China
China moves to block entrance to disputed South China Sea shoal, images show. Satellite imagery showed China using ships and a floating barrier to tighten control of the entrance to Scarborough Shoal as tensions with the Philippines deepen. Philippine officials said a 352-meter barrier was installed on April 10 and 11, with Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels also present. The shoal lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone but has remained under effective Chinese control since 2012. Greg Torode, Karen Lema, Reuters, April 15
China doubles ‘AI for science’ computing scale in 2 months using no U.S. chips. China’s largest AI computing cluster for scientific research entered operation in Zhengzhou with 60,000 domestically made Sugon accelerator chips, doubling from 30,000 when trial runs began in February. State media said the fully domestic system is now the country’s most powerful computing infrastructure and is already accelerating work in drug development, materials science, brain science, and aerospace simulation. Holly Chik, South China Morning Post, April 15
Chinese tanker retreats twice from U.S.’ Hormuz blockade in 48 hours. The Chinese-owned tanker Rich Starry turned back twice after approaching the Strait of Hormuz and later anchored southwest of Iran’s Larak Island. The U.S.-sanctioned vessel, reportedly carrying about 250,000 barrels of methanol from the UAE, appears to have judged the risk of seizure too high. Analysts said China was receiving no special treatment under the blockade and the decision reflected commercial risk rather than state policy. Amber Wang and Phoebe Zhang, South China Morning Post, April 15
China threat used to convince Congress of need to bolster U.S. military capabilities. U.S. military leaders told Congress that China’s drills around Taiwan and growing space capabilities underscore the need to strengthen combat readiness and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. Testimony also highlighted shortages of spare parts, maintenance access, and industrial capacity as Congress prepared to debate Donald Trump’s proposed US$1.5 trillion defence budget for fiscal 2027, including major naval spending. Yuanyue Dang, South China Morning Post, April 15
Japan
Japan offers $10 billion support to help Asian neighbours secure oil. Japan will establish a roughly $10 billion financial framework to help Asian countries procure energy resources, diversify supplies, and strengthen stockpiles as Middle East tensions disrupt supply chains and raise prices. The support, to be channeled through JBIC, NEXI, and other institutions, is intended to protect regional production networks and Japan’s own economy. Tokyo also said it plans to release another 36 million barrels from national oil reserves from early May. Makiko Yamazaki, Chang-Ran Kim, and Tamiyuki Kihara, Reuters, April 15
Japan-NATO cooperation enters new ‘concrete’ phase, Tokyo’s envoy to alliance says. Japan’s ties with NATO are moving beyond broad political dialogue into more concrete cooperation in strategic and security fields, according to Ambassador Osamu Izawa. He said relations have become more institutionalized since last June’s NATO summit at The Hague, with progress in defense-industry coordination, emerging technologies, and support for Ukraine, including a high-level bilateral defense industry dialogue that began in Brussels and will next meet in Tokyo. Gabriel Dominguez, The Japan Times, April 15
Japanese and Polish leaders affirm cooperation on foreign conflict. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk agreed to work closely on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East. Takaichi said Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security are closely linked and called for cooperation on shared international challenges, while Tusk said Poland and Japan share common values. The two leaders also signaled further strengthening of bilateral ties. The Japan Times, April 15
South Korea
Cho Kuk, Han Dong-hoon bid for assembly seats, raising stakes for by-elections. South Korea’s June 3 parliamentary by-elections are taking on the feel of a mini-general election as high-profile contenders enter key races. Cho Kuk is running in Pyeongtaek, while former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon is contesting Busan’s Buk District, turning the vote into an early test of their political standing. The liberal bloc is weighing alliances, while the PPP is struggling to field strong candidates and manage internal divisions. Bahk Eun-ji, The Korea Times, April 15
S. Korea secures 273 mln barrels of crude oil, 2.1 mln tons of naphtha by year-end: presidential aide. South Korea secured 273 million barrels of crude oil and 2.1 million tons of naphtha from four countries through the end of this year, with shipments set to use routes outside the Strait of Hormuz. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said the crude volume is enough to sustain the economy for more than three months under normal conditions, while the naphtha covers about one month of demand. Kim Eun-jung, Yonhap News Agency, April 15
North Korea
North Korea orders diplomats to lock in nuclear status, pursue multipolar strategy. A classified Workers’ Party directive reportedly told senior foreign ministry officials to entrench North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state, drop “denuclearization” from diplomatic language, and treat arms reduction as the basis for any future talks. It also called for a harder line toward the U.S., deeper ties with Russia and Iran, broader outreach to anti-Western states, and tighter party control over diplomacy. Bak Hui-su, Daily NK, April 15
Vietnam
