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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Japan will deploy Self-Defense Forces (SDF) troops to the Philippines for Balikatan 2026, marking its first participation with combat-capable units since World War II. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said up to 1,000 Japanese personnel could join the exercises, which begin on 20 April. The drills…
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Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has declared a national energy emergency, citing “the ongoing conflict in the Middle East” and the resulting “imminent danger” to the availability and stability of the country’s energy supply, the Presidential Communications Office said. The declaration, issued via Executive Order under the Department of Energy Act of 1992, enables…
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reiterated that the country’s nuclear weapons programme is “irreversible”, framing it as central to national security and economic development. Speaking at the Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim Jong Un said: “The firm establishment of the nuclear shield firmly guarantees and drives the development of all sectors of the country,…
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Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for Xiong’an New Area in North China’s Hebei Province to become a leading innovation hub and model for high-quality development. During his fourth inspection since 2017, Xi reviewed construction, visited key institutions, and chaired a symposium on the area’s future. The project remains central to efforts to shift non-essential…
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Vietnam’s Communist Party has secured 482 of 500 seats in the National Assembly, according to official results released on March 22. The outcome maintains the party’s near-total control, consistent with previous parliaments. Authorities reported voter turnout exceeding 99%, reflecting the highly managed nature of Vietnam’s five-yearly elections for both national and local councils. The unicameral…
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Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, has been re-elected as Thailand’s prime minister after a decisive parliamentary vote, marking the first renewed mandate for a premier in two decades. He secured 293 of 499 votes, defeating Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People’s Party, who received 119. Anutin pledged to form a cabinet swiftly and…
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Pakistan and Afghanistan declared a temporary suspension of cross-border hostilities on Wednesday (18 March), following a deadly airstrike in Kabul that Afghan authorities said killed hundreds at the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital. The pause coincides with Eid al-Fitr and comes at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, which have mediated ceasefires between the…
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Thailand will start building fences along a portion of its border with Cambodia in April 2026, following deadly clashes in 2025 that heightened long-standing tensions along the frontier. Mr Vithai Laithomya, spokesman for the Royal Thai Armed Forces, said the first phase will cover 1.31km in Chanthaburi province. He stressed the project is not linked…
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Myanmar’s parliament convened on Monday (16 March) for the first time since the 2021 military coup, marking a formal step in the country’s political transition while the armed forces retain significant influence. Khin Yi, chairman of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and a retired brigadier-general, was elected speaker of the lower house. Analysts…
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Voters in Kazakhstan have overwhelmingly approved a new constitution strengthening the authority of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, according to preliminary results from the Central Election Commission. More than 87% backed the reforms in Sunday’s referendum, with turnout exceeding 73%. The changes introduce major political and legal reforms in the Central Asian country. Key areas the referendum…
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