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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: 2 days 4 hours ago

South Korea’s Moment to Lead on Crimes Against Humanity

Thu, 02/04/2026 - 14:49
South Korea has a chance to lead in defining the scope, standards, and ambition of a new U.N. convention on crimes against humanity.

Japan, France Elevate Economic Security Amid Energy Shock

Thu, 02/04/2026 - 14:26
Their partnership is deepening as the Hormuz crisis drives cooperation on critical minerals, nuclear energy, and supply chain resilience.

The China-Pakistan Iran Peace Plan: All Words, No Commitment

Thu, 02/04/2026 - 13:52
China’s “five-point proposal” is structured to avoid friction or controversy. That’s not a recipe for solving conflict.

Nepal’s Gen Z Uprising Probe: Shoddy Report, Hasty Action

Thu, 02/04/2026 - 13:34
There are suspicions that the probe committee investigating the violence during the two-day protests wanted to protect some people from prosecution.

Malaysia to Introduce Work From Home For Government Workers From April 15

Thu, 02/04/2026 - 05:06
Despite the advantages it enjoys as a net oil exporter, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the country cannot afford to get "too comfortable."

Southeast Asia Feels the Squeeze from Middle East War

Thu, 02/04/2026 - 03:15
Even the region's energy-rich countries are now being forced to reckon with the economic fallout from the Iran conflict.

How an Indonesian Crewman Escaped the Death Penalty After the Country’s Largest Ever Drug Bust

Thu, 02/04/2026 - 02:20
However, prosecutors are appealing the five-year sentence handed to 22-year-old Fandi Ramadhan for his role in the trafficking of nearly two tonnes of methamphetamines.

Philippines Holds Talks With Iran on Safe Passage Through Strait of Hormuz

Thu, 02/04/2026 - 00:45
Washington's Asian allies have shown little interest in supporting the U.S. war effort, even at the level of rhetoric.

When Trump Goes to China: It’s the Strategy That Matters

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 21:05
The Trump-Xi summit itself is likely to be less important than the divergent strategies that it may reveal.

Pakistan’s Economic Stabilization Efforts Face Their Biggest Challenge With Iran War

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 18:59
Economic stabilization achieved over the past fiscal year, when inflation finally began to decline, could prove painfully short-lived if the crisis does not end soon.

The Kyrgyzneftegaz Case: Shairbek Tashiev Arrested

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 17:02
Shairbek, who resigned from parliament last month, had previously been questioned as a “witness" in the Kyrgyzneftgas case.

The Graveyard of Rohingya Diplomacy: Is Bangladesh Stuck in an ‘Exhaustion Trap’?

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 16:59
For almost a decade now, the gap between official progress and political reality has stalled Rohingya diplomacy.

Cobalt, Congo, and China: Battery Power as Political Power

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 15:47
Insights from Nicholas Niarchos.

Iran War Opens New Markets for Kazakhstan

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 15:24
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, Bangladesh is in a dire strait of its own and looking far afield for new energy partners, like Kazakhstan.

How Will South Korea Respond to the Iran-US Conflict?

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 15:23
Amid U.S. requests for naval involvement in the Strait of Hormuz, Seoul has three options: leveraging, minimizing, or compensating.

Between Cooperation and Control: China’s Expanding Role in Central America

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 14:36
The key question is not whether China is “exporting authoritarianism,” but how its cooperation mechanisms interact with domestic dynamics already moving in that direction.

Aijan Sharshenova on the Japarov-Tashiev Political Divorce in Kyrgyzstan

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 14:30
Put one way, the Japarov-Tashiev split is a “political divorce…  involving high stakes, such as significant assets, complex business structures, or intense custody battles.”

Indonesia’s UNIFIL Dilemma: Don’t Hand the US and Israel a Victory by Proxy

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 14:05
Withdrawing from Lebanon would undermine Indonesia’s peacekeeping credibility and ironically serve the very powers Jakarta claims to resist.

Thailand’s Brittle Defense Against Oil Shocks

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 01:27
The country is in a better position than its immediate neighbors, but the coming weeks are set to test Prime Minister Anutin's new administration.

Why Laos’ Communist Party Chose Continuity

Wed, 01/04/2026 - 00:58
With the economy still in a fragile state, the ruling Lao People's Revolutionary Party has decided against significant changes at the top.

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