Staff Writer
Shirley Leung writes IndoPac briefs on political economy, public institutions, and the regional consequences of domestic policy.
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12 stories
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Thailand and Cambodia to resolve their border dispute after meeting both countries’ leaders on the same day. The dispute escalated into the deadliest fighting between the neighbours in more than a decade last year, resulting in more than 100 military and civilian deaths and hundreds of injuries. A ceasefire reached in…
Diplomacy & Statecraft / Southeast Asia / Northeast AsiaTaiwan’s biggest food safety scandal in years has become a political liability for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), giving the opposition valuable ammunition ahead of November’s local elections. The latest controversy centres on soybean salad oil produced by Central Union Oil Corporation and found to contain excessive levels of benzo[a]pyrene…
Politics & Governance / Northeast AsiaAdvocates hope the new policy will help deportees rebuild their lives upon returning to the kingdom.
Pacific Islands / Law, Sanctions & Policy / Pacific IslandsThe nation is looking to expand and balance its economic and security relationships – and India is at the top of the list.
Diplomacy & Statecraft / Trade & Supply Chains / South Asia / Australia & New ZealandNew Caledonia has a new Congress, but the Pacific territory remains deeply divided between pro-independence and loyalist factions.
Politics & Governance / Pacific IslandsSome officials believe Trump is particularly disinclined toward registering any objection that could endanger his plans to host Xi for a lavish state visit in September.
Trade & Supply Chains / Northeast AsiaTaiwan’s most capable missile launchers are being deployed across the island for a five-day defense drill designed to enhance joint operations and develop concepts for targeting enemy aircraft and vessels. Newly procured American M142 High Mobility Rocket Artillery Systems (HIMARS) and domestically-produced Hsiung Feng anti-ship missile launchers will be…
Diplomacy & Statecraft / Northeast AsiaThe following is the July 14, 2026, Congressional Research Service report, Japan’s Evolving Defense Policy and the U.S.-Japan Alliance. From the Report In 2026, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been implementing major changes to Japan’s security policies, with important implications for the U.S.-Japan alliance and the Indo-Pacific region. Forged…
Diplomacy & Statecraft / Law, Sanctions & Policy / Northeast AsiaThere is growing debate within the global space policy community about whether space is becoming a ‘warfighting domain’. As adversaries develop increasingly sophisticated counterspace capabilities, Australia should consider how to strengthen resilience and assure access ...
Technology & Chips / Australia & New ZealandIndia’s ethanol push boosts energy security and farm incomes, but consumers remain unconvinced amid mileage and price concerns.
Energy & Infrastructure / Trade & Supply Chains / South AsiaWhat did the arbitral tribunal's award actually achieve?
Maritime Security / Southeast Asia / Northeast AsiaHong Kong police have arrested five people and seized books during a raid on two independent bookshops, the South China Morning Post has learned. A source told the SCMP that national security police searched Have a Nice Stay bookshop in Prince Edward and Greenfield Book Store in Mong Kok on Wednesday. Officers seized books and made multiple arrests during…
Politics & Governance / Law, Sanctions & Policy / Northeast AsiaOriginal analysis
Jul 18, 2026 · 7 stories reviewed
Taiwan moved missiles, ASEAN reopened a door to Myanmar, Beijing built an AI institution, and the South China Sea argument turned ten without getting any safer.