Policy Asia

    Policy Asia provides deep analysis and on-the-ground reporting on Asia's politics, geopolitics, security and climate issues.

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    30 October 2026
    One Nation supporters in Albury, Australia, celebrate the party's winning its first federal House of Representatives election victory on May 9.
    Residents of the South Korean city of Gwangju look up at a sign saying, "Semiconductors are coming," touting a large public-private investment in chip manufacturing in the area.  (Photo by Ahn Seong-bok)
    Policy Asia

    South Korea's Lee bets $1tn on Gwangju as future tech hub

    President aims to secure economy, legacy by investing AI gains in faded southern city

    23 October 2026
    Russian officials clap as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the opening ceremony of a monument honoring North Korean troops killed while fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, in Pyongyang, on April 26.
    Policy Asia

    North Korea's pact with Russia built to outlast Ukraine war

    Two years since Pyongyang sent troops, partners knit durable military, economic ties

    16 October 2026
    Flowers are left outside a school on the outskirts of Bangkok that was the scene of a deadly shooting on Aug. 7. Thailand is estimated to have over 10 million civilian-held guns, more than the rest of Southeast Asia combined. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
    Policy Asia

    Thai crackdown on gun violence challenged by glut of firearms

    School shooting prompts 'tightest possible' rules, but illegal trade flourishes

    9 October 2026
    Prospective homebuyers at a real estate exhibition in Chongqing, China, on Sept. 3: With property prices still slumping, many are staying on the sidelines. (VCG via AP) 
    Policy Asia

    China shortens leash on property developers

    Revamp of sales and financing rules likely to further advantage state-owned builders

    2 October 2026
    Social networking platforms say they have deactivated 4.7 million accounts linked to Australians under 16, yet their usage has not declined much. (Nikkei Asia illustration)
    Policy Asia

    Australia steps up pressure on social networks to unplug kids

    Penalties increased as lawmakers debate 'digital duty of care' to prevent harm

    25 September 2026
    A man walks past an school damaged by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Satar Punda village, East Nusa Tenggara province, on Aug. 18, Displaced residents still need food, clean water, temporary shelter, but the village has limited resources to fund recovery. 
    Policy Asia

    Indonesia quake aftermath exposes fault lines in Prabowo's economic plans

    Villages struggle to foot recovery bill after funds redirected to president's flagship programs

    18 September 2026
    India will host this year's BRICS Summit on Sept. 12-13. One analyst said New Delhi faces a difficult balancing act: strengthening the grouping without letting it become an instrument of Chinese influence. (Nikkei illustration)
    Policy Asia

    BRICS Summit marks dual milestones and tests limits of cohesion

    25 years since term coined and 20 since bloc formed, energy ties deepen amid crises

    11 September 2026
    India's residential rooftop solar initiative is seen as key to easing the burden on the country's strained grid.
    Policy Asia

    Rooftop solar's uneven rise tests India's energy ambitions

    Despite progress, consumer barriers and differing utility incentives limit uptake

    4 September 2026
    China's July 6 test of a missile, left, that traveled more than 7,000 kilometers across the Pacific before landing south of Kiribati will provide a fresh focus for members of the Pacific Island Forum, headquartered in Fiji, right. (Source photos by Xinhua/AP and Reuters)
    Policy Asia

    Australia's Pacific rivalry with China heats up after Beijing's ICBM test

    Nuclear-capable missile launch from submarine sends signal before island leaders gather in Palau

    28 August 2026
    U.S. Marines with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, participate in live-fire attack drone training at Camp Humphreys, a military base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea on Aug. 5. (Photo by Ahn Seong-bok)
    Policy Asia

    Korean drone boom creates new rumblings in old conflict

    South's live-fire tests come as North beefs up fleet; Trump's Kim overture clouds picture

    21 August 2026
    "Physical AI," which combines artificial intelligence with Japan's manufacturing prowess, embodies the wager at the heart of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's economic blueprint. (Nikkei illustration)
    Policy Asia

    Can Takaichi's $2.3tn bet on industrial policy revive growth in Japan?

    PM hopes AI and targeted investment can lift productivity and tame debt

    14 August 2026
    Nepal lags its neighbors in internet use, largely due to its challenging Himalayan topography. SpaceX has offered its Starlink satellite internet service to solve this, but the company is resisting a legal requirement that it share ownership of its Nepali operations with a local partner. (Nikkei illustration)
    Policy Asia

    Nepal in tight spot as US seeks special treatment for Starlink

    Elon Musk offers SpaceX's internet service as alternative to Chinese-run networks

    7 August 2026
    A tourist walks past a souvenir shop in Hanoi on May 5. President To Lam has called for measures to encourage foreign visitors in Vietnam to spend more, while persuading Vietnamese to holiday domestically. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
    Policy Asia

    Vietnam's 10% growth drive runs into economic realities

    Economists warn rapid expansion could fuel inflation and expose structural weaknesses

    31 July 2026
    Hefei has transformed itself into an economic powerhouse by using investment funds to lure tech companies like CXMT, which is set to make a splash on Shanghai's bourse next week. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Wataru Suzuki and Getty Images)
    Policy Asia

