Category: Asia

Myth and Misperception: Can Vietnam’s Naval Bases Check Chinese Maritime Assertiveness?

In this edition of M&M, I want to analyze the role of Vietnam’s naval bases in checking China’s maritime assertiveness. This is an important factor to consider because Vietnam enjoys some of the world’s best natural deep-water harbors. Two of them, Da Nang and Cam Ranh, directly ...

China’s Foreign Minister Tells Israeli Counterpart That Attacks on Iran Must End

China opposes the military strikes launched by Israel and the U.S. against Iran and demands an immediate cessation of hostilities, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar on Tuesday, according to his ministry. "Force cannot truly solve problems; instead, it often creates new ones ...

Fearing China Clash, Japan Asks Fishermen to Avoid Flashpoint Islands

By Mariko Katsumura, Tim Kelly, Nobuhiro Kubo and John Geddie Hitoshi Nakama, 76, sees himself as a frontline defender of Japan's claims to disputed islands in the East China Sea, where he regularly evades Chinese coast guard ships to harvest the bountiful waters. ...

Vietnam Leader Seeks China-Style Powers at Party Conclave

By Ty McCormick Vietnam's top leader To Lam is expected to address a twice-a-decade congress of the Communist Party on Tuesday, where he is seeking expanded powers similar to China's political structure. The Southeast Asian ...

China’s Trade Surplus Hit Record $1.2 Trillion in 2025

China reported strong trade numbers for 2025 on Wednesday, as its surplus rose year-on-year to a record $1.2 trillion despite a slump in exports to the United States after President Donald Trump hiked tariffs. Last year's bruising trade war between Washington ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

Why Green Energy Will Be the Big Winner of the Iran Crisis

By Cobus van Staden, CGSP Head of Research
Remember “no blood for oil”? Decades ago, the slogan emblematized opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Its logic subsequently shifted as the United States experienced a gas and oil revolution thanks to fracking. 

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Japan to Test Deep Sea Rare Earth Mining to Cut China Reliance

Japan embarks Sunday on what it says is the world's first bid to tap deep sea rare earths at a depth of 6,000 metres -- greater than the height of Mount Fuji -- to curb dependence on China. A Japanese deep-sea ...

Fresh From China, South Korea President to Visit Japan

South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung will travel to Japan next week for talks with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Seoul said Friday, days after meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. The visit to Takaichi's picturesque hometown of Nara on Tuesday ...

South Korea’s Lee Snaps Xi Selfie With Chinese ‘Backdoor’ Phone

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung snapped a selfie with Xi Jinping using a smartphone gifted to him by the Chinese leader, who had joked at their last meeting that the device might be capable of spying. Lee posted three selfies ...

S. Korean President Heads to China, Hoping to Sidestep Taiwan Tensions

By Hieun Shin South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung heads to China on Sunday, eager to boost economic ties with Seoul's largest trading partner while keeping a lid on potentially explosive issues such as Taiwan. ...

China Mediates in Cambodia-Thailand Crisis

China’s Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that it is dispatching an envoy to mediate in the growing border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, as the peace deal for which U.S. President Donald Trump took credit threatens to fall apart.

China, Japan in Fresh Incident Around Disputed Islands

Japanese and Chinese vessels engaged in a fresh standoff around disputed islands on Tuesday, the two countries' coast guards said. Relations have been strained since Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested last month that her country could intervene militarily in ...

China Escalates Pressure on Japan and the Philippines With Coordinated Military Moves

China put on a major show of military force across its maritime periphery over the course of three days beginning on Friday in a bid to send a warning to its rivals in both Japan and the Philippines. Beijing deployed ...
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