Asia & the Pacific
List of Asia & the Pacific articles
What Will Elections in France, Iran, and the U.K. Mean for U.S. Foreign Policy?
As more countries prepare to go to the polls, Julian Assange is freed and Vladimir Putin cozies up to Kim Jong Un.
Pakistan Unveils New Counterterrorism Plan
The timing of the announcement suggests that China could play a role in the strategy.
Indian Temples Are Scanning Visitors’ Faces
Data privacy advocates fear a testing ground for mass religious surveillance.
Western Protectionism Needs an End Date
Reliance on tariffs to shield against superior Chinese products is a trap.
Learning to Live With a Nuclear North Korea
Insisting on denuclearization is a dead end in negotiations.
The West Eyes India’s Transnational Repression
As Modi begins his third term, the targeting of Sikh separatists abroad remains in the conversation.
India’s Small Opposition Victory
They lost the election, but Rahul Gandhi and his allies may have voters’ attention.
China Tests U.S. Red Lines With Attacks on Philippine Vessels
The viability of the rules-based order is at stake in the South China Sea.
Modi Still Has Great-Power Ambitions for India
A new book traces the evolution of New Delhi’s quest for elusive global status.
The President Needs to Lead the Cold War on China
A comprehensive economic strategy can forestall Beijing.
Will Taiwan’s Future Be Settled in Washington?
‘The Boiling Moat’ is more interested in American arguments than the country itself.
How the West Embraced Cambodia’s New Prime Minister
Hun Manet may appear more friendly and even-keeled than his father, but political repression continues apace.
How to Solve the World’s Refugee Crisis
UNHCR’s Filippo Grandi on Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, and more.
Indonesia’s New Capital Is a Mess of Trees and Dirt
Environmental questions linger over the Nusantara project.
The Taiwan Aid Bill Won’t Fix the Arms Backlog
To help Taipei, Washington needs to get smarter about weapons transfers.
Why Is the Philippines Blocking ‘Miracle Crops’?
Farmers’ fears over GMOs stem from past abuses.
How Will Modi Rule in Coalition?
The Indian leader’s new administration looks much the same, but he could face challenges to his Hindu nationalist agenda.
Modi Tried, and Failed, to Homogenize Hindus
It’s not easy to play identity politics with a religion ineradicably divided by caste.
Modi’s Taiwan Ties Have Rattled China
India’s overtures to the island have coincided with a breakdown in its relationship with Beijing.
India Deserves a Better Media
Mainstream news channels have been in thrall to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A ragtag army of small independent media is helping to save democracy.
How Myanmar’s Wood Funds Its Brutal Military
Conflict timber flows to India and China.
Tensions Flare Between North and South Korea
It started with dung-filled balloons and spiraled from there.
Why Modi Underperformed
India’s prime minister will balk at needing allies to stay in power, but coalition rule has proved to have benefits for large democracies.
China’s South Sea Aggression Is Backfiring
Beijing is ramping up efforts to cow neighbors such as the Philippines in the South China Sea but is getting nowhere fast.
Modi Hits a Roadblock
After a decade of always bouncing back, the Indian leader and his Bharatiya Janata Party suffer a setback at the ballot box.
What the West Can Learn From Singapore
Data shows that in key areas, Singapore is better at governing than the U.S. and Britain.
China Postures at Shangri-La
Military leaders’ aggressive rhetoric may say more about China’s domestic politics than its position in the Indo-Pacific.
Modi’s Power Has Peaked
Election results in India suggest the ruling BJP will return to power, but with a reduced mandate that has surprised pollsters. The natural order of coalition rule is back.
The South China Sea Risks a Military Crisis
The Philippine president drew a red line this week, but mutual restraint from Manila and Beijing can calm tensions.
The U.S. Tries Its Hand at Cricket
As the country co-hosts its first World Cup, the South Asian diaspora is already giving the sport a boost.
How to Respond to China’s Tactics in the South China Sea
Beijing is testing the U.S.-Philippines alliance, and a new strategy is needed.
Modi’s Campaign Rhetoric Is Dangerous
With election results expected next week, the Indian prime minister is doubling down on anti-Muslim language.
The Philippines Needs Butter, Not Just Guns
To counter China, Washington must help its ally address economic issues.
Will Elon Musk Test the South Asian Market?
As the tech billionaire markets his Starlink internet service, the region presents an opening—as well as some challenges.
