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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A Japanese research vessel has begun a landmark mission to test domestic extraction of rare earth minerals, as Tokyo moves to reduce strategic dependence on China. The test ship Chikyu is operating near Minamitori Island, around 1,900 km southeast of Tokyo, in what officials say is the world’s first attempt to continuously lift rare-earth seabed…
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Myanmar has begun the second phase of a tightly controlled national election, with a military-backed party on course for a decisive victory as conflict and political repression continue. The vote follows the 2021 coup, in which Senior General Min Aung Hlaing overthrew the civilian government and detained Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the dissolved…
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North Korea has accused South Korea of sending surveillance drones into its airspace, calling the alleged flights a “serious violation of sovereignty” and warning of consequences. The General Staff of the Korean People’s Army said it used electronic warfare systems to bring down a drone over a border town, claiming it carried cameras and filmed…
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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung says he has asked China to help limit North Korea’s nuclear programme, seeking Beijing’s mediation amid rising regional tensions. Lee met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, describing the talks as the start of a “new phase” in South Korea–China relations focused on stabilising the Korean Peninsula. Speaking in…
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China has introduced new export controls on Japan, citing national security concerns linked to rising tensions over Taiwan. China’s Ministry of Commerce said it had banned exports of ‘dual-use’ items that could have military applications, accusing Japan of making “erroneous” and “egregious” statements about Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign…
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South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to open a “new phase” in bilateral relations, following their summit in Beijing — Lee’s first state visit to China since taking office in June 2025. Lee said the meeting should make 2026 “the first year of full-scale restoration” of South Korea–China relations,…
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North Korea has launched multiple ballistic missiles into the sea, regional authorities said, shortly before South Korean President Lee Jae-myung was due to travel to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched from the Pyongyang area and travelled around 900 kilometres. Seoul, Washington,…
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Myanmar’s military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is leading after the first phase of the country’s first general election since the 2021 coup, according to partial results released by the Union Election Commission (UEC). The vote, held in three phases, has been presented by the ruling military authorities as a step towards political stability,…
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Japan is accelerating a major shift in its defence and security policy, increasing military spending and expanding the role of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) amid rising tensions with China and closer alignment with the United States. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says the build-up is defensive and intended to strengthen deterrence, while Beijing argues Japan…
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Beijing has moved to seal Hainan’s customs borders and turn the island into a full-fledged free trade port (FTP), creating a separate trade and regulatory zone under laws effective from December 2025. Hainan is China’s southernmost island province, located in the South China Sea and long promoted by Beijing as a tourism, services, and trade…
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