https://www.scmp.com/rss/522286/feed The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a prominent Washington, D.C.-based non-profit think tank, established in 1962. Dedicated to providing strategic insights and policy solutions on global issues, CSIS focuses on international relations, security, economics, trade, technology, and global health. It conducts extensive research and analysis, developing policy initiatives for decision-makers in government and other sectors. Recognised as a leading bipartisan institution,... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn Chinese businesses in Indonesia have issued an unusually blunt warning to President Prabowo Subianto that a wave of tougher rules is hurting investor confidence, exposing growing tension between Jakarta’s push for control of the resources sector and foreign capital that has helped power the country’s nickel boom. Several ministers in Jakarta have pushed back, saying Indonesia must prioritise sovereignty over its natural resources, while stressing the government remains open to dialogue and has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353847/indonesia-pushes-back-after-chinese-business-group-complains-tougher-rules-hurt-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353847/indonesia-pushes-back-after-chinese-business-group-complains-tougher-rules-hurt-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Mark Magnier,Teresa Elena Frontado,Dewey Sim,Lucy Quaggin Mark Magnier,Teresa Elena Frontado,Dewey Sim,Lucy Quaggin As US President Donald Trump landed back in Washington on Friday after his two-day summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a quick US assessment on one of the most consequential diplomatic visits of Trump’s presidency was: impressive optics, trademark flawless Chinese hosting, but disappointing concrete achievements, according to analysts, industry trade groups and former US officials. “The economic deliverables coming out of the Trump-Xi meeting are way below expectations. In light... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353782/trump-leaves-china-after-much-pomp-and-pageantry-little-show-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353782/trump-leaves-china-after-much-pomp-and-pageantry-little-show-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 22:50:39 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Taiwan has emerged as the first test of Beijing and Washington’s new “strategic stability” formula, according to analysts. In the aftermath of the high-profile summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing, subtle differences have emerged in how the two sides have characterised Taiwan, which Beijing defines as the most important issue in the bilateral relationship. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said on Friday that during Trump’s state visit to China from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353779/taiwan-casts-long-shadow-over-trumps-summit-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353779/taiwan-casts-long-shadow-over-trumps-summit-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 20:32:48 +0000 Albee Zhang,Josephine Ma Albee Zhang,Josephine Ma The summit between presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump was watched closely around the world for welcome moves towards stability but it also triggered anxiety among traditional US allies. As he returned home on Air Force One on Friday, Trump had a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. “We exchanged views, centring on various issues surrounding China, including the economy – encompassing economic security – and security matters,” Takaichi wrote in a social media post. She... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353757/what-did-american-allies-make-trumps-trip-china-meet-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353757/what-did-american-allies-make-trumps-trip-china-meet-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 12:42:11 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Washington and Beijing have piled on irritants in advance of this week’s summit between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, suggesting that neither side wants to be seen as a deal killer – even as they try to build potential leverage to bargain away, analysts and former US government officials said. Scott Kennedy, senior adviser with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said that both sides had been “picking up some chits which they might be... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353432/wary-mood-mark-xi-trump-summit-irritants-aplenty-both-sides-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353432/wary-mood-mark-xi-trump-summit-irritants-aplenty-both-sides-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 15:59:04 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Depleted US weapons stockpiles as a result of its war in Iran risk eroding Donald Trump’s bargaining power when he meets Xi Jinping in China this week. With Trump on the high-stakes trip is Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, marking the first time a Pentagon chief has accompanied a president to Beijing in decades. The weapons shortages not only raise questions about US preparedness for war in the Indo-Pacific, but may give Beijing extra leverage because of its control of the supply of critical... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353435/how-us-missile-shortages-after-iran-war-could-strengthen-chinas-hand-during-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353435/how-us-missile-shortages-after-iran-war-could-strengthen-chinas-hand-during-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 10:01:17 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi When US President Donald Trump announced that 5,000 US troops would leave Germany, the immediate reading in Western capitals was political: another round in Trump’s running quarrel with European allies, triggered by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s criticism of Washington’s handling of the war with Iran. For Beijing, the more interesting reading is structural. The drawdown coincides with a period in which Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spent much of 2026 cultivating a “partners not rivals”... