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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Myanmar’s military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has secured a decisive victory in the country’s three-phase general election, according to state media, following a tightly controlled process held amid civil conflict. Preliminary results show the USDP winning an overwhelming majority in both chambers of parliament, with the legislature expected to convene in March to…
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The defence ministers of South Korea and Japan have agreed to upgrade bilateral defence cooperation, including collaboration on artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned weapon systems, Seoul’s Defence Ministry said. Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and South Korea’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back met in Yokosuka, Japan, where they also agreed to hold joint naval search-and-rescue drills.…
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Chinese President Xi Jinping held a call with Vietnam’s newly reappointed Communist Party leader To Lam, urging closer cooperation in regional and international affairs, according to Chinese state media. The call followed Lam’s unanimous reappointment for a further five-year term. Xi described China and Vietnam as a “community with a shared future” and said Beijing…
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Polling stations opened across Myanmar on Sunday (25 January) for the final phase of elections widely expected to consolidate military-backed rule. The junta-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has already secured an overwhelming majority, winning 193 of 209 seats in the lower house and 52 of 78 seats in the upper house, according to…
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China’s Ministry of National Defense has confirmed investigations into two of the People’s Liberation Army’s most senior figures, marking a major escalation in President Xi Jinping’s military purge. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, head of the Joint Staff Department, are accused of “grave violations of discipline and the…
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Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party has reappointed To Lam as general secretary, securing another five-year term after a unanimous vote at its five-yearly congress, as he pledged to accelerate economic growth and governance reform. All 180 members of the new Central Committee backed To Lam, reaffirming his authority in Vietnam’s one-party system. He outlined a leadership…
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Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament on 23 January 2026, triggering a snap general election on 8 February, as she seeks a stronger mandate amid inflation pressures and market unease. The country’s first female leader is banking on strong Cabinet approval to offset weak ratings for her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which governs with…
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India is accelerating plans to expand its space-based surveillance architecture, aiming to deploy more than 50 new spy satellites with enhanced night-time and all-weather imaging capabilities. The initiative follows intelligence gaps exposed during the 2025 India–Pakistan border conflict, under the Narendra Modi government. Key developments: • The Space-Based Surveillance-3 (SBS-3) programme will initially deploy 52…
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has removed Vice Premier Yang Sung-ho and sharply criticised party cadres over failures in economic guidance and project delays, in a rare public rebuke reported by state media, as Pyongyang prepares for a major political meeting. “Owing to the irresponsible, rude and incompetent economic guidance officials, the first-stage modernisation…
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India and the United Arab Emirates have finalised a series of agreements aimed at doubling bilateral trade to $200bn by 2032, following talks in New Delhi. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of efforts to deepen the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram…
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