US Air Force Chief: China Could Field 6th-Gen Fighters Before America

Gen. Mark Kelly’s warning underscores key defense industry trends favoring China in the race for the next technological breakthrough. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 1 year ago

The End of Senior Politics in China

Xi Jinping is the first leader since 1978 not to be constrained by powerful elders in the CCP. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 1 year ago

Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit: The Substance and the Aftermath

The planned trip – and China’s potential reaction – has been the headlines for weeks. Now that it’s over, where do things stand? | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 1 year ago

Mapping Major Milestones in the Evolution of North Korea’s Cyber Program

From 1984 to the present day, North Korea’s offensive cyber program has evolved considerably.  | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 1 year ago

Was China Behind Kiribati’s Withdrawal from the Pacific Islands Forum?

The withdrawal makes no strategic sense for China, but Kiribati had its own reasons to exit the PIF. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 1 year ago

China’s Tech Crackdown Could Give It an Edge

Analysts abroad assume China’s new regulations and restrictions on tech giants will destroy the industry. On the contrary, this is achieving several key goals for Beijing. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 1 year ago

Shanghai Extends Lockdown Amid Covid Outbreak

China’s largest city extended a tight lockdown, despite complaints from residents about difficulties obtaining food and daily necessities. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Russia-Ukraine War Threatens to Derail Indonesia’s G20 Chairmanship

The attendance of Russian President Vladimir Putin at October’s G20 summit would likely be met with a mass Western boycott. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

India’s ‘Neutrality’ on the Ukraine Conflict Could Hurt It in the Long Run

New Delhi has been silent on Russia’s actions in Ukraine so far. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

COP26 Finds Its Scapegoats – India and China

The main story at the end of the climate change meet should have been the lack of ambition of the advanced nations and their non-fulfilment of climate finance pledges. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Is Delhi’s Heavy Surveillance Making Women Safer?

Delhi is turning into a surveillance city, replete with CCTV cameras, under the guise of protecting women. But are women any safer than before? | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

On Internet Freedom, China and Taiwan Are Worlds Apart

One is ranked as the most oppressive digital environment. The other is among the freest. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Why is China looking to establish banks in Nigeria?

For China, the establishment of banks in Nigeria presents an opportunity to further integrate itself with the financial systems of the African continent. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

China and Taiwan have each applied for CPTPP

China and Taiwan have each applied for membership in the trade pact. What are the next steps – and the broader implications? | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Aukus: Impact on Indo-Pacific Security Dynamics

Insights from Collin Koh Swee Lean. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Sinophobia and Covid-19 Vaccines in Vietnam

During its recent COVID-19 outbreaks, the Vietnamese government has found itself trapped between the virus and a Sinophobic public. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

What to Expect from the First In-Person Quad Summit

A preview of the Australia-India-Japan-U.S. summit, and what it will mean for the Indo-Pacific region. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

What Does the New Aukus Alliance Mean for Southeast Asia?

The new partnership is likely to be greeted with ambivalence in a region that has little appetite for a new Cold War. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

South Korea Leads Against Google and Apple’s App Market

South Korea’s legislature passed a landmark law requiring Google and Apple to open up to other payment systems for app developers. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Taiwan’s Electoral System Puts the US to Shame (2020)

The United States has much to learn from Taiwan’s open democratic processes. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

The Taliban’s Careful Cheerleaders

Islamabad has always secretly supported the Taliban. Now it is laying the ground to do so openly. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Taliban Take Kabul via Path Paved by Corruption

Ghani reportedly fled Afghanistan with bags of cash; Dostum’s palace was rococo dictator chic. Corruption lies at the heart of Kabul’s fall. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Afghanistan’s Mineral Resources Are a Lost Opportunity and a Threat (2020)

Without a coherent strategy, Afghanistan’s vast mineral resources represent both a lost opportunity and a threat to national security. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Searching for the Next War: What Happens When Contractors Leave Afghanistan?

