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Japan Warns Citizens in China Over Safety Amid Taiwan Row

Japan has warned its citizens in China to be careful of their surroundings and to avoid big crowds amid a diplomatic row over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan. The escalating spat has already seen Beijing advise Chinese citizens to ...

Japan-U.S. Ties Key to Deterring China ‘Aggression’: Pentagon

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said Wednesday the Japan-U.S. alliance was "critical to deterring Chinese military aggression", as his Japanese counterpart confirmed plans to accelerate a defense spending target. The comments came in the wake of the first face-to-face meeting Tuesday between ...

Japan, China, South Korea Foreign Ministers Meet in Tokyo

By Natsuko Fukue and Katie Forster Japan, China, and South Korea's top diplomats held talks in Tokyo on Saturday, aiming to bolster cooperation amid US trade tariffs looming over the region. The meeting follows a ...

China’s Wang Tells New Japan FM He Hopes for ‘Progress’ in Ties

China's foreign minister told his new Japanese counterpart during a phone call on Wednesday that he hopes to make progress in bilateral ties while also warning of external "interference." Tensions have recently been building between Beijing and Tokyo recently as China ...

It’s Time to Take the BRICS More Seriously

As longtime readers of this column and listeners of our podcasts may know, I've been quite critical of the BRICS in recent years. Beyond the creation of a mid-sized development finance bank, this is a group with few other accomplishments to boast about in its 15-year existence. ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

The G20 Summit and the Half-Life of a Joke

When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...

Palau Confirms ‘Major’ Cyberattack, Points to China

By Hiroshi Hiyama and Katie Forster Palau's President Surangel Whipps on Wednesday said the tiny country, one of Taiwan's few diplomatic allies, had suffered a major cyberattack, pointing the finger at China. The Pacific archipelago ...

With Eye on China, Japan Seeks to Bolster Ties With Pacific Island Countries

Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, together with her counterparts from the 18 members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIC), reaffirmed this week the importance of the "rules-based international order" -- a somewhat anodyne declaration but significant in the context of Japan's contentious relationship with China. ...

Japan’s PM Kishida Tours Africa Amid China Tensions

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced his government will provide $500 million to promote peace and stability in Africa. He made the announcement in Accra, the second stop in a week-long African tour explicitly aimed at countering Russia and China’s influence on the ...

Sri Lanka Hints at Lukewarm Response to China Exim Bank’s Debt Moratorium Offer

The China Exim Bank has reportedly agreed to grant Sri Lanka a two-year debt repayment moratorium, according to a letter sent by the Chinese policy bank to the Finance Ministry in Colombo. The letter, which has not been made public

Quad Announces Infrastructure, Shipping Initiatives as China Looms Large

The leaders of the United States, India, Japan, and Australia committed to funneling $50 billion in infrastructure to the Indo-Pacific region and will launch a real-time system to track ships. While China wasn’t mentioned by name, these measures are widely understood as attempts to counter its influence as an infrastructure ...

Japan PM Kishida Tours SE Asia Amid Worsening U.S.-China Tensions

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida spent the weekend in Vietnam where he held separate talks with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc during a three-nation tour of Southeast Asian states. The Prime Minister's tour comes at a critical time as ...