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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Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has vowed to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty and strengthen its national defences, following large-scale Chinese military exercises around the island and renewed reunification rhetoric from Beijing. Speaking in a New Year’s address, Lai said Taiwan must build a “democratic defence mechanism” and urged political unity to avoid sending signals that China could…
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Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, has praised China’s rising “national power” and reaffirmed Beijing’s claim over Taiwan, calling reunification “a trend of the times” that is “unstoppable”. In a 2026 New Year address, Xi pointed to economic growth, advances in artificial intelligence and domestic chip production, and China’s expanding cultural influence…
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China has conducted a second day of large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, simulating a blockade of key ports and strikes on maritime targets. The drills, codenamed “Justice Mission 2025”, were carried out by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command and described by Beijing as a response to “Taiwan independence” and US arms sales.…
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India has overtaken Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, according to the Indian government’s end-of-year economic review, although final confirmation depends on official 2026 data. The review estimates India’s GDP at US$4.18 trillion, placing it ahead of Japan and on track to surpass Germany within three years. Key developments: • IMF projects India’s GDP…
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China has launched its most extensive military exercises to date around Taiwan, signalling Beijing’s capacity to isolate the island and deter external involvement in a potential conflict. The People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command said its “Justice Mission 2025” drills involve troops, warships, aircraft and artillery conducting live-fire, simulated strikes, and port-blockade operations across seven…
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China has launched a new round of large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, describing them as a warning to pro-independence forces and “external interference”. The drills — named “Justice Mission 2025” — are being conducted by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command, involving ground, naval, air and rocket forces operating in the Taiwan Strait…
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Myanmar has begun voting in a military-run general election that Western governments and the United Nations have rejected as illegitimate, amid ongoing civil war, political repression, and widespread insecurity. The ballot comes nearly five years after the Tatmadaw’s 2021 coup, which removed the elected government and triggered a nationwide conflict. Key developments: • Senior General…
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Da Wei, Professor and Director of the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, has outlined how Beijing views its long-term relationship with Taiwan and the future of Chinese political identity. Speaking with David Rennie, Geopolitics Editor at The Economist, Da argues that expectations around cross-Strait relations have shifted over decades, shaped by…
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Thailand and Cambodia have signed a new ceasefire agreement to halt weeks of cross-border fighting over disputed territory, following a breakdown of earlier de-escalation efforts. The deal was signed by Cambodia’s Defence Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand’s Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit at a border checkpoint, after military-level talks. Key points: • Commitment to no further…
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Pakistan has reached a agreement worth over $4 billion to supply conventional weapons to military authorities controlling eastern Libya, potentially marking Islamabad’s largest defence export deal to date. The agreement was reportedly finalised during an official visit to Benghazi by Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff. The deal, however, may face…
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