?
If China Invades Taiwan, What Would Japan Do?
Given all that’s at stake, how would Japan respond in a scenario that could lead to the world’s first great power war since 1945?
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Given all that’s at stake, how would Japan respond if China invaded Taiwan?
How did To Lam survive a brush with scandal to become Vietnam’s most powerful leader in decades?
To Lam: The Spectacular Rise of Vietnam’s New Strongman
How did To Lam survive a brush with scandal to become Vietnam’s most powerful leader in decades?
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 4:33 PM
How did To Lam survive a brush with scandal to become Vietnam’s most powerful leader in decades?
China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, and it always has a tried-and-tested toolkit for evading sanctions enforcement.
Why China Isn’t Worried About New US Sanctions on Iran
China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, and it always has a tried-and-tested toolkit for evading sanctions enforcement.
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 3:30 PM
China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, and it always has a tried-and-tested toolkit for evading sanctions enforcement.
Pakistan has reacted cautiously to an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join a newly proposed international body, called the “Board of Peace.”
Pakistan Weighs Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ Invitation Amid International Caution
Islamabad wouldn’t want to back a setup that undermines the U.N. or pokes at Beijing’s diplomatic, economic, or security interests.
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Pakistan has reacted cautiously to an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join a newly proposed international body, called the “Board of Peace.”
It’s one of the most consequential questions in the world today – and no one really knows the answer: Can China's military actually fight?
Can China’s Military Actually Fight?
It’s one of the most consequential questions in the world today – and no one really knows the answer.
buff.ly
January 21, 2026 at 12:33 PM
It’s one of the most consequential questions in the world today – and no one really knows the answer: Can China's military actually fight?