East Asia

Unravelled: How the Iran war triggers a global realignment

Beyond immediate economic chaos and regional instability, the US-Israeli conflict with Iran is catalysing a historic global realignment. From a fractured Middle East and a widening transatlantic rift to China’s burgeoning influence over energy and diplomacy, the war is forcing allies and rivals alike to redraw the map of 21st-century power, observes US commentator Ian Bremmer.

Ian Bremmer

Ceasefire or not, Asia can’t go back to business as usual

A fragile ceasefire offers little relief as the Hormuz crisis exposes Asia’s deep energy vulnerabilities, pushing China and regional economies to rethink security, supply chains and the rules of integration. Academic Gu Qingyang shares his views.

Gu Qingyang

Hormuz closed: East Asia’s energy shock and strategic shift

East Asia stands to be massively affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, given its reliance on just-in-time liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries. Critical will be the way governments diversify their energy resources and maintain power-sector reliability and industrial continuity. Academic Hao Nan looks into the variables.

Hao Nan

Takaichi’s gamble: Can charisma carry Japan?

Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi has called a surprise election, betting her personal appeal and high approval ratings can rally voters, check the opposition and secure a mandate to steer Japan through uncertainty. Academic Zhang Yun gives his analysis.

Zhang Yun

How the US holds the military escalation dial in Asia

In Asia, the US holds the power to decide when — and how — to act. Treaties and laws give Washington control over escalation, letting it protect allies while ensuring no one can drag America into a war it does not choose, says academic Hao Nan.

Hao Nan

Japan without America: Navigating a new Asian order

Japan faces a new geopolitical reality as the US-led order falters. From navigating the Trump administration to countering China’s assertiveness, Tokyo’s strategic choices will ripple across East Asia, shaping alliances, trade, and regional security for years to come, says Japanese academic Nobuhiko Tamaki.

Nobuhiko Tamaki

Trump’s trade war is testing Japan — and America’s alliances

As the 1 August deadline for negotiations on US global tariffs looms, the US has recently struck a deal with Japan. Could this be a model for the US’s negotiations with other countries? Japanese academic Seiko Mimaki analyses the situation.

Seiko Mimaki

Victory Day parade: Will Trump join Xi in Beijing?

As China prepares for a big military parade on 3 September to commemorate its victory in the Second Sino-Japanese War, there is much speculation on whether US President Donald Trump will turn up, and what it might mean for relations with China and other countries, particularly Japan. Lianhe Zaobao China news editor Yang Danxu gives her take.

Yang Danxu

A partnership with limits: Lee Jae-myung’s China reset

South Korea’s policy towards China is to manage and develop relations within the scope that does not affect the ROK-US alliance, says South Korean academic Jaeho Hwang.

Jaeho Hwang

Would Hegseth’s words be heard at Normandy? Rethinking double standards in WWII remembrance

Reflecting on US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech at Iwo Jima recently, academic Jin Kai points out that Japan’s strategic importance as a core ally in East Asian geopolitics has been prioritised, while the wartime history between the US and Japan has largely been relegated to the past.

Jin Kai

Can East Asia unite? Obstacles remain despite US tariffs

The recent dialogues between Japan, China and South Korea point to possible cooperation in the face of US tariffs, but some issues still need to be worked out, including the Taiwan question and other historical factors. Japanese academic Shin Kawashima tells us more.

Shin Kawashima

[Video] ThinkChina Forum 2025: China’s future and navigating a changing world order

At the inaugural ThinkChina Forum on 28 March 2025, Professor Wang Gungwu, University Professor, National University of Singapore, joined Professor Yasheng Huang, Professor of Global Economics and Management, MIT Sloan School of Management, in a panel discussion themed “China’s Future: Navigating a Changing World Order”. Moderated by ThinkChina editor Chow Yian Ping, the discussion covered topics such as China-US rivalry, Trump 2.0 and China’s development. Associate Professor Ngeow Chow Bing from the University of Malaya also offered his thoughts from the satellite event in KL. The following is an edited transcript of the panel discussion and Q&A session.

Chow Yian Ping