<p>The Asia-Pacific is home to more people than any other region. Centered on the western rim of the Pacific Ocean, this region includes the easternmost countries of continental Asia as well as the archipelagos that punctuate the coast. Several of these countries, most notably China, experienced rapid economic growth in the second half of the 20th century, giving the region a new sense of global economic relevance that continues today. That relevance, however, depends largely on China, a power in transition whose rise is testing the network of U.S. alliances that have long dominated the region. How effectively Beijing manages its transition will shape the regional balance of power in the decades to come.</p>

Centered on the western rim of the Pacific Ocean, the Asia-Pacific region includes the easternmost countries of continental Asia as well as the archipelagos that punctuate the coast. 

Asia-Pacific

Australia

Samoa

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

China

Timor-Leste

Federated States of Micronesia

Fiji

Indonesia

Japan

Kiribati

Laos

Malaysia

Marshall Islands

Mongolia

Myanmar

Nauru

New Zealand

North Korea

Palau

Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Singapore

Solomon Islands

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Tonga

Tuvalu

Vanuatu

Vietnam

Beyond Quantitative Easing

The New Silk Road

Modernizing China’s Military

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

Globalization

Social Issues

Coping With a Nuclear North Korea

Moscow Looks to the East

China in Transition

A Japanese Awakening

Asia-Pacific: Among Great Powers

Southeast Asia: Burdened by Consensus

Assessments

Nepal

What Happened: China's consumer goods trade-in programs for 2024 saw sales of home appliances, electric bicycles, automobiles and other related goods hit 1.3 trillion yuan ($179 billion) in 2024, sales which raised China's overall annual retail sales growth by 1 percentage point to 3.5% in 2024, according to China's Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping on Jan. 24. 

Australia: Bread Program likely To Not Revive in 2030

New rallies opposition support in Diet to achieve policy goals

Rwanda

(Photo by ALFREDO ZUNIGA/AFP via Getty Images)

Economics

Politics

Mozambique's ruling Frelimo party will likely remain in power in the upcoming general election and maintain close ties with Rwanda, the European Union and China, as well as ensure broad continuity in the liquified natural gas sector, but the probable electoral manipulation will likely trigger anti-government protests.

stag: Mozambique's General Election Brings LNG Contracts Centerstage

Media

Belize

Forecast Webcast

2025 Annual Geopolitical Forecast Webcast

Podcasts

Cyber

Military & Security

STAG : Applied Geopolitics: Demographic Decline and Military Manpower: Understanding the Shifting Role of Troops in Conflict- updates

Canada

What is Salt Typhoon, and what happened in the recent hack against U.S. telecommunications companies? 

Essential Geopolitics: Unpacking China's Salt Typhoon Operation 

United States

Iran

Israel

Syria

Europe

Russia

Nation-states' growing use of hacktivist personas to obfuscate responsibility will increasingly enable them to attack targets they would otherwise avoid and spread propaganda.

Hacktivism Offers Plausible Deniability for State-Backed Cyber Actors

Columns

On Geopolitics

Hong Kong SAR, China

India

Bhutan

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

Despite Far-Right Gains, Centrists Retain Control of the EU Parliament

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Middle East and North Africa

Eurasia

Annual

Forecasts

Trade disruptions, shifting military conflicts and domestic political turbulence will shape global affairs in 2025. 

2025 Geopolitical Forecast

With opposition parties holding a de facto majority in the lower house, if proposed this reform would have a good chance of passing. This new system would empower opposition parties, potentially incentivizing ideologically aligned, smaller opposition parties to join a governing coalition with Ishiba, making his minority government more stable...

Japan: Diet Reform Could Stoke Long-Term Political Instability

TOKYO
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday pledged to build a cross-party consensus through parliamentary debate as his minority government seeks to ensure sustained pay hikes and regional revitalization as his priority goals.

At the opening of a 150-day Diet session, Ishiba said he wants to transform Japan into a more "sustainable" and "independent" nation, while underscoring the need to monitor the changing global balance of power in an increasingly severe security environment.

Ishiba rallies opposition support in Diet to achieve policy goals

Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party legislators suggested amending the annual budget to introduce cuts of up to 44% on 38 defense projects, including the country's domestic submarine development program, drones and mine-laying vessels, Focus Taiwan reported on Jan. 16.

Taiwan: Budget Cuts Highlight Potential Wrinkle in U.S. Defense Cooperation

Mozambique

Militants belonging to Islamic State West African Province, or ISWAP, and Jama'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihad, also known as JAS or Boko Haram, on Jan. 14  killed at least 40 people from Nigeria's Dumba community in Borno state, Reuters reported the following day. ISWAP and JAS militants killed farmers and fishermen in Dumba, near Lake Chad, and reportedly left many others missing. 

The Weekly Rundown: Mozambique's President Takes Office, the U.K. Chancellor Visits China

test for sync updated test resync

Environment, Science & Technology

The U.S. Treasury Department is finalizing its final rule to block certain outbound investments into China covering the artificial intelligence, semiconductor, microelectronics and quantum computing sectors, Reuters reported on Oct. 21.

China, U.S: Washington To Formally Ban Certain Investments Into AI, Semiconductors in China

U.S.-China Relations

India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that India and China had reached an agreement for patrolling their disputed border that may lead to "disengagement and eventually a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020," though Beijing did not immediately comment on the announcement, AP reported on Oct. 21.

India, China: Countries Reach Border Patrolling Agreement in Interest of Disengagement

Vietnam's National Assembly unanimously elected army Gen. Luong Cuong as the country's next president, making him the fourth president of Vietnam since 2023, government newspaper Bao Chinh Phu reported on Oct. 21. 

Vietnam: Army General Appointed President

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was "deeply shocked" by an Oct. 18 attack on its consulate in Mandalay, Myanmar, by rebel forces, the South China Morning Post reported on Oct. 21.

Myanmar: China Condemns Attack on Consulate Building in Mandalay, Demands Action

Asia-Pacific

SITUATION REPORTS

Ishiba rallies opposition support in Diet to achieve policy goals

Taiwan: Budget Cuts Highlight Potential Wrinkle in U.S. Defense Cooperation

The Weekly Rundown: Mozambique's President Takes Office, the U.K. Chancellor Visits China

test for sync updated test resync

China, U.S: Washington To Formally Ban Certain Investments Into AI, Semiconductors in China

India, China: Countries Reach Border Patrolling Agreement in Interest of Disengagement

Vietnam: Army General Appointed President

Myanmar: China Condemns Attack on Consulate Building in Mandalay, Demands Action

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support