South East Asia

Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in mid-August, it has struggled to win friends. Achieving international recognition and acceptance still remains an uphill challenge, subject to its ability and, perhaps, willingness to meet the international community’s expectations. The ultra-conservative Islam the Taliban preaches and wants to reinstall in Afghanistan …

Washington shouldn’t be surprised, after years of building and leading security bulwarks against both countries. In October, Russia and China conducted a week-long joint naval patrol — their first such exercise in the Western Pacific. Five Russian and five Chinese warships sailed through the international waters of the Tsugaru Strait, …

In an interview aired in the US in June 2021, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that Pakistan will deny US use of its territory for “over-the-horizon” surveillance of possible terrorist activity in Afghanistan. Now, there are negotiations for the US to use Pakistan’s airspace for military operations in Afghanistan, …

The Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan is transforming the regional landscape and unnerving neighbouring countries. Central Asian countries face migration flows, humanitarian challenges and political uncertainty. The post-American Afghanistan also provides Moscow and Beijing, as well several other regional powers like Tehran and Islamabad, with opportunities to enhance regional engagement as …

Pakistan Violent clashes erupted between hardline Sunni group and law-enforcement agencies in Punjab; deadly militant attacks and military operations persisted. Calling for release of detained party chief and expulsion of French ambassador, Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) 21 Oct vowed to march from Punjab’s Lahore city to capital Islamabad. In violent clashes, …

It has been a difficult couple of years for Southeast Asia’s South China Sea-claimant countries. While they have been struggling to deal with vaccine diplomacy and manage the COVID-19 pandemic, China has been accused of taking advantage of the situation by becoming increasingly assertive in the disputed areas. During the …

On October 27, 2021, at least four Policemen were killed and over 253 were injured, as thousands of followers of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) clashed with law-enforcement personnel near Sadhoke in the Gujranwala District of Punjab. Police said the clashes were triggered after they tried to block the TLP …

Beijing reported four new local COVID-19 cases between 12:01 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Tuesday, all from the same family, and their residential community has been designated as a medium-risk area starting Tuesday. According to the city’s anti-COVID-19 headquarters, the designated community is in Changping District. The city currently has …

Two key words were missing from the statements that followed the inaugural in-person summit in September of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as the Quad, which features Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. The first absent word was predictable: “China.” Although the country’s growing strength is the clear …

There is perhaps no bigger controversy among partisans of the Left than the nature of China and its economy. Is it socialist? Capitalist? State capitalist? A hybrid? That so much debate swirls around this issue is its own proof that the question doesn’t have a definitive answer, at least not …