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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: 5 days 17 hours ago

Traffic Jam at Kazakh-Kyrgyz Border Result of Increased Inspections

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 16:22
Kazakh authorities, and the Eurasian Economic Commission, say the slowdown is resulting from increased measure to combat the “illegal trafficking of goods.”

Is New Zealand’s Defense and Intelligence Policy Aligning With AUKUS in All But Name?

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 15:38
Officially, New Zealand is “assessing” membership. But key government documents suggest many of the practical steps Pillar II of AUKUS would involve are already underway.

Karachaganak Arbitration Win Gives Kazakhstan New Leverage Over Big Oil

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 15:23
The Karachaganak precedent is likely to shape Kazakhstan’s approach to energy governance, production-sharing agreement renegotiations, and investor relations in the years ahead.

New START’s Expiration Is a Win for China

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 15:22
The treaty’s looming end sends a damaging signal about how the United States now views nuclear competition – and China is watching.

The Pandemic Roots of the Sino-Russian ‘No-Limits’ Friendship

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 14:32
Fixation on the “no-limits” formula obscures a more consequential development that occurred at the same time. 

Kazakhstan’s New Draft Constitution: A State-Building Blueprint With External Consequences

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 14:18
The draft Constitution is an elegant blueprint. But what does it promise? And what will audiences, internal and external, read in it?

Japan’s Defense Policy Accelerates as Public Debate Lags Behind

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 14:00
Takaichi looks set to win a major victory – but voters are laser-focused on economic issues, not her desired security reforms.

Balendra Shah: Frontrunner for PM’s Post in Nepal’s Election

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 11:28
The former rapper campaigns in silence. For now, he is winning without speaking. But Nepali elections have a way of demanding answers.

Did Prime Minister Modi Dodge Responsibility During a Crucial Clash With China?

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 10:30
In his unpublished memoir, then-Indian Army Chief Gen. Naravane claims that a key decision on whether or not to fire upon advancing Chinese tanks and troops was left to him to make.

Did Trump Jump the Gun With the US-India Trade Deal Announcement?

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 05:33
India and the U.S. seem to have agreed only on a framework to address the reciprocal tariff agreement. More work lies ahead for a full trade agreement.

Pheu Thai is Banking on Corruption to Remedy Thailand’s Informal Economy

Wed, 04/02/2026 - 00:14
After the collapse of the party's "digital wallet" stimulus plan, voters should not be fooled by its recently announced 1 million-baht election sweepstakes.

Asia’s Tigers Benefit When Scientists Collaborate Beyond Borders 

Tue, 03/02/2026 - 20:09
Asia’s most iconic species makes an ‘improbable return’ in the forests of Russia and China. 

NATO’s Asia-Pacific Engagement Does Not Impress China 

Tue, 03/02/2026 - 17:04
Chinese analysts talk tough but see NATO as divided and European states as lacking hard power – and Trump is making it worse.

An Interview With Tarique Rahman – Likely Bangladesh’s Next Prime Minister

Tue, 03/02/2026 - 16:37
“We will establish the power of the people – this is my commitment,” the BNP leader tells The Diplomat.

Spheres of Influence Are Officially Back – and China Stands to Gain

Tue, 03/02/2026 - 15:57
We are seeing the return of overt geopolitics: a style of major power politics that does not bother to hide behind international law or multilateral norms. That’s good news for China – and bad news for Taiwan.

Rifts Deepen Between South Korea’s President and Ruling Party

Tue, 03/02/2026 - 15:08
President Lee Jae-myung criticized the DP for slowrolling his agenda, and pro-Lee supporters’ anger toward party leader Jung Cheong-rae has snowballed.

The Economics of Biodiversity Loss: Implications for Asia and the Pacific

Tue, 03/02/2026 - 14:46
Nature provides essential inputs to the economy through ecosystem services. In Asia and the Pacific, accelerating biodiversity loss is eroding these services, increasing vulnerability to shocks, and creating new risks for investors and governments.

Central Asians Persecuted at Home, Unwelcome in the EU

Tue, 03/02/2026 - 14:35
European governments present themselves as global defenders of human rights. Yet for many dissidents fleeing repression in Central Asia, Europe has become not a refuge, but another link in the chain of persecution.

Taiwan Just Cut a Trade Deal With the US. Is that Good or Bad News?

Tue, 03/02/2026 - 14:01
The murky trade deal – like all aspects of Taiwan-U.S. relations – has become a battleground issue between the pan-Green and pan-Blue camps.

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