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352882/china-shouldnt-view-tired-us-signifying-europe-ready-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352882/china-shouldnt-view-tired-us-signifying-europe-ready-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. My brother is in Tehran. Last year, he lived through 12 days of bombardment: this year, 40 days of missiles passing over his head. The ringing in his ears has not stopped. The history of asymmetric conflicts is consistent. Korea (1950–1953), Vietnam (1965–1973) and Iran–Iraq... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3352552/history-shows-high-cost-and-low-yield-war-conflict-resolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3352552/history-shows-high-cost-and-low-yield-war-conflict-resolution?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 03:30:05 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin China is the United States’ “most consequential threat and competitor in space”, leveraging its capabilities “as a tool of diplomacy and influence”, US lawmakers were told at a congressional hearing on Wednesday, as the two countries’ race to the moon intensifies. The US and China are locked in a high-stakes space race, with both nations aiming to put astronauts on the moon in the coming years. While China has set a 2030 target for its first crewed lunar landing, the US’ Artemis programme aims... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351922/us-lawmakers-warn-china-top-space-rival-race-moon-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351922/us-lawmakers-warn-china-top-space-rival-race-moon-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 23:30:18 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The United Nations is bloated, costly, badly in need of reform, and too often works against US interests, but pulling out of the international organisation would see China expand its influence and leave Washington at a major disadvantage, according to testimony before a House oversight committee on Wednesday. The hearing came as the administration of US President Donald Trump has imposed an “America first” overhaul of international funding, leaving the UN, over the past 18 months, at what... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3351920/un-bloated-costly-china-fears-should-keep-us-involved-house-committee-told?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3351920/un-bloated-costly-china-fears-should-keep-us-involved-house-committee-told?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 22:39:41 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Lebanon’s social affairs minister has backed calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, but cautioned the process would take time before a “political settlement” could be reached, noting that the group is also a “community”. Haneen Sayed told a discussion in Washington on Monday that disarming Hezbollah – an Iran-backed militant group – was a demand of her government and its people, and that it “must happen”. “Of course, we understand that implementation is not easy. It’s not instant coffee. It... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351621/hezbollah-disarmament-must-happen-senior-lebanese-minister-tells-us-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351621/hezbollah-disarmament-must-happen-senior-lebanese-minister-tells-us-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:33:04 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Following high-level mediation efforts in Islamabad over the weekend, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held face-to-face talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Monday. The diplomatic surge comes as US President Donald Trump convened his senior national security team to evaluate a fresh Iranian peace proposal, delivered via Pakistan, aimed at ending the months-long Middle East crisis and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The White House confirmed the proposal called... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3351617/trump-weighs-irans-red-lines-tehrans-top-diplomat-engages-russias-putin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3351617/trump-weighs-irans-red-lines-tehrans-top-diplomat-engages-russias-putin?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:18:25 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The United States’ depleted stockpile of munitions from its war on Iran and limited production capacity will be a critical vulnerability against stronger adversaries, according to Chinese military observers. During the 39 days of war before the ceasefire, the US is estimated to have used about half of both its Patriot air defence missiles and the longer-range Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) interceptors. Stockpiles of Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) and Standard Missile 6 (SM-6)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351140/chinese-military-experts-take-stock-us-munitions-weak-spot-exposed-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351140/chinese-military-experts-take-stock-us-munitions-weak-spot-exposed-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Myanmar’s military-backed rulers have shaved time off Aung San Suu Kyi’s prison sentence and freed thousands of detainees, but analysts say the apparent goodwill gestures tell a story of a regime growing bolder, not more merciful. The government last week announced an amnesty for 4,335 prisoners, its third in six months, and reduced by a sixth the 27-year sentence of the 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi, who has not been seen in public since her criminal trials ended in December... