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From Terrorists to Trading Partners: Smoothing Kazakh-Afghan Relations

After Russia became the first country to officially recognize Afghanistan’s Taliban government, Kazakhstan may not be far behind – all in the name...

latest 30

The Diplomat

Albert Otkjær

Erasing Confucian Cosmology: How Harmony Lost Its Soul

Confucian cosmology was never about superstition. Its real power lay in de-centering authority – binding rulers to a higher standard they couldn’t...

latest 10

The Diplomat

Carlo J.v. Caro

Hypersonic Arms in South Asia: Racing Toward Instability?

Precision strikes at blistering speed are increasingly central to India’s military planning. That incentivizes Pakistan to consider a pre-emptive...

latest 7

The Diplomat

Zohaib Altaf

Is the Russia-India-China Troika Making a Comeback?

Russia seems keen to revive the grouping, which hasn't met since 2021. Will China and India agree?

latest 20

The Diplomat

Muhammad Murad

Trump Announces Trade Deal With Philippines, Small Reduction in Tariff Rate

Trump Announces Trade Deal With Philippines, Small Reduction in Tariff Rate

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a new 19 percent tariff rate for imports from the Philippines, after a meeting with visiting President...

yesterday 1

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Indian Citizens, Mostly Muslims, Are Bearing Brunt of Its Citizenship Screening Drive

Indian Citizens, Mostly Muslims, Are Bearing Brunt of Its Citizenship Screening Drive

On July 19, Samirul Islam, a member of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, posted a video of a weeping woman and her family on...

yesterday 1

The Diplomat

Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

US, Indonesia Release Further Details of ‘Reciprocal’ Tariff Agreement

US, Indonesia Release Further Details of ‘Reciprocal’ Tariff Agreement

The United States and Indonesia have revealed more details about the trade agreement that President Donald Trump announced last week, under which...

yesterday 0

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

China’s Progress Toward Military Supremacy

China’s Progress Toward Military Supremacy

The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners and strategic thinkers across the globe for their...

yesterday 0

The Diplomat

Mercy A. Kuo

2 of President Lee Jae-myung’s Minister Nominees Withdrawn From Candidacy

2 of President Lee Jae-myung’s Minister Nominees Withdrawn From Candidacy

Days after South Korean President Lee Jae-myung withdrew his nomination of Lee Jin-sook as education minister, Kang Sun-woo, a lawmaker of the...

yesterday 0

The Diplomat

Mitch Shin

Is the US About to Establish a Military Base in Thailand?

Is the US About to Establish a Military Base in Thailand?

In my April column for The Diplomat, I argued that Thailand has downplayed the defense dimension in its tariff negotiations with the United States,...

yesterday 0

The Diplomat

Tita Sanglee

China Now Dominates Open Source AI. How Much Does That Matter?

China Now Dominates Open Source AI. How Much Does That Matter?

U.S. AI models still control over 70 percent of the market, but a collaborative, open source approach has enabled Chinese labs to punch far above...

yesterday 0

The Diplomat

Ben Dubow

China’s Enduring Trust in Russia: The Public Sentiment Behind an Unlikely Partnership

China’s Enduring Trust in Russia: The Public Sentiment Behind an Unlikely Partnership

When Chinese and Russian officials meet beneath the banners of “no limits” cooperation, it is easy to focus on the pageantry: bilateral summits,...

yesterday 0

The Diplomat

Reza Hasmath

The Poker Game Between the US, China, and Europe

The Poker Game Between the US, China, and Europe

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa will be in Beijing on July 24, for a tense meeting...

previous day 10

The Diplomat

Plamen Tonchev

Finding Truth Where Justice Is Rare

Finding Truth Where Justice Is Rare

Ian Timberlake cut his teeth as a foreign correspondent in Timor-Leste where he initially worked as a stringer for Agence France-Presse (AFP). In...

previous day 10

The Diplomat

Luke Hunt

As Suffering in Gaza Mounts, Australia Condemns ‘Inhumane Killing’ of Palestinians

As Suffering in Gaza Mounts, Australia Condemns ‘Inhumane Killing’ of Palestinians

Australia has joined 28 international partners in calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and a lifting of all restrictions on food and...

previous day 20

The Diplomat

Amra Lee

Malaysia to Probe Reporters’ Claims That 1MDB Fugitive Jho Low Is in China

Malaysia to Probe Reporters’ Claims That 1MDB Fugitive Jho Low Is in China

Malaysia’s government says that it will look into a report that Jho Low, a fugitive wanted in connection with the multibillion dollar pilfering of...

previous day 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Cambodia Amends Constitution to Permit Revocation of Citizenship

Cambodia Amends Constitution to Permit Revocation of Citizenship

Cambodia has amended its constitution to allow for Cambodian citizenship to be stripped from individuals who are accused of conspiring or colluding...

previous day 4

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Hun Sen’s Facebook Photos 

Hun Sen’s Facebook Photos 

A series of social media photos has complicated discussions between Thailand and Cambodia over a contested border region. Hun Sen, former prime...

previous day 2

The Diplomat

Sribala Subramanian

When Will PNG’s Parliament Finally Decide Bougainville’s Status?