Consulting Firms Have Stumbled Into a Geopolitical Minefield
The era of free-flowing information is over.
How a Domestic Violence Trial Ended Kazakhstan’s Political Nihilism
The crushing of protests in 2022 spawned despair. A high-profile conviction has renewed hope that the law can actually bring justice.
Taiwan’s New President Pledges Not to Yield to China
Lai Ching-te, inaugurated on Monday, received a relatively mild response from Beijing.
Why a Small Pacific Island Territory Is Upending Nickel Prices
Violent riots in New Caledonia are having an outsized global impact on critical mineral supply chains.
When Will Washington Get Serious About Taiwan?
Its long-standing attitude toward the island is based on a set of military and political foundations that no longer exist.
Taiwan’s Dinner Table Diplomacy
One of the courses at Lai Ching-te’s inauguration banquet is rumored to be a playful nod to Xi Jinping.
Pakistan Seeks More IMF Funding Amid Protests
The country has achieved a measure of economic stability, but it needs structural reforms—not just a bailout.
Singapore’s New Prime Minister Is Already Worried
A long-ruling party sees vulnerability as key to its own security and power.
The Kazakh Murder Trial That Captivated Russia
Putin’s political project rests on normalizing violence—including domestic abuse.
China and the U.S. Are Numb to the Real Risk of War
The pair are dangerously close to the edge of nuclear war over Taiwan—again.
How Joe Biden Sabotaged the ‘Rules-Based Order’
By denying that Israel has violated international humanitarian law in Gaza, Washington is discrediting itself and the order that it claims to uphold.
India’s Battleground State
Electoral predictions in Karnataka underscore the challenge Modi and the BJP face to reaching a national supermajority.
Taiwan Wants Suicide Drones to Deter China
Taipei is seeking U.S.-made loitering munitions to help deter or ward off a potential Chinese invasion.
Indonesia Bets Big on Electric Vehicles
Jakarta’s latest development gamble hinges on the green transition.
The Chilling of the Fourth Estate After 10 Years of Modi
The Indian prime minister has demonstrated that there is only one form of journalism he likes.
Washington Keeps Choosing the Wrong Moment to Challenge China
The TikTok ban shows how decisions end up rushed—after being ignored.
The Original Sin of Biden’s Foreign Policy
All of the administration’s diplomatic weaknesses were already visible in the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Opioid High of Empire
Two new books turn a spotlight on how the colonial past lives on in unacknowledged ways.
Iran Makes a Play in South Asia
President Ebrahim Raisi’s recent trip to the region was an opportunity for Iran to showcase its engagement amid instability in the Middle East.
Without Indonesia’s Nickel, EVs Have No Future in America
The IRA and Senate opposition to a free trade deal with Jakarta are undermining the United States’ green transition.
Turkey’s Democracy Is Down but Not Out
An invigorated opposition is ready for a constitutional fight.
HBO’s ‘The Sympathizer’ Leans Into the Tragic Absurdity of the Vietnam War
The series lampoons the military, academia, and Hollywood portrayals of the era.
Xi’s Imperial Ambitions Are Rooted in China’s History
Myths of peacefulness belie a record as expansionist as any other power.
Xi Jinping Has Tough Economic Choices Ahead
China is likely to pick security over prosperity.
Japan’s Big Bet on Interest Rates May Not Pay Off
A vote of confidence in the future may be undercut by a lukewarm economy.
Israel Is Desperate to Replace Palestinian Farmhands
Newly arrived Indian workers say abuse is common.
Congress Helps Steer Taiwan Toward the ‘Porcupine Strategy’
The national security bill gives Biden more leverage to tell Taiwan what weapons to buy.
What Ghana Can Learn From Taiwan
As vote-buying corrupts the country’s politics, the West African nation could learn from Taipei’s effective crackdown on the practice.
India’s Courts Must Keep Their Autonomy
A recent ruling on campaign finance reflected a judicial independence that will be key to checking Modi’s power if he wins a third term.
Is the U.S. Preparing to Ban Future LNG Sales to China?
The Department of Energy’s “temporary pause” opens the door.
New Zealand Becomes the Latest Country to Pivot to the U.S.
Beijing’s bullying tactics have pushed Wellington into Washington’s welcoming arms.
Modi’s ‘Make in India’ Didn’t Make Jobs
India’s prime minister could win reelection without having fixed his country’s unemployment crisis.