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350967/why-myanmars-token-amnesties-are-no-cause-celebration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350967/why-myanmars-token-amnesties-are-no-cause-celebration?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:25:30 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage During Vice-President Han Zheng’s visit to Nairobi in March, China signed a cash grant for drought relief and recently delivered food aid to Somalia, Togo, Zimbabwe and Zambia – helping 217,057 people in Zambia and providing Zimbabwe with 5,000 tonnes of rice. Du Xiaohui, director general of the foreign ministry’s African affairs department, later affirmed that Beijing would help nations in Africa boost food security and agricultural resilience through emergency aid and long-term support for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350443/china-steps-aid-africa-huge-funding-gap-left-trumps-cuts-remains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350443/china-steps-aid-africa-huge-funding-gap-left-trumps-cuts-remains?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters North Korea has made “very serious” advances in its abilities to turn out nuclear weapons, with the probable addition of a new uranium enrichment facility, as it steps up activity at a key complex, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has said. Enriching uranium can provide an alternative, and experts say, a more effective, path to acquiring weapons-grade material in addition to ‌reprocessing spent plutonium extracted from a nuclear reactor. Speaking in Seoul on Wednesday, the head of the International... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350206/un-watchdog-warns-north-korea-boosting-nuclear-weapons-capacity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350206/un-watchdog-warns-north-korea-boosting-nuclear-weapons-capacity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:15:08 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau In a rare public protest in Singapore, hundreds gathered in Hong Lim Park over the weekend to denounce the “US war machine”. They brandished placards and banners, including one with horns drawn on US presidents past and present captioned: “This is what terrorists look like.” The demonstration, which required organisers to get permission from the authorities, came as public sentiment across the region sours against Washington. Observers attribute this to the perception that the United States has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350160/are-us-singapore-relations-under-pressure-public-trust-declines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350160/are-us-singapore-relations-under-pressure-public-trust-declines?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s energy security has long hinged on Middle Eastern oil. The Iran war simply exposed how breakable that lifeline had become. While a two-week ceasefire agreed on Tuesday promises some relief by reopening the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic, analysts say the shock has laid bare vulnerabilities Tokyo cannot easily paper over. As an archipelago nation with no cross-border pipelines, Japan draws more than 95 per cent of its crude from the Middle East and routes the bulk of it through the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349679/japans-middle-east-oil-habit-gets-iran-war-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349679/japans-middle-east-oil-habit-gets-iran-war-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korea’s recent string of weapons tests, including cluster munitions, marks a renewed show of military strength ahead of next month’s US-China summit, even as Beijing may become a go-between to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula. Analysts say the summit could be an opportunity for China to arrange subsequent talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump. On Thursday, Pyongyang said tests conducted over the previous two days involved a radar-evading missile... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349499/why-north-koreas-kim-may-shake-hands-trump-again-despite-missile-tests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349499/why-north-koreas-kim-may-shake-hands-trump-again-despite-missile-tests?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:02:56 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao By issuing a joint five-point plan on the Iran crisis on Tuesday, China and Pakistan have laid out what Chinese analysts described as a “feasible path” towards a ceasefire and renewed diplomacy. At the same time, the move quietly signalled an early effort to shape the post-war Middle East order in a region where the long-standing US-dominated security framework was already facing growing strain and uncertainty, the observers said. In recent weeks, regional powers have emerged as mediators to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348700/what-does-china-pakistan-plan-iran-crisis-mean-post-war-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348700/what-does-china-pakistan-plan-iran-crisis-mean-post-war-order?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The Myanmar junta’s attempts to place its top man in the country’s highest civilian position have been described by analysts as a “constitutional repackaging of continued military rule”. On Monday, Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military in the 2021 coup and has headed the junta since then, resigned from the armed forces, moving one step closer to becoming president. He stepped down after Myanmar’s parliament had cleared the way for his nomination. He handed over the role of commander-in-chief of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348662/why-myanmar-top-generals-exit-window-dressing-cement-military-rule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348662/why-myanmar-top-generals-exit-window-dressing-cement-military-rule?