Category: Asia-Pacific
Coverage of geopolitics, international relations, and current affairs from across Asia-Pacific, including China, India, Southeast Asia, and Pacific nations, with a focus on security, trade, and regional diplomacy.
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India and China will restart direct passenger flights this month, ending a suspension of more than five years. The announcement was confirmed by India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (Oct. 2). – India and China resume direct flights • IndiGo, India’s largest airline, will operate daily services between Kolkata and Guangzhou from 26 October.…
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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced an 8.2% increase in next year’s defence budget, bringing it to 66.3 trillion won ($47.1 billion). Speaking on Armed Forces Day, he stressed that peace depends on a strong foundation of security. – South Korea to boost defence budget • The budget will focus on cutting-edge technologies such…
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At least 69 people have been killed after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines late Tuesday (Sep. 30). The province of Cebu has declared a state of calamity, with thousands displaced and aftershocks continuing into Wednesday. – Philippines Earthquake • Bogo City, near the epicentre, suffered the highest casualties. • Other deaths were…
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Chinese President Xi Jinping marked the 76th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China by reiterating opposition to “Taiwan independence separatist activities” and foreign interference. Speaking at a Beijing reception, Xi emphasised safeguarding China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while pledging to expand cross-strait dialogue and cooperation. His comments come amid ongoing tensions in the Taiwan…
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Singapore’s population reached 6.11 million in June, up 1.2% from a year earlier, according to government statistics released on Monday (Sep. 29). – Singapore population hits record The increase was largely driven by the foreign workforce, which grew 2.7% to 1.91 million, supported by the construction, marine shipyard, processing sectors, and domestic work. The National…
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui met in Beijing on Monday (Sep. 29), pledging to deepen ties and oppose what they described as “all forms of hegemonism.” – China and North Korea Key points:• Wang said strengthening relations with Pyongyang remains a “strategic policy” for Beijing.• Choe stressed…
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China has inaugurated the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, now the world’s highest bridge, standing 625 metres above a gorge in Guizhou province. The bridge surpasses the nearby Beipanjiang Bridge (565m), which now ranks second. – China opens the worlds highest bridge Key points:• Opened to traffic on 28 September 2025, after over three years of…
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President Xi Jinping has announced that China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, will reduce emissions by 7–10% by 2035, with the goal of “striving to do better.” The pledge, delivered in a video statement to the UN in New York, marks China’s first absolute reduction target. China will expand wind and solar power sixfold…
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Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest tropical cyclone of 2025, made landfall in Yangjiang, southern China, on Wednesday (Sep. 24), after killing 17 people in Taiwan and bringing Hong Kong to a standstill. The storm is now moving towards Maoming, a major oil refining hub in Guangdong province. Impact:• Over 2 million people evacuated in Guangdong.• Storm…
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Kim Jong Un has indicated readiness to resume dialogue with US President Donald Trump, provided Washington abandons its demand for North Korea to give up nuclear weapons. Speaking to the Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim said Pyongyang “will never lay down” its arsenal. The remarks follow Kim’s recent meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, highlighting…
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