South East Asia

Arriving in Moscow on July 8, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Russia India’s “all-weather friend” and praised Vladimir Putin’s leadership in strengthening bilateral ties over the past two decades. The prime minister also said that for a long time, the world had witnessed a “power-driven global order.” “But what …

Latest Developments With China attempting to boost its influence in the Middle East, Hamas and Fatah leaders will meet in Beijing next week to conduct another round of Chinese-led unity talks that have so far failed to deliver results, The New York Times reported on July 15. Hamas’s political chief, …

The joint air force training exercise, dubbed Falcon Shield, began on Wednesday in the northwest Xinjiang province of China and will continue until late July. China and the United Arab Emirates are holding military training exercises this week in Xinjiang, as Emirati-Chinese defense ties see a boost despite US concerns. …

Did America Wait Too Long to Counter China? During the past two decades, many American leaders have argued that U.S. foreign policy must focus more on Asia. In 2009, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said that “the center of gravity of international affairs is importantly shifting from the Atlantic to …

Falling birthrates in East Asia are causing concerns over whether the region’s military forces will be able to maintain their troop levels in future. As a result, China, Japan, and South Korea are changing their recruitment standards even though they have invested heavily in programmes to boost birthrates. However, some …

In The Rise of the Anglo-German Antagonism, 1860–1914, the British historian Paul Kennedy explained how two traditionally friendly peoples ended up in a downward spiral of mutual hostility that led to World War I. Major structural forces drove the competition between Germany and Britain: economic imperatives, geography, and ideology. Germany’s …

Although there are potential security and economic benefits for Moscow to be gained from closer ties to Afghanistan, they will be difficult to achieve. Ahead of this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum—which has been attended by a Taliban delegation since 2022—the Kremlin handed a PR victory to the rulers …

Former Pakistani Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Ahmed Hussain Chaudhry has called on Western countries to end their double standard regarding Pakistan’s cooperation with Iran, particularly on a joint gas pipeline project between the two neighbors. In an exclusive interview with IRNA, Chaudhry argued that Pakistan should not be …

The top Turkish diplomat says his country explores new opportunities with BRICS Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend the China-led BRICS+ meeting in Russia next week as Turkey explores new cooperation opportunities. “While we have a customs union with the EU, we also explore new opportunities for cooperation with …

Iran seized control of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs several decades ago, though the United Arab Emirates has long claimed sovereignty over the islands, a claim backed by Gulf states and Russia. China reiterated on Monday its support for the United Arab Emirates regarding its dispute with …