How China’s Party Congress Actually Works

Asia has been in the global headlines quite a bit this summer, but the facts don’t always line up with the soundbites.

Unpacking the institution of the National Party Congress – its essential concepts and some common misunderstandings.

How did Sri Lanka’s economic crisis get so bad – and how can the country move forward from here?

Lessons from the cases of the Meskhetian Turks, Tajiks, and Karakalpaks.

Tactical nuclear weapons represent the next, dangerous phase of North Korea’s nuclear modernization.

The LDP hosts a “constant struggle between people who favor more moderate patriotism and versus those favoring a more extreme nationalism. We see this not only in the LDP but within Abe himself.”

Beijing says over 170 countries support its military-heavy response to the U.S. House speaker’s visit to Taiwan. But there are serious problems with its count.

The two trips to Taiwan by U.S. House speakers, 25 years apart, carried different messages representing their very different eras.

Recent protests in Henan underscored the risks facing China’s banks as the real estate sector continues to struggle.

Against the context of all-out strategic rivalry between the U.S. and China, both Brussels and Beijing have good reasons to continue engaging with each other.

China’s days of encouraging economic growth at any cost are over.

The impact of climate change is becoming more clear in Japan. What is Tokyo doing in response to the multifaceted threat?

South Korea’s arms industry has grown significantly since 2000, with exports overtaking imports for the first time last year.

The North Korean government’s persistent efforts to acquire foreign currency reflects the severity of the economic crisis the country is facing.

The extreme flooding in Seoul highlighted South Korea’s lack of preparation for natural disasters – or climate change in general.

As former PM Abe Shinzo’s state funeral – Japan’s first in 55 years – inches closer, more and more Japanese are turning against the idea.

25 years after a ceasefire, real peace remains elusive in Nagaland.

The appointment of a new army chief in November will mean a lot for Pakistan’s political stability.

China’s role in lending to Sri Lanka has expanded in the last 20 years, but fewer Chinese loans would not have saved the country from its current economic crisis.

The Taliban have done tremendous damage to Afghanistan’s state institutions.

Conceptions of the region have long focused on the primacy of the land. But, increasingly, South Asian states are turning toward the sea.

Chinese fugitive businessmen wanted by Beijing seem to have a safe harbor in Cambodia. Why?

The new Marcos administration already must balance its security ties with the United States and its complicated relationship with Beijing.

A recent major speech by SAC Chairman Min Aung Hlaing laid out three areas of priority for the besieged military administration.

The country’s strategic and policymaking class has been slow to get on board the new strategic concept.

The project was rejected a decade ago due to its eye-watering cost. Are things any different now?

A new lawsuit targeting an investigative reporting outlet echoes prior efforts to silence Nursultan Nazarbayev’s critics using the U.S. justice system.

The warning came after a video surfaced of a migrant leader in the Russian city of Perm urging compatriots form a “volunteer battalion.”

Medvedev has since deleted the social media post and blamed hackers.

Settling a border is not an easy task, but Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan seem to be entering the final phases of doing so.

Tashkent has sought to serve as a broker between the Taliban and the world to keep Afghanistan on the global agenda.

Morrison’s actions undermined the spirit of collective, cabinet governance in Australia.

The Pacific Islands states have rejected China’s overreach. But are Washington’s efforts any more attractive?

Regardless of the government, Australia’s commitment to the Quad – and concerns about China – are here to stay.

The current COFA renegotiation processes will have a huge impact on peace in the Pacific.

Pelosi did not consult with U.S. allies in the region before her August visit to Taiwan, even though the fallout would directly impact their interests as well.

The recent Asian Leadership Conference emphasized the importance of South Korea-U.S. cooperation on supply chains, new technology, and economic resilience.

With China well-placed to take advantage of these potentially lucrative innovations, Washington must leverage AI in its infrastructural plans for the future.

Japan will begin mass production of longer-ranged missiles to target China in fiscal year 2023.

The Taliban regime’s efforts to get international diplomatic recognition and unfreeze Afghan assets worth $3.5 billion with the U.S. will hit a dead end.

Malaysia and Indonesia have tacitly consented to China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea.

Russia’s new maritime doctrine gives increasing importance to the Pacific and the Arctic.

“Ms. Marvel” has pushed the diversity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe up a new rung, but the series has not achieved anything else.

The country’s Health Ministry has instructed doctors to stop treating homosexuality as a disease, and to cease discrimination in medical care.

The burakumin still feel the impact of centuries-old discrimination, though many Japanese deny these prejudices still exist.