China's Xi calls for strategic clarity, political security with Vietnam. Xi Jinping told Tô Lâm that China and Vietnam should maintain high strategic awareness, prioritize political security, defend the socialist system, and deepen alignment in development strategy and infrastructure links. The two sides signed cooperation documents covering agriculture, education, and railway construction, while China also offered stronger cooperation in AI, semiconductors, internet industries, and market access for Vietnamese goods. Liz Lee, Beijing newsroom, and Phuong Nguyen, Reuters, April 15
Vietnam, China enhance public security ties. Public Security Minister Gen. Lương Tam Quang met senior Chinese security officials in Beijing during Tô Lâm’s state visit, with both sides pledging closer cooperation on political security, transnational crime, and multilateral coordination. The talks also covered new cooperation agreements, protection of citizens’ rights and interests, and cultural and sports exchanges tied to major national events. Vietnam News, April 15
Thailand
Thailand central bank cuts 2026 growth, says no limits to worst-case scenarios if war continues. Thailand’s central bank cut its baseline 2026 growth forecast to 1.3%, assuming the war ends in the second half of this year, down from 1.9%, as weaker tourism and higher import costs weigh on the economy. Gulf arrivals fell close to zero in March, while Malaysian tourist numbers also declined as fuel costs rose. Officials said interest rate hikes remain unlikely unless inflation persists for more than a year. Libby George, Reuters, April 16
PM monitors Middle East tensions, pledges Khon La Khrueng rollout. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thailand is closely monitoring Middle East tensions and managing energy use cautiously, even though the country faces no immediate fuel shortages. He said diesel consumption in early April was below last year’s level, helping raise oil reserves and ease supply pressure. Anutin also said the Khon La Khrueng Plus co-payment scheme would be launched as soon as possible, with greater benefits than earlier versions, alongside electricity subsidies and wider distribution of low-priced consumer goods. Online Reporters, Bangkok Post, April 15
Foreign investors flee Thailand as Iran war, energy shock dash hope for economic revival. Foreign investors sharply cut exposure to Thai assets in March as higher oil prices and energy insecurity deepened concern over Thailand’s weak growth outlook, fiscal limits, and narrow policy room. Equities saw a net sell-off of $823 million and bond outflows reached $705 million, while the baht fell about 2.8% since the war began. Investors said the energy shock threatens consumption, tourism, exports, and the current account. Ankur Banerjee, Sudarshan Varadhan, and Gaurav Dogra, Reuters, April 16
Cambodia
Cambodia refutes Thai report on emergency border openings. Cambodia denied reports that it had asked Thailand to reopen the border for emergency goods, saying the claim was false and that responsibility for reopening lies with Thailand because it unilaterally closed the crossing. Defense Ministry spokesperson Malay Socheata said the information appeared intended to mislead public opinion and reiterated that Cambodia would not reopen the border until Thailand does so first. Torn Chanritheara, Cambodianess, April 15
Philippines
Palace denies term-sharing deal with Sara. Malacañang said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has no personal knowledge of any alleged agreement to step down and give way to Vice President Sara Duterte, calling him surprised by Ramil Madriaga’s testimony before the House Committee on Justice. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro also said threats against Marcos were not new and confirmed authorities were looking into alleged assassination plots and false claims about the president’s health. Kristina Maralit, Bernadette E. Tamayo, and Catherine S. Valente, The Manila Times, April 15
Recto, Chinese envoy tackle West PH Sea issues. Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan discussed overall Philippines-China relations, including the West Philippine Sea, economic ties, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, more direct flights, law enforcement cooperation, and energy issues. Malacañang said the meeting also touched on the resumption of dialogues aimed at improving bilateral relations, while the Chinese Embassy said both sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues. Catherine S. Valente, The Manila Times, April 15
7 of 10 want VP Sara to face impeachment trial -- OCTA survey. An OCTA Research survey found that 69% of Filipinos want Vice President Sara Duterte to face a Senate impeachment trial, while 28% disagreed and 3% were undecided. Support was strongest in the Visayas and the National Capital Region, and lowest in Mindanao. OCTA said the results point to broad backing for formal, rules-based accountability, while Duterte separately attacked allegations made against her by Ramil Madriaga. Red Mendoza, The Manila Times, April 15
Indonesia
Public satisfaction with Prabowo cabinet hits 70%: poll. A Cyrus Network survey found 70% public satisfaction with the performance of ministers in President Prabowo Subianto’s Red and White Cabinet, including 67.3% satisfied and 2.7% very satisfied, while about 24% were dissatisfied. The Finance Ministry, Health Ministry, and Cabinet Secretariat ranked among the best-performing institutions, and researchers said visibility, institutional reach, and proximity to the president strongly shape public perceptions. Muhammad Firman, Jakarta Globe, April 15
