Politics

Japan and Taiwan’s strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific

Japan’s updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy and Taiwan’s expanding diplomatic vision are helping to foster an increasingly aligned approach while avoiding unnecessary confrontation with China. Japanese academic Madoka Fukuda tells us more.

Madoka Fukuda

04 Aug 2026

Quietly, not silently: How Vietnam deals with China on the South China Sea

Vietnam did not sign the joint statement on the Tribunal Award invalidating China’s claims on the South China Sea. Hanoi’s consistent “speak less, do more” approach combines public restraint with a range of quieter policy tools, observes ISEAS academic Huynh Trung Dung.

Huynh Trung Dung

04 Aug 2026

Is Cai Qi China’s real number two?

Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi appears to be Chinese President Xi Jinping’s right-hand man, but depending on whether trust or caution is higher in Xi’s calculations, Cai’s fate will be decided at the 21st Party Congress, says Taiwanese academic Wen-Hsuan Tsai.

Wen-Hsuan Tsai

04 Aug 2026

Why China’s land routes may fail in a Taiwan crisis

China has built overland routes to reduce its reliance on vulnerable sea lanes. But lessons from Ukraine and Iran suggest cheap drones and long-range strikes could leave those lifelines exposed in a Taiwan crisis, says Italian commentator Emanuele Scimia.

Emanuele Scimia

31 Jul 2026

Has China really ‘won’ in the Iran war? 

The Iran war has boosted China’s leverage in the energy sector and deepened its commercial presence in the Gulf. But states in the region want China to be a more proactive stakeholder, a role Beijing may not be ready to take on, says researcher Jing Lin.

Jing Lin

30 Jul 2026

From Hong Kong to Xiānggǎng

The debate is not whether Hong Kong is back, economist Stephen Roach argues, but whether the city that returned is still Hong Kong. Beneath the recovery, he sees a new Xiānggǎng shaped by Beijing.

Stephen Roach

30 Jul 2026

How China split Silicon Valley over AI

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang’s push for open-weight AI has generated fierce debate in Silicon Valley. Behind the divide lies China’s rapid AI advance, reshaping competition, security concerns and Washington’s AI strategy. Lianhe Zaobao China news editor Yang Danxu gives an analysis.

Yang Danxu

29 Jul 2026

Zero self-sufficient provinces: China’s new fiscal reality

Data shows no province in China was able to fully cover its own spending in the first quarter, highlighting growing dependence on central government transfers as tax revenues become increasingly concentrated in Beijing. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Chen Jing finds out more.

Chen Jing

29 Jul 2026

Behind Kim’s nuclear navy and AI lies Beijing

The US sees North Korea as an immediate threat. But behind Pyongyang’s nuclear navy, AI and missile programmes lies a deeper strategic challenge: Beijing’s enduring support, argues researcher Tahir Mahmood Azad.

Tahir Mahmood Azad

28 Jul 2026

The hidden divide: Why China’s vice-ministers rarely reach the top

In China, ministers and vice-ministers play distinct roles which may not be part of a single career path. A close study of ministerial officials informs the wider analysis of China’s political elite, say academics Li Cheng and Ren Xinyuan.

Li Cheng, Ren Xinyuan

27 Jul 2026

The new AI blocs: Are China’s WAICO and America’s Pax Silica splitting the tech world?

China’s WAICO and the US-led Pax Silica represent two competing approaches to AI governance. As both gain traction, the question is whether they will create rival technological spheres or coexist within a shared global framework, says academic Hao Nan.

Hao Nan

24 Jul 2026

China’s underground market for anti-corruption leaks

Self-media accounts by insiders have turned anti-corruption leaks into a profit-making industry, prompting a nationwide push to curb a new form of political information leakage. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Zhang Guanghui finds out more.

Zhang Guanghui

24 Jul 2026