The Terrorist Threat the West Still Ignores
Domestic far-right terrorism has been increasingly internationalized—and requires a coordinated response.
The World’s Biggest Election Is Set to Begin
In India, the question is not whether Modi and his party will win but by how much.
Why Modi Is So Popular
Soon likely to win a third term, India’s prime minister has shaped the country in profound ways.
Court Victory Disturbs Malaysia’s Balancing Act on Islamic Law
A new federal ruling has Islamists up in arms.
North Korea Is Ghosting the Biden Administration
Experts say it’s a question of when, not if, Pyongyang will carry out its seventh nuclear weapons test.
The Chipmaking World Hedges Its Taiwan Bets
Earthquake or not, building semiconductor factories off the island has become a global imperative.
The Question Looming Over Biden’s White House Summit: Where Are the Exit Ramps?
As the leaders of Japan and the Philippines present a united front with America, China is getting stronger, too.
How Pakistan Plays Into India’s Elections
Allegations that the Modi government orchestrated extrajudicial killings on Pakistani soil will give another boost to the ruling party.
U.S. Foreign Aid Is Broken but Fixable
Donald Trump’s threats to cut all spending can spur actual changes.
Everyone Is on Edge for South Korea’s Legislative Elections
Conservatives fear extinction, but the opposition is deeply divided.
It’s Too Soon for Biden and Kishida to Take a Victory Lap
Three uncomfortable questions still hang over the U.S.-Japan alliance.
The India Issue
Illiberal, democratic, and rising: How a middle power is reshaping the world order.
4 Books to Understand Modern India
Is the world’s most populous country booming or broken?
5 Charts That Explain India
From average incomes to internet usage, New Delhi is still at the point where growth could really take off—or not.
Becoming Indian
A novelist considers how his sense of national identity has changed.
Meet India’s Generation Z
The people who will shape the country’s next decades came of age during the Modi era.
Is India Really the Next China?
The case for its economic ascent is strong, but government policies still stand in the way.
The New Idea of India
Narendra Modi’s reign is producing a less liberal but more assured nation.
China Is Gaslighting the Developing World
Beijing’s promises of equality are a guise for hegemony.
It’s Debatable’s Greatest Hits
In their 100th column, Matt and Emma revisit clashes over Taiwan, Ukraine, Iran—and how to deter an alien invasion.
Modi’s Messenger to the World
How the diplomat-turned-politician S. Jaishankar became the chief executor of India’s assertive foreign policy.
U.S.-India Ties Remain Fundamentally Fragile
If New Delhi and Washington leave frictions to fester, they could ultimately derail future cooperation.
Sri Lanka Hones Its Balancing Act
Colombo has demonstrated its own brand of strategic autonomy on issues from Russia’s war in Ukraine to China’s global footprint.
Did Russia Come Close to Using a Nuclear Device in 2022?
CNN reporter Jim Sciutto on the return of great-power conflict.
China-Philippines Tensions Heat Up
Saber-rattling in the South China Sea comes as Manila builds alliances in Washington and beyond.
The Moscow Attack Showed Terrorism Is Asia’s Problem Now
Increased geopolitical rivalry is allowing extremist groups to thrive—and threaten everyone.
New Hope for Pakistan’s Mistreated Workers
Germany’s new Supply Chain Act could help curb some of the world’s worst labor injustices.
Migrants in Russia Are Terrified as Racism Grows After Deadly Attack
Violence and war are shaping Moscow’s brutal response.
‘Everything, Everywhere, All At Once’: U.S. Officials Warn of Increased Cyberthreats
Washington prepares for a worst-case scenario of attacks on critical infrastructure.
Will Vietnam’s Political Turmoil Shake Up Foreign Investment?
The president’s abrupt resignation suggests uncertainty, but it should not sow doubt about Hanoi’s economy or engagement with the world.
Power Is the Answer in U.S. Competition With China
A fight for global values demands a stronger coalition.
TV’s New ‘Game of Thrones’ Is Set in 17th-Century Japan
“Shogun” is an update of a 44-year-old series perfectly suited to today’s tastes.
A Family Feud in the Philippines Has Beijing and Washington on Edge
Rodrigo Duterte and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are battling over the country’s future.
Asia Should Take the Lead on Global Health
The region’s health care systems and innovations show how solidarity can shape well-being.