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:05:08 +0000 Alcott Wei,Fan Chen Alcott Wei,Fan Chen As the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its second month, another major shipping lane is at risk of closure but the chances of a prolonged conflict remain slim, according to Chinese analysts. The assessment came on Saturday as Iran-backed Houthi rebels joined the fray by firing missiles at Israel from Yemen. The Israeli military said it intercepted one of the projectiles. Chinese state news agency Xinhua quoted a Houthi source as saying the missile attack was meant “as a warning”. The Houthis... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348265/1-month-2-straits-more-strikes-how-long-will-us-israeli-war-iran-last?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348265/1-month-2-straits-more-strikes-how-long-will-us-israeli-war-iran-last?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:31:19 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The strategic value to Beijing of a new military base in the contested Paracel Islands is likely to be limited, according to Chinese observers, as the South China Sea remains a focal point of regional tensions. The assessment comes amid rising concern over China’s land reclamation at Antelope Reef, believed to be its most significant project in the strategic waters since it declared a halt to such activities about a decade ago. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Centre for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347748/why-military-base-contested-paracels-will-be-limited-value-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347748/why-military-base-contested-paracels-will-be-limited-value-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Beijing has defended ongoing land-reclamation activities in the contested Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, saying they are aimed at improving living conditions and boosting the local economy. “The Xisha Islands are an inherent part of China’s territory and there is no dispute about it,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday, using the Chinese name for the archipelago. “China’s necessary construction activities on its own territory are aimed at improving the living conditions... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347603/no-dispute-about-it-beijing-defends-construction-paracel-islands-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347603/no-dispute-about-it-beijing-defends-construction-paracel-islands-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:01:20 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Carol Yang Xinyi Wu,Carol Yang Ships near the Strait of Hormuz are broadcasting Chinese affiliations in an apparent bid to avoid attack, at a time when Iran’s new supreme leader vows to keep the strategic waterway closed. The crews of at least 11 vessels sitting in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf had their transponders set to announce Chinese links on Friday afternoon, according to Kpler’s MarineTraffic data platform. The broadcasts were a defensive measure, said Cui Shoujun, director of the Institute of International... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346542/strait-hormuz-transiting-ships-flash-china-owner-signals-evade-iran-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346542/strait-hormuz-transiting-ships-flash-china-owner-signals-evade-iran-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:45:56 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai In January, the US-based magazine Newsweek reported that China had started dredging sand on an obscure feature in the Paracel Islands, the disputed archipelago known as Xisha by the Chinese and Hoang Sa in Vietnam. More recent satellite images suggest that China has significantly expanded its reclamation, with the once-submerged Antelope Reef appearing to have a substantially larger surface area. The reef, one of more than 30 islands that make up the Paracels in the South China Sea, is claimed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346476/whats-important-about-antelope-reef-south-china-seas-paracel-islands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346476/whats-important-about-antelope-reef-south-china-seas-paracel-islands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:59:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The opening week of the war against Iran cost the United States more than US$11.3 billion, lawmakers were told in a Pentagon briefing, according to a New York Times report underscoring the pace at which the conflict is consuming weapons and resources. The Times, citing unnamed sources familiar with Tuesday’s closed-door briefing, said members of Congress were told that the figure excludes many costs connected with the build-up to the strikes – suggesting the final tally for the first week could... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346376/american-military-bleeds-us113-billion-first-week-iran-war-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346376/american-military-bleeds-us113-billion-first-week-iran-war-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:12:48 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju A warning by a senior US official that the Trump administration would not repeat with India the “mistakes” it made in its past dealings with China signals that Washington would not allow New Delhi’s rise to come at the expense of its strategic interests. Speaking at a conference on international politics and economics in Delhi on Friday, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the US wanted to work with India to unlock its “limitless potential”. But he added at the Raisina Dialogue:... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346231/why-us-policy-india-aims-avoid-repeat-china-mistake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346231/why-us-policy-india-aims-avoid-repeat-china-mistake?