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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: 12 hours 46 min ago

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.

Japan’s Response to the De Facto Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 12:27
The key question: Is it a ‘survival-threating situation’?

Why the US Won’t Be Making a Pivot to Asia Anytime Soon

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 11:51
Stated intentions are one thing. Reality is quite another.

Indian Government Cracks Down on Video Reels Lampooning PM Modi

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 10:27
Authorities took down a video that mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s undignified behavior while meeting foreign leaders.

Thai Tanker Transits Strait of Hormuz After Agreement Between Bangkok and Tehran

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 04:02
The passage comes two weeks after a Thailand-flagged bulk carrier was hit and damaged by Iranian projectiles while transiting the Strait.

Is the Philippines Really About to Restart Joint Oil Exploration With China in the South China Sea?

Thu, 26/03/2026 - 01:32
Even in the context of the current "energy emergency," President Marcos' proposal would have to surmount considerable constitutional and political hurdles.

How the Iran War Will Reconfigure Militancy in Balochistan

Wed, 25/03/2026 - 18:17
Security forces in Pakistan are “preparing for a further push from terrorist outfits in Balochistan" due to the ongoing conflict.

As Cybercrime Soars in Central Asia, Digital Literacy Lags Behind

Wed, 25/03/2026 - 16:26
There’s no easy solution, but the most obvious first step is to empower individuals to think critically about what they read online.

EU-India Free Trade Agreement: Deal Of Democracies

Wed, 25/03/2026 - 14:51
Insights from Nicolas Kohler-Suzuki.

Configuring India’s Security for a Multi-front War

Wed, 25/03/2026 - 14:21
India’s defense budget has fallen steadily from 4 percent of its GDP in the late 1980s to under 2 percent today.

The Bay of Bengal’s Energy Scramble Has Begun – But Bangladesh Is Late to the Party 

Wed, 25/03/2026 - 14:06
Bangladesh won its maritime boundary a decade ago and has barely drilled a single well.

China’s Economic Bullying of Japan Will Backfire

Wed, 25/03/2026 - 13:30
Both public sentiment and political trends in Japan mean that a firm approach toward China is likely to endure.

Lee Jae-myung Stars in Seoul’s Mayoral Race

Wed, 25/03/2026 - 12:44
This year's local elections are becoming a contest for presidential favor. That's a symptom of South Korea’s longstanding personality-driven politics.

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