As U.S. troops withdraw, many contract employees – most of them from poor countries, including Nepal – are leaving Afghanistan and fanning out around the world. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Why Is Beijing Micromanaging Its Technology Sector?

Micromanaging a technology ecosystem is enormously complex and difficult, even for a bureaucracy the size of the Chinese government. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Taiwan, Chips, and Geopolitics

Taiwan’s TSMC is a critical part of the global semiconductor supply chain. What does that mean for the U.S. and China’s Taiwan policies? | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

A Brief History of UFOs in Japan

As in the United States, the question of UFOs is gaining more attention, particularly as it relates to Japanese security. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

The Soviet Origins of Xi’s Xinjiang Policy

Behind the CCP’s horrific crackdown in Xinjiang is a desperate drive to avoid the mistakes that led to the USSR’s collapse. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

What Do Chinese People Think Is Happening to Uyghurs in Xinjiang?

Conversations about the Uyghurs and Xinjiang with people in China. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

China’s Social Credit System: Speculation vs. Reality

How far along is China’s much-hyped social credit system – and where is it heading next? | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Are augmented humans the future of war?

It is easy to advocate an outright ban on “supersoldiers.” But augmentation has been around in one form or other for a long time – in life and war alike. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 2 years ago

Beijing Is Getting Better at Disinformation on Global Social Media

Its networks are resisting takedown efforts and gaining traction among real users. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

Assassinations Silence Afghanistan’s Intellectuals

In each of Afghanistan’s past conflicts, intellectuals have been targets of intolerance and violence. Even as peace appears on the horizon, the risks intensify.  | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

Does Japan need to control land ownership by “foreigners”?

A debate on the national security implications of foreign land ownership is underway in Japan. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

In Photos: China and India’s Pangong Lake Disengagement

After false starts China-India military disengagement in the northern and southern banks of the Pangong Lake is finally over. This is how the process looked. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

Is Taiwan a Ticking Time Bomb in the Semiconductor Supply Chain? – The Diplomat

The overwhelming reliance on Taiwan for critical supply elements creates a combustible situation for the global economy. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

China’s Digital Silk Road Grows with 5G in the Middle East

Huawei and other Chinese firms continue to make rapid inroads among Gulf countries – despite the United States’ efforts. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

The Soviet Korean Who Ended the Forgotten War

The story of General Nam Il’s incredible journey from the Russian Far East to North Korea, via Uzbekistan. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

Israeli Semiconductors and the US-China Tech War

With its strong tech industry, Israel has emerged as a rare beneficiary of the U.S.-China rivalry – for now. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

The PLA’s AI Competitions

Can the new design contests foster a culture of military innovation in China? | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

How Japan talks about security threats

The particulars of the language used to describe rivals are important to understanding Japan’s threat assessments and policy goals. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

Confessions of a Xinjiang Camp Teacher

Qelbinur Sedik reveals the horrors she witnessed in the camps, where she was forced to teach Mandarin in 2017. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

Why Doesn’t China Deploy Fighter Jets to the Spratly Islands? – The Diplomat

Is Beijing merely trying to avoid provocation, or is there a more serious problem with its artificial island bases in the South China Sea? | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

Turkmenistan Banned Black Cars. So What?

The key is to look past the absurdity and pay attention to the impact. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

US Announces a New Position on Maritime Claims in the South China Sea

In a welcome development, the revised U.S. position brings American policy in line with the July 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

Unraveled: Where Indians Come From

Population genetics sheds light on the origins of modern South Asians. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 3 years ago

Did Xi Jinping Deliberately Sicken the World? – The Diplomat

PRC moral turpitude forces us to consider the unthinkable. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 4 years ago

Is Covid-19 China’s ‘Chernobyl Moment’?

There are plenty of differences between Gorbachev’s Soviet Union and Xi’s China. But there are enough similarities that Xi should be worried. | Continue reading


@thediplomat.com | 4 years ago