    Hefei's CXMT jackpot fuels China local governments' tech bets

    Investment model raises risks of overinvestment in Beijing's priority sectors

    24 July 2026
    The Korea Polar Research Institute's icebreaker Araon set off on July 11 for its 17th Arctic voyage. The ship, which can carry about 45 standard shipping containers, is also used to resupply South Korea's Antarctic research stations. (South Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries)
    Policy Asia

    South Korea's Lee seeks Arctic lift for country's shipping sector

    President promotes Busan as polar hub to revive economic momentum

    17 July 2026
    The first Australian-manufactured Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System missiles are test fired at the Woomera Range Complex on April 9. (Australian Department of Defence)
    Policy Asia

    Asian allies build up missile production as US stockpile dwindles

    Uncertain of American orders, Australia, Japan, S. Korea and Taiwan look to local factories

    10 July 2026
    Many tariff reduction pledges made by signatories to RCEP and CPTPP are only gradually coming into effect. (Illustration by Yoshiko Kawano)
    Policy Asia

    Asia's big trade pacts soften damage from Trump tariffs

    Benefits of CPTPP and RCEP accrue to different industries and countries unevenly

    3 July 2026
    U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned allies last month there would be no more "free rides" on the American taxpayer. Observers say deterring China may depend as much on allied cooperation and military interoperability as defense budgets. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Xinhua/AP and Reuters)
    Policy Asia

    US defense spending demand leaves Asian allies in limbo

    White House call for minimum defense budget of 3.5% of GDP is far above what most can achieve anytime soon

    26 June 2026
    Nonrace sports betting is nowhere close to being the biggest form of gambling in Australia, but it is by far the fastest growing and has overtaken lotteries in net spending. (Illustration by Yoshiko Kawano)
    Policy Asia

    Australia aims to cool sports betting fever with ad ban plan

    Critics call for tougher controls to contain world's largest gambling losses

    19 June 2026
    Green hydrogen, made using renewable energy, could be a major clean fuel source one day. Heavy investment by Beijing in recent years has propelled China past Japan, which legislated for a hydrogen push back in 2017. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Getty Images) 
    Policy Asia

    China's hydrogen push outstrips Japan's in new fuel race

    Oil price surge on Iran crisis gives fresh impetus to drive to boost domestic energy supply

    12 June 2026
    PM Anutin and Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun ride on a mobile grocery vehicle in Bangkok on May 12 as part of a campaign to boost consumer confidence and spending. 
    Policy Asia

    Thailand plows $3.7bn into shopping subsidies as consumer confidence sags

    PM Anutin's program covers 60% of staple goods costs, but economists question its efficacy

    5 June 2026
    South Korean President Lee Jae Myung sees the June 3 local elections as a chance to expand his ruling Democratic Party's control of the country. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Ahn Seong-bok and Getty Images) 
    Policy Asia

    South Korean election campaign sparks US alliance questions

    New security pressures and Trump turmoil have dented public perceptions of Washington

    29 May 2026
    Officials arrange goods at a cooperative in Denpasar, Indonesia, on April 30. The Red White Cooperative program is a priority for the Indonesian president but some observers worry about the fiscal strain on villages.
    Policy Asia

    In Indonesia, Prabowo's $14bn village co-op drive collides with rural realities

    More than 80,000 'Red White Cooperatives' aim to bypass middlemen; top-down initiative raises concerns

    22 May 2026
    Israeli-built Philippine fast attack interdiction ships drill in the South China Sea in November 2024: The navy is only about a third of the way toward its fleet growth targets.
    Policy Asia

    Philippines no longer military 'weakling' but buildup has far to go

    Enhanced navy and air force would still need help to repel Chinese attack

    15 May 2026
    President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping tour the Forbidden City in Beijing in November 2017. The U.S. leader is poised to visit the Chinese capital again next week.
    Policy Asia

    Set to host Trump, Xi targets stability under cloud of Iran uncertainty

    China expected to use leverage to preserve trade truce, shape US policy on Taiwan

    8 May 2026
    Workers stitch together garments at an Urmi Group factory in Narayanganj, Bangladesh, in April 2025. 
    Policy Asia

    Bangladesh clothing makers look to trade deals to revive exports

    Cooling Western consumer confidence could accelerate declines in monthly shipments

    1 May 2026
    Lunchtime smokers and heat-not-burn cigarette users in Tokyo in 2021: Japan's new government budget reduced the tax gap that favored HNB cigarettes, a move that could benefit state-backed Japan Tobacco. (Sipa via AP Images)
    Policy Asia

    State ownership complicates smoking battle in Japan and China

    Asian governments reap hefty dividends from control of leading cigarette makers

    24 April 2026
    Women join a rally for Bharatiya Janata Party candidates in Assam's Morigaon District on March 30. (NurPhoto via Getty Images)
    Policy Asia

    Cash handouts to women voters reshape India's state elections

    Incumbent parties test regulatory limits with timing of benefit payments

    17 April 2026
    A designated outdoor smoking area at Velana International Airport, the Maldives' main visitor gateway: President Mohamed Muizzu's government has expanded smoke-free spaces, banned e-cigarettes and tobacco advertising, increased tobacco taxes and boosted free smoking cessation programs. (Photo by Ashwa Faheem)
    Policy Asia

    'Generational' smoking phaseout in Maldives faces cloudy future

    Politics poses threat to South Asia's latest attempt to root out tobacco

    3 April 2026