When Will PNG’s Parliament Finally Decide Bougainville’s Status?

In late June, a Papua New Guinean newspaper reported the signing of a new agreement that represents “A step closer to the Fate of Bougainville...

previous day 2

The Diplomat

Camilla Pohle

Rohingya Power Struggles Before the UN Conference

Rohingya Power Struggles Before the UN Conference

When the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC) unveiled itself on July 13, Bangladeshi and other news sites obligingly reproduced its press...

previous day 2

The Diplomat

Shafiur Rahman

The 2016 South China Sea Arbitration and the Limits of International Law 

The 2016 South China Sea Arbitration and the Limits of International Law 

Nine years have passed since the arbitral tribunal established under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)...

previous day 2

The Diplomat

Mengzhen Liu

Who Will Rule Crypto? The China-US Battle for Global Financial Leadership

Who Will Rule Crypto? The China-US Battle for Global Financial Leadership

In 2025, China and the United States are deepening their rivalry in a new arena: digital currency infrastructure. In May , Hong Kong passed...

previous day 1

The Diplomat

Yingfan Chen And Dingding Chen

The Philippines-US Relationship Is Tested as President Marcos Visits Washington

The Philippines-US Relationship Is Tested as President Marcos Visits Washington

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is currently on a three-day visit to Washington D.C., which began with his arrival on July 20. The trip...

monday 9

The Diplomat

Sarang Shidore

The ICC Wants to Arrest Taliban Leaders Over Their Mistreatment of Women. Will It Matter?

The ICC Wants to Arrest Taliban Leaders Over Their Mistreatment of Women. Will It Matter?

Earlier this month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan. The court’s...

monday 10

The Diplomat

Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria

Between Partnership and Primacy: Australia’s Diplomatic Posture in Southeast Asia and the Pacific

Australia is acutely aware that it does not hold the same level of influence or capacity to project power in Southeast Asia as it does in the Pacific.

monday 3

The Diplomat

Sione Tekiteki And Tarcisius Kabutaulaka

France, Mongolia Expand Civil Security and Emergency Response Cooperation

France, Mongolia Expand Civil Security and Emergency Response Cooperation

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Mongolia and France’s establishment of diplomatic ties. In the last six decades, the expansion of this...

monday 2

The Diplomat

Bolor Lkhaajav

Bangladesh’s Youth-led NCP’s Countrywide March to Win Rural Voters

Its direct engagement with the rural masses shows commitment to inclusive politics. Still, in a deeply polarized landscape, rural trust won’t come...

monday 2

The Diplomat

Saqlain Rizve

The LDP Bears Responsibility for Japan’s Populist Surge

The LDP Bears Responsibility for Japan’s Populist Surge

During the campaign for July 20’s House of Councillors election, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s pitch appeared more focused on past...

monday 2

The Diplomat

Jio Kamata

China’s Fast-Shrinking Central Military Commission: Implications for the PLA

China’s Fast-Shrinking Central Military Commission: Implications for the PLA

Since taking power, China’s paramount leader Xi Jinping has made purges under the anti-corruption pretext a hallmark of his tenure. As the chairman...

monday 2

The Diplomat

Zi Yang

Bureaucratized Confucianism: How Tradition Became a Tool of Control in China

Bureaucratized Confucianism: How Tradition Became a Tool of Control in China

What does it mean when a regime speaks the language of ancient virtue but enforces it through curriculum mandates and ideological scorecards? The...

monday 2

The Diplomat

Carlo J.v. Caro

Between Sectors, Between Worlds: The Significance of Seasonal Labor in India

Between Sectors, Between Worlds: The Significance of Seasonal Labor in India

In the end days of March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic unfurled across the world, the Indian government imposed a severe lockdown that included...

monday 4

The Diplomat

Krzysztof Iwanek

Hindi vs Marathi and the Contest Over Indian Identity

Opposition to the National Education Policy in Maharashtra isn’t just about language – it’s a flashpoint in India’s struggle between centralization...

monday 2

The Diplomat

Mandar Oak

China Issues Diplomatic Protest Over Philippines’ Engagement With Taiwan

China Issues Diplomatic Protest Over Philippines’ Engagement With Taiwan

China has lodged “stern representations” to the Philippines over its recent engagement with Taiwan, according to the country’s Ministry of Foreign...

monday 1

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Could Thailand’s Cash Handout Scheme Have Worked?

Could Thailand’s Cash Handout Scheme Have Worked?

One of the consequences of the Pheu Thai party’s implosion is that its signature cash handout scheme will go down with it. Granted, the program was...

monday 1

The Diplomat

David Hutt

What’s Holding Back ASEAN on Renewable Energy?

