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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 40 min ago

Is the US Overlooking Turkmenistan in Its Iran Strategy?

Fri, 10/04/2026 - 22:00
Securing access agreements for Turkmen facilities would be of clear utility to Washington, but it is unclear whether Ashgabat would be willing to take the risk.

Thailand Announces Further Asset Seizures in Widening Scam Probe

Fri, 10/04/2026 - 07:38
The assets were connected to a network surrounding the South African businessman Benjamin Mauerberger, who is wanted on fraud and money laundering charges.

Few Safe Harbors: Migrant Workers Vulnerable in Southeast Asia’s Fishing and Seafood Industries

Fri, 10/04/2026 - 03:39
Labor conditions aboard the region's poorly regulated fleet of fishing trawlers are a cause for continuing alarm.

Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto Could Visit Russia Soon, Kremlin Says

Fri, 10/04/2026 - 03:14
The trip could involve discussions about energy purchases from Russia to help shore up Indonesia's domestic fuel supply.

Southeast Asia’s AI Dilemma

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 21:49
The region faces the modern iteration of a question that has plagued every industrial revolution: who owns the machine, who works it, who extracts the surplus, and who bears the cost?

Friendly Strangers: How Two Peoples Across the Taiwan Strait Are Drifting Apart

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 20:34
The populations of China and Taiwan are drifting apart in ways that will be structurally hard to reverse.

India’s Hormuz Dilemma Is Not Yet Over

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 20:13
New Delhi, which supports UNCLOS, is reportedly uncomfortable with Iran’s plan to levy a toll on every ship that passes the Strait of Hormuz.

China-US Trade Relations: Between Engagement and Decoupling

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 19:44
Survey findings complicate the notion that U.S.-China economic policy presents a binary choice between the two options.

China’s Divergent Strategy: Modernizing vs. Stabilizing Energy Infrastructure in Central Asia

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 18:27
Beijing has not taken a one-size-fits-all approach to its engagement with the energy sectors in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. 

The Middle Corridor in an Era of Supply Chain Disruption

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 16:52
The route has proven its value in times of crisis. Can it evolve into a primary artery of Eurasian trade?

India’s Worrying Plans for Dams on Transboundary Rivers Shared with Bangladesh 

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 16:30
At least seven hydroelectric projects on two transboundary river systems are in the pipeline in the northeast Indian state of Meghalaya.

The Quiet Quad: From Strategic Signalling to Embedded Minilateralism – or a Silent Drift?

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 16:27
For a grouping that until recently thrived on high-profile summitry, the Quad’s present silence is striking to say the least.

The Price of Strategic Autonomy: India and the Iran Conflict 

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 16:05
In a world where conflicts are increasingly interconnected, and expectations of alignment are growing, the space for sustained ambiguity is shrinking.

Decorated Soldier Charged in Australia War Crimes Case

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 15:09
The controversy over Roberts-Smith being charged for his alleged actions is rooted in a politically polarized failure to understand the importance of rules of engagement in conflict zones.

New Zealand’s Climate Plan Challenged in High Court

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 14:31
At the heart of the judicial review is the government’s removal of dozens of climate policies that had formed part of New Zealand’s first emissions reduction plan.

Stakes Rise for Pakistan as it Prepares to Host US-Iran Face-to-Face Talks

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 12:11
If talks progress and the war ends with a permanent solution, Pakistan will emerge as a crucial player in West Asia. If not, it can expect turmoil.

China’s Economic Sanctions Against Japan: An Assessment

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 11:11
Beijing makes a strategy shift.

The Iran War, ASEAN and Global Supply Chains

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 09:22
A logistics specialist discusses the nuts and bolts of getting goods to market as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran continues into its second month.

The Gas Inside Your AI Chip

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 09:09
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has cut off a key source of helium, threatening the global semiconductor supply chain.

Southeast Asian Economies’ Growth to Slow in 2026, World Bank Says

Thu, 09/04/2026 - 06:29
The disruption of oil and gas supplies from the Middle East is compounding the impacts of the Trump administration's tariffs.

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