Indonesia seeks Russia’s expertise to boost digital governance reform. Indonesia and Russia have begun talks on cooperation in digital government transformation, with Jakarta seeking expertise on governance platforms, interoperability, and public-sector reform. Minister Rini Widyantini said the effort aims to improve public services and strengthen bureaucratic capacity, while Russian Ambassador Sergei Tolchenov said Moscow is ready to support Indonesia through training, talent development, and courses for civil servants. ANTARA News, April 15
Taiwan
Interoperability crucial for Taiwan evacuation: Ex-Philippine Army official. Former Philippine Army vice commander Leodevic B. Guinid called for regional interoperability planning to evacuate international noncombatants if China attacks Taiwan, saying the Philippines would need outside help to receive large numbers of evacuees in Luzon. He also urged Taiwan to counter China’s illegal actions through legal means, answer coercion with restraint, and fight deception with transparency, while stressing that public resolve is the most important element in deterring aggression. Sean Lin, Focus Taiwan, April 15
TSMC set to post 50% quarterly profit jump, extend record earnings on insatiable AI demand. TSMC is expected to report net profit of T$543.3 billion for January-March, up about 50% and marking a fourth straight record quarter, as AI demand keeps outstripping capacity for its 3-nanometre and advanced packaging technologies. First-quarter revenue rose 35%, and investors will focus on whether the company maintains or raises its 2026 capital spending plan of $52 billion to $56 billion as a gauge of confidence in long-term AI demand. Wen-Yee Lee and Ben Blanchard, Reuters, April 16
China calls U.S. claims of military pressure on Taiwan a ‘distortion’. Beijing said U.S. accusations that China is exerting military pressure on Taiwan distort the facts and reflect malicious intentions, insisting Taiwan is an internal matter. The comments came after the U.S. State Department urged China to halt military and other pressure on the island. China also renewed its argument that “reunification” would bring benefits, while Taiwan continued to reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims. Beijing newsroom and Ben Blanchard, Reuters, April 15
India
ExclusiveQuad summit plan turns uneasy as India pushes ahead without top leaders: sources. India is planning a Quad foreign ministers’ meeting that could be presented as a leaders-level discussion even if the top leaders do not attend, after its 2025 chairmanship ended without a summit. Marco Rubio is expected to attend on Donald Trump’s behalf, reflecting India’s effort to preserve momentum as U.S. priorities shift and Washington’s engagement with the grouping appears less central. Khushboo Razdan, South China Morning Post, April 15
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, Türkiye build on $6 billion investment base with new deals. Kazakhstan and Türkiye used an intergovernmental commission meeting to deepen cooperation in energy, trade, transport, digitalization, agriculture, healthcare, and culture. Officials highlighted new oil and gas talks, growing use of the Middle Corridor, and rising trade and investment, with rail cargo up 35% in 2025 and Turkish investment in Kazakhstan exceeding $6 billion over two decades. Ayana Birbayeva, The Astana Times, April 15
Kazakh court hands out harsh sentences to 19 activists for burning Chinese flags. A court in southeast Kazakhstan sentenced 19 activists on charges of inciting ethnic discord after a November protest against China’s repression in Xinjiang and the disappearance of a Kazakh truck driver. Nine received five-year prison terms, eight were given restricted liberty, and two women received suspended sentences. Rights groups and defense lawyers condemned the verdicts as a misuse of broad laws to suppress political protest and protect ties with Beijing. Alexander Thompson, Eurasianet, April 15
Tajikistan
Iran’s trade with Tajikistan experiences Q1 spike. Bilateral trade between Iran and Tajikistan rose 50% year on year in the first quarter of 2026 to about $120 million, even as war spread across Iran and the Persian Gulf. The surge has prompted questions about whether Tajikistan is becoming a conduit for dual-use goods or essential civilian supplies. The article also points to a mid-March convoy of 110 trucks sent from Dushanbe to Iran and notes renewed efforts to speed overland trade. Eurasianet, April 15
East Asia
The Tech High Ground. U.S. competition with China in technology requires more than leadership in research. It requires control of production, supply chains, military adoption, and global digital standards. Four priorities define this strategy: rebuild a techno-industrial base with stronger manufacturing and allied diversification, protect critical sectors from dumping and sensitive technology transfer, speed military innovation for deterrence with AI and networked defense, and spread a democratic digital order through standards, financing, safety rules, and technical support. Computing, biotechnology, and clean energy form the core technology families. Cooperation with China on risk reduction, science, climate, and stability remains necessary to prevent a destructive spiral. Jake Sullivan, Foreign Affairs, April 15
Four key points to keep in view as China implements its 15th Five-Year Plan. China’s 15th Five-Year Plan sets a broad framework for regional and sectoral plans from 2026 to 2030. It prioritizes stronger control of supply chains to protect economic resilience and expand leverage across value chains. It moves renewable energy and green technologies into the core of industrial and energy policy, with focus on solar, wind, hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol. It links science, AI, and future industries such as quantum technology, nuclear fusion, and brain-computer interfaces to national strength. It also pairs family support, elder care, and education goals with tight public finances and demographic strain. Nis Grünberg and Alexander Davey, MERICS, April 15