What’s Holding Back ASEAN on Renewable Energy?

“We’re baking bread in a dirty oven inside an enclosed room,” reflected Finian Lim, who leads public affairs at Trinasolar Asia Pacific. The main...

monday 1

The Diplomat

Marcus Loh

Princeton University Press Stumbles Into a Xinjiang Tour Debacle

Princeton University Press Stumbles Into a Xinjiang Tour Debacle

There is a long record of Western intellectuals joining “Potemkin tours” of authoritarian states during the 20th century. Not all of them were...

monday 30

The Diplomat

Shaun O’Dwyer

How Iran Sees the China-US Trade War

How Iran Sees the China-US Trade War

As the expiration date for the truce in the trade war between the United States and China approaches, policymakers in Tehran see both immediate...

19.07.2025 2

The Diplomat

Jack Roush

Exercise Cope Thunder 2025: Boosting Philippines-US Defense Cooperation 

Exercise Cope Thunder 2025: Boosting Philippines-US Defense Cooperation 

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the United States Pacific Air Force (PACAF) held the second part of this year’s Cope Thunder exercise from July...

18.07.2025 4

The Diplomat

Simran Walia

Philippine President Marcos to Meet with Trump in Washington

Philippine President Marcos to Meet with Trump in Washington

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will depart on Sunday on a state visit to the United States, during which he will fortify Manila’s...

18.07.2025 1

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

The Arrest of Suspected Bangladeshi Terrorists in Malaysia: Implications for Regional and Global Security

The Arrest of Suspected Bangladeshi Terrorists in Malaysia: Implications for Regional and Global Security

The recent arrests of 36 Bangladeshi nationals in Malaysia on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities have reignited concerns about the...

18.07.2025 8

The Diplomat

Jasminder Singh

Rare Earths Are the Key to Winning the China-US Trade War

Rare Earths Are the Key to Winning the China-US Trade War

Imagine the China-U.S. trade war as two opposing armies exchanging bursts of gunfire, one volley after another. Responding to China’s unfair trade...

18.07.2025 6

The Diplomat

Farrell Gregory

Has Hindutva Peaked in India?

Has Hindutva Peaked in India?

The third consecutive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, Modi 3.0, has now been in power for slightly over a year. Unlike Modi 1.0 and...

18.07.2025 2

The Diplomat

Akhilesh Pillalamarri

FATF is Behind the Curve on Cambodia’s Cyber-scam Compounds

FATF is Behind the Curve on Cambodia’s Cyber-scam Compounds

The global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) watchdog has yet to publicly grasp the dangers posed by the growth of cyber-scam compounds, including...

18.07.2025 5

The Diplomat

David Whitehouse

Beyond the Miracle: Inequality in South Korea’s New Economy

Beyond the Miracle: Inequality in South Korea’s New Economy

South Korea’s post-war economic rise has often been described as nothing short of miraculous. From the ashes of the Korean War in the 1950s, the...

18.07.2025 2

The Diplomat

Soeun Jeon

What Underlies High US Tariffs on Bangladesh

What Underlies High US Tariffs on Bangladesh

On July 8, the U.S. imposed a revised 35 percent tariff on Bangladeshi goods. “Please understand that the 35% tariff is far less than what is...

18.07.2025 3

The Diplomat

Shafi Md Mostofa

Gas Pains: Why Australia Must Reset Its Energy Ties With Japan and South Korea

Gas Pains: Why Australia Must Reset Its Energy Ties With Japan and South Korea

Behind closed doors, Australia has been lobbying hard to secure its bid to host the UNFCCC’s annual climate forum in 2026. Although the deal has...

18.07.2025 2

The Diplomat

James Sherley

Where Climate Fits in China-EU Engagement During Trump 2.0

Where Climate Fits in China-EU Engagement During Trump 2.0

Europe and China are taking steps to strengthen ties where possible, despite a complicated relationship, as Donald Trump’s second term as U.S....

18.07.2025 2

The Diplomat

Yao Zhe And Thomas Gelin

Repressive Laws Are Increasingly Being Used to Silence Activists Across Asia

Repressive Laws Are Increasingly Being Used to Silence Activists Across Asia

Four years ago, on the 32nd anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, plain clothes police arrested human rights lawyer and pro-democracy...

18.07.2025 2

The Diplomat

Josef Benedict And Rajavelu Karunanithi

South Koreans Show Increasing Support for President Lee Jae-myung

South Koreans Show Increasing Support for President Lee Jae-myung

According to the latest polls, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s approval rating reached 64 percent. Following his victory in the snap...

18.07.2025 1

The Diplomat

Mitch Shin

The Great Wall Between China and the EU

The Great Wall Between China and the EU

In times of evolving transatlantic dynamics under the second Trump administration, and in response to shifting global power balances, some within...

18.07.2025 2

The Diplomat

Zoltán Fehér And Valbona Zeneli