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao As US President Donald Trump prepares for his first China trip in nearly a decade, Chinese scholars see an opportunity to steer ties away from confrontation and towards a managed coexistence. Speakers at a seminar hosted by the University of Hong Kong’s Centre on Contemporary China and the World last week were cautiously optimistic about prospects for the relationship. That was despite Washington’s strategic pullback, heightened sensitivities over the Taiwan Strait, and intensifying conflict in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346061/love-and-hate-nationalism-can-xi-and-trump-rebalance-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346061/love-and-hate-nationalism-can-xi-and-trump-rebalance-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait remain Beijing’s foremost external security concern for 2026, fuelled by uncertainties surrounding the US midterm elections and the growing involvement of Japan, according to a prominent Chinese think tank. In its latest annual forecast of China’s external security risks, the Centre for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University framed this year as a pivotal moment in the profound reshaping of China’s outer defence... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345940/taiwan-tensions-no-1-beijings-top-10-geopolitical-risks-2026-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345940/taiwan-tensions-no-1-beijings-top-10-geopolitical-risks-2026-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:14:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press As missiles and drones curtail energy production across the Persian Gulf, analysts warn that water, not oil, may be the resource most at risk in the energy-rich but arid region. On Sunday, Bahrain accused Iran of damaging one of its desalination plants. Earlier, Iran said a US air strike had damaged an Iranian plant. Hundreds of desalination plants sit along the Persian Gulf coast, putting individual systems that supply water to millions within range of Iranian missile or drone strikes. Without... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345897/iran-strikes-desalination-plants-threaten-arab-states-water-supplies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345897/iran-strikes-desalination-plants-threaten-arab-states-water-supplies?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:22:05 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain What began as a US-Israeli assault on Iran is rapidly evolving into a conflict with the potential to spread far beyond the Middle East. Iranian missiles and drones have already struck or reached Turkey and Azerbaijan, while European powers are rushing additional warships, fighter jets and air defences to the eastern Mediterranean and Gulf to contain the fallout. Analysts warn the longer the war continues, the greater the risk that long-simmering regional fault lines – from Kurdish militancy to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345689/how-far-could-war-iran-spread-beyond-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345689/how-far-could-war-iran-spread-beyond-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Less than six weeks ahead of a likely summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, preparations are inadequate, bilateral contacts anaemic and outcomes diminished, according to analysts and former government officials familiar with planning. The shortfall reflected in part Trump’s reluctance to delegate, disdain for process and focus on quick wins, banking instead on personal magnetism and his “gut” as summit organising principles, they said. The planning deficit also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344769/trump-xi-summit-preparations-falter-planning-gaps-unsettle-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344769/trump-xi-summit-preparations-falter-planning-gaps-unsettle-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Dewey Sim,Zhao Ziwen Dewey Sim,Zhao Ziwen US President Donald Trump pushed a message of economic strength and global leadership in the first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday night, seeking to rally voters ahead of the November midterm elections. In the nearly two-hour speech – the longest of its kind – the American leader made no direct mention of China, a move analysts said could be aimed at avoiding fresh friction with Beijing ahead of his visit. Trump’s administration is grappling with a range of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344594/donald-trump-touts-us-golden-age-avoids-direct-mention-china-ahead-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344594/donald-trump-touts-us-golden-age-avoids-direct-mention-china-ahead-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:12:31 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi China’s maritime militia was deployed in “record-high numbers” across the disputed South China Sea in 2025, according to a US think tank report. However, the report also cited a concentration of civilian fishing fleets near less contested reefs, saying this suggested their waning strategic role for Beijing. The report was published on Monday by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) – a research programme affiliated with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344474/record-chinese-maritime-militia-deployed-south-china-sea-2025-us-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344474/record-chinese-maritime-militia-deployed-south-china-sea-2025-us-report?