The Asia Cable | Nick Ayrton (孔澜岳) | Substack

Asia Daily

Asia Daily: February 27, 2026

China’s top legislature removes 9 military officials ahead of Beijing’s ‘two sessions’.

Feb 27 • Alex Gintz (林大可） and Nick Ayrton (孔澜岳)

Asia Daily: February 26, 2026

China’s top legislature convenes standing committee session.

Feb 26 • Alex Gintz (林大可） and Nick Ayrton (孔澜岳)

Asia Daily: February 25, 2026

China says it will decide on U.S. tariff countermeasures in due course.

Feb 25 • Alex Gintz (林大可） and Nick Ayrton (孔澜岳)

Asia Daily: February 24, 2026

China has ‘massively expanded’ its nuclear arsenal, claims U.S. State Department.

Feb 24 • Alex Gintz (林大可） and Nick Ayrton (孔澜岳)

Asia Daily: February 23, 2026

Date set for U.S. President Donald Trump’s trip to China.

Feb 23 • Alex Gintz (林大可） and Nick Ayrton (孔澜岳)

Asian Affairs

Chinese Counterterrorism Diplomacy in Afghanistan: Cooperation or Coercion?

How Beijing uses investment, recognition, and security demands to shape Taliban behavior after the U.S. withdrawal.

Jan 6 • James Andrew Calderon

Voices From Expo 25: Inside an Imperfect Showcase

With outages, infestations, and language gaps, Expo 25 wavers between mismanagement and marvel, its promise kept alive by people who still show up.

Nov 6, 2025 • Nattan Casey Plewissara

Hello From Expo 25: Connection, Culture & Co-Being

A World Expo is a place where all nations come together and present their latest innovations and celebrate their cultural uniqueness.

Oct 6, 2025 • Nattan Casey Plewissara

Governing AI in a Fractured World: The U.S.-China Trust Dilemma

Mistrust between Washington and Beijing leaves global AI risks unchecked.

Sep 12, 2025 • Liam Kierans

China Labels Qatar Ties “Golden” Despite Regional Constraints

Qatar's peculiar position in Gulf affairs keeps China ties practical rather than strategic.

Aug 11, 2025 • Alex Gintz (林大可）

Perspectives

Contesting Self-Governance in the South Pacific

New Zealand’s China concerns deepen a Cook Islands sovereignty dispute.

Feb 25 • Griffin Grubb

How Washington and Moscow Drove the EU’s Indo-Pacific Pivot

As transatlantic trust erodes, the EU’s Indo-Pacific pivot is becoming a bid for strategic autonomy and geopolitical relevance.

Feb 23 • Sapna

Thailand’s 2026 Election: Reform, Patronage, or Decline

Sunday’s vote will decide whether Thailand tries to rewrite the rules, doubles down on brokerage politics, or drifts deeper into stagnation.

Feb 8 • Nattan Casey Plewissara

Examining the Saudi-Pakistan Defense Pact

A symbolic move against Washington without genuine mutual defense.

Dec 17, 2025 • Sapna

Where Is the China-GCC Free Trade Agreement?

China’s pursuit of a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council is in its third decade, and Beijing is ramping up calls for Gulf states to…

Dec 15, 2025 • Alex Gintz (林大可）

The Asia Cable

The Asia Cable offers a panoramic view of Asia's political dynamics, economic developments, and cultural fabric.

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The Asia Cable

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