Why Xi Is Kneecapping His Own Top Men. The investigation of Ma Xingrui breaks a line that had shielded sitting civilian Politburo members and shows that Xi Jinping’s purges now reach deeper into the party elite. Corruption is the formal charge, but the core issue appears political. Reports tied Ma’s wife to offshore insurance deals for families of senior officials, which could have built a network of mutual interests and protection. Ma also sat on the outer edge of Xi’s camp and rose with support linked to Peng Liyuan, not Xi alone. The case warns officials that rank, faction, and proximity to Xi offer no safety. That can tighten Xi’s control while making collective governance weaker and more brittle. Deng Yuwen, Foreign Policy, April 15
Why Did China Buy Up the World’s Ports? China’s port push pursues strategic security through access, logistics, data, and influence, not sovereign control. Chinese agencies and state firms financed 363 port projects worth $24 billion across 168 ports in 90 countries from 2000 to 2025. Many projects link ports to rail lines, mines, shipping services, cranes, scanners, and software, which gives China a maritime system, not isolated assets. Ownership and operating rights can shape traffic flows and deepen leverage, and more than half of ports with Chinese or Hong Kong stakes have hosted Chinese naval visits. The United States offers warnings and shipbuilding plans, but not a comparable package of capital, infrastructure, and trade. Alexander Wooley and Lea Thome, Foreign Policy, April 15
Beijing has decided it has little to learn from the rest of the world. China used the China Development Forum to project calm and resilience as war in Iran pushed up energy prices. Strong exports, a firmer yuan, low interest rates, and cheap power support a better macro picture even with property strain. Yet talk around the forum pointed to tighter capital control, not new liberalization. Red chip reform and fresh concern over variable interest entity structures suggest regulators want fewer overseas listings, with Hong Kong in view. The China Securities Regulatory Commission is split on listing approvals, Ant remains stuck, and major Western finance figures stayed away as China Investment Corp cut allocations to American private market firms. Beijing now puts control ahead of deeper financial opening. Henny Sender, Nikkei Asia, April 15
How China's Press Abandoned Its Readers. China’s newspaper decline reflects a loss of reporting capacity more than a failed move to digital. A WeChat post notes that traditional print outlets built large new media operations, but filled screens with clickbait, incomplete stories, and traffic chasing instead of verified reporting. Matters of social concern and grassroots realities go uncovered, while bylined reporters work from social media feeds, comment sections, and official notices rather than from the scene. A Zhejiang food safety case showed how outlets repeated claims, changed narratives, and removed posts once police exposed extortion. WeChat removed the post for violating “relevant laws.” David Bandurski, China Media Project, April 15
Southeast Asia
Indonesia’s Islamists politically demobilised but ideologically steadfast. State patronage and coercion have reduced Islamist political power in Indonesia without changing core beliefs. Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia remains active after its 2017 ban, staging rallies for a caliphate, spreading extremist content, and recruiting on campuses. The Islamic Defenders Front rebranded after dissolution but kept its core agenda. The Prosperous Justice Party entered Prabowo Subianto’s coalition for organisational survival and kept its long-term goal of Islamising society through institutions. Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah sit outside the Islamist camp. The current settlement rests on patronage and state force, and could weaken under fiscal strain, leadership change, or renewed conflict in Gaza. Nauval El Ghifari, East Asia Forum, April 15
South Asia
The Shadow of the Military in Modern South Asia. Military power has become a central force in South Asian politics and has displaced the older focus on democratic backsliding. Since 2021, armies in Myanmar and Pakistan have consolidated control, while militaries in Bangladesh and Nepal have shaped political transitions during crises. Elections matter, but armed forces and parties operate through unstable bargains that can change with protest, repression, or crisis. Military influence runs through business networks, state contracts, and foreign ties, yet army rule has failed to deliver security or development in Pakistan and Myanmar. Studying the region requires close attention to civil-military relations, open-source data, promotions, budgets, corporate activity, and military statements. Paul Staniland, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, April 15
Powering up Nepal–India ties. India and Nepal are moving from traditional infrastructure ties toward digital integration and energy cooperation. A proposed digital corridor would link Nepal’s IT Decade strategy with India’s digital public infrastructure. A 25-year power trade agreement aims for Nepal to export 10,000 megawatts to India, while India enables electricity sales to Bangladesh through its grid. Progress faces delays in transmission lines, hydropower disputes, forest clearance, finance gaps, climate risks, and community resistance. Petroleum pipelines show stronger results, cutting costs, theft, emissions, and supply disruptions. India’s grants, market access, investment, and joint work with Japan and the European Union could help Nepal’s transition from least developed country status. Angana Guha Roy, East Asia Forum, April 15