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:18:23 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, unleashing the deadliest war in Europe since World War II. As the conflict reaches its four-year mark, here’s a look at the state of the conflict and some of the consequences for both countries. Destruction The war has resulted in widespread destruction in Ukraine. Entire cities in Ukraine’s east and south, among them Bakhmut, Toretsk and Vovchansk, have been reduced to rubble by fighting. The World Health Organization has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344429/where-ukraine-and-russia-stand-war-enters-fifth-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344429/where-ukraine-and-russia-stand-war-enters-fifth-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:49:25 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen As US President Donald Trump prepares for a high-stakes summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing from March 31 to April 2, analysts say recent American policy reversals, including a Supreme Court ruling striking down broad tariffs, have shifted trade tensions into a phase of cautious stability rather than escalation. The legal setback has strengthened China’s negotiating position, bolstered by lowered effective tariffs, its leverage over critical minerals like rare earths, and a more... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344388/us-tariff-ruling-points-steadier-us-china-ties-ahead-april-summit-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344388/us-tariff-ruling-points-steadier-us-china-ties-ahead-april-summit-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 22:49:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States on Monday accused China of dramatically swelling its nuclear arsenal and doubled down on claims that Beijing had conducted secret nuclear tests, demanding again it be part of any future arms control treaty. Washington said the lapsing earlier this month of New Start – the last treaty between top nuclear powers the United States and Russia – presented the possibility of striking a “better agreement” including Beijing. Christopher Yeaw, the US assistant secretary of state for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344385/china-has-massively-expanded-its-nuclear-arsenal-claims-us-state-department?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344385/china-has-massively-expanded-its-nuclear-arsenal-claims-us-state-department?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:48:21 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong As US President Donald Trump prepares for a possible visit to China in April, analysts say that one issue is likely to “cast a shadow” over his looming negotiations with Beijing: America’s need to maintain access to supplies of gallium and other strategic resources. With China’s suspension of a ban on exports of gallium and several other metals to the US set to expire in November, the Trump administration’s immediate goal in any trade talks would be to avoid escalating tensions over critical... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344151/chinas-gallium-grip-looms-over-trumps-beijing-visit-critical-deadline-nears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344151/chinas-gallium-grip-looms-over-trumps-beijing-visit-critical-deadline-nears?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain US President Donald Trump declared the war in Gaza “over” at his inaugural “Board of Peace” meeting on Thursday, even as regional analysts warned that Israeli military operations could resume within weeks. At the gathering in Washington, attended by senior officials from more than 20 countries, promises of reconstruction and a “bright future” for Gaza were coupled with blunt US warnings that the alternative to disarmament would be a return to war. Outside the meeting, Israeli officials... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344087/trump-says-gaza-war-over-analysts-warn-fighting-could-resume-within-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344087/trump-says-gaza-war-over-analysts-warn-fighting-could-resume-within-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 05:33:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The United States’ decision to lift key arms-export restrictions on Cambodia signals a thaw in long-strained defence ties, but Phnom Penh is likely to make only modest purchases and remain heavily reliant on Chinese weaponry for the foreseeable future, analysts say. In what Cambodian media described as a landmark move, the US Department of Commerce last week removed Cambodia from “Country Group D:5” – a classification that had effectively barred most US arms exports – according to a notice... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343079/what-us-lifting-arms-embargo-cambodia-means-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343079/what-us-lifting-arms-embargo-cambodia-means-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:07:49 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Combine three wary nations, deep historical mistrust, rapid technological change, the most destructive weapons ever developed and a US unwilling to extend Thursday’s last formal nuclear weapons guardrail, and you have the ingredients for much worse geopolitical tension, if not a slide towards global disaster, warn nuclear weapons negotiators, analysts and former government officials. While Moscow has offered to formally extend its New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New Start) with the US for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342576/trump-balks-nuclear-limit-extension-calls-new-us-china-russia-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342576/trump-balks-nuclear-limit-extension-calls-new-us-china-russia-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:02:50 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China should consider following the US’ lead by investing in low-cost guided munitions to counter future mass drone warfare, according to a Chinese military magazine. The suggestion surfaced in an article in Ordnance Science and Technology this month, which said the United States was finding it too expensive and unsustainable to use advanced munitions against Houthi drone harassment in the Red Sea and to support Ukraine against large-scale low-cost Russian air strikes. The article said that in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341534/china-urged-follow-us-lead-developing-low-cost-munitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341534/china-urged-follow-us-lead-developing-low-cost-munitions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The arrival of 2026 has brought anything but peace to the Middle East, caught in the gravitational pull of rival ambitions and with the uneasy sense that the next war may already be under way. From Gaza to Syria, conflict hotspots are flaring as the region finds itself at the epicentre of a global order in flux. The result is a landscape in which rivalries are multiplying, former partners are pitted against each other and more violence appears inevitable, analysts say. “While it is still early... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341039/saudi-uae-rift-risks-tearing-middle-east-apart-anything-can-happen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341039/saudi-uae-rift-risks-tearing-middle-east-apart-anything-can-happen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 08:00:16 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has placed “resilience” at the heart of its foreign policy this year, pitching it as a way to keep the country from being buffeted by intensifying rivalry among the world’s major powers. But analysts say the concept, though rhetorically appealing, lacks clear objectives and a long-term strategy – running the risk of Jakarta’s diplomacy becoming more transactional and drifting away from its stated values of non-alignment, multilateralism and respect for international law. In his annual... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341038/resilience-indonesias-new-foreign-policy-buzzword-it-just-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341038/resilience-indonesias-new-foreign-policy-buzzword-it-just-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is rolling out hundreds of activities across Africa, including study trips and AI competitions, as part of what experts have described as a “soft power” charm offensive designed to deepen its influence across the continent. In moving beyond its traditional focus on infrastructure and high-level finance, Beijing is expanding its engagement through the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges – an initiative dedicated to cultural and social diplomacy. Announced by Chinese Foreign... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340092/how-china-stepping-africa-charm-offensive-boost-cultural-ties-deepen-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340092/how-china-stepping-africa-charm-offensive-boost-cultural-ties-deepen-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia begins its tenure as president of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) this month under a cloud of contradiction, with officials hailing the prestige of the largely ceremonial role even as activists raise uncomfortable questions about the country’s own rights record. The 47-member body, a subsidiary of the UN General Assembly, has a mandate to promote and protect human rights globally. Indonesia’s ambassador was elected president on January 8 after being put forward as the Asia‑Pacific... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340202/false-pride-indonesias-un-rights-role-clashes-its-domestic-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340202/false-pride-indonesias-un-rights-role-clashes-its-domestic-record?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The inclusion of four Southeast Asian nations in the United States’ 75-country visa suspension has thrown up questions over Washington’s foreign policy approach, including its interest in the region. Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand are among countries affected by the indefinite suspension, set to take effect on January 21, as the Donald Trump administration continues to roll out punitive measures to drastically restrict immigration. The list, released by the US Department of State on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340225/what-trumps-visa-pause-means-southeast-asia-and-us-regional-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340225/what-trumps-visa-pause-means-southeast-asia-and-us-regional-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 06:00:17 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A visit by the Philippines’ foreign minister to Myanmar has raised concerns over how Asean will be perceived under Manila’s chairmanship this year, with critics arguing it risks appearing as tacit support for the junta amid an election widely condemned as a sham. Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other junta leaders in Naypyidaw on January 6 in her capacity as special envoy from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ 2026 chair, according to official... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339844/philippine-ministers-premature-myanmar-visit-casts-doubts-over-aseans-role?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339844/philippine-ministers-premature-myanmar-visit-casts-doubts-over-aseans-role?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:02:59 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Authorities in Mogadishu had cleared the roads for a historic visit, yet on Friday Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi travelled to Tanzania instead of Somalia as planned. It would have been the first high-level Chinese mission to Mogadishu in four decades. The last-minute decision not to include the capital on Wang’s itinerary came as Somalia seeks shows of diplomatic support after Israel recognised the breakaway region of Somaliland last month. A source at the presidential palace told local media... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339584/wang-yi-cites-severe-risks-after-somalia-dropped-africa-itinerary-last-minute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339584/wang-yi-cites-severe-risks-after-somalia-dropped-africa-itinerary-last-minute?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:37:40 +0000