Headlines

A China move now on Taiwan would be an enormous gamble

“The Iran war weakens deterrence in Asia, undercuts confidence of US allies and partners, and makes conflict with China more likely.” That’s become an article of faith among those opposing the US fight with Iran. The US military – the navy in particular – is indeed smaller than

Asia

War rains on Putin’s parade, but at least he gets a 3-day truce

Russia’s inability to conquer Ukraine is spurring unusually harsh public complaints over both the lack of military progress and the growing economic costs of the war, a pair of failures being blamed on President Vladimir Putin’s leadership. The damage caused by bombardments by

Asia

Trump claiming Iran war ‘win’ – here’s the reality

Two months into the war in Iran, the reasons the US gave for launching this conflict – and Washington’s minimum criteria for claiming success – now appear unintelligible. So much so that US officials are now arguing the war had actually ended in America’s favor almost a month

Asia

EU-Japan joining hands to break China’s supply chain grip

This sharpening convergence was on full display in early May, when the EU and Japan convened the 7th High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) in Brussels. The meeting reflected a notable hardening of language and intent. European and Japanese officials focused squarely on

Asia

Rupiah rout stoking fears of a 1997 repeat in Indonesia

TOKYO – Indonesian officials are working overtime to dismiss any suggestion that Jakarta is catching a whiff of 1997 in the air. But the force of their interventions to steady the rupiah tells a very different story. Bank Indonesia is hemorrhaging currency reserves to put a

Asia

Japan’s ammonia push risks locking Indonesia into coal

In the uneasy politics of energy transition, few ideas are as seductive — or as risky — as compromise. Ammonia co-firing, now being advanced through Japan’s Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) at Indonesia’s Suralaya and Paiton coal plants, is one such compromise. It promises

Asia

Escalation risks rise as political centers weaken

Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. Berlin faces a new test as the AfD moves closer to powerDiego Faßnacht reports that Germany’s September election in Saxony-Anhalt is emerging as a national stress test

Asia

Iran weaponizes petroyuan in war reparations push

After weeks of blockades by Iran and the United States in the Strait of Hormuz, it’s clear the narrow waterway is now pivotal to the outcome of the conflict. The US has begun to escort ships through the narrow passage, but behind the military manoeuvring lies a deeper

Asia