China
Chinese navy brushes past Okinawa islands as tensions with Japan flare. China said a naval formation including a destroyer passed through the Yonaguni-Iriomote Waterway near Okinawa after completing Western Pacific training, days after a Japanese destroyer transited the Taiwan Strait. The move added to worsening Sino-Japanese tensions over Taiwan, Okinawa’s nearby islands, and Japan’s plan to strengthen missile defenses on Yonaguni. Ryan Woo, Reuters, April 22
PLA’s new Type 076 ‘drone carrier’ to take part in South China Sea training drills. China’s new Type 076 amphibious assault ship, Sichuan, is heading to the South China Sea for trials and training as regional tensions sharpen. The deployment comes alongside Balikatan exercises involving the U.S., the Philippines, Japan, and other partners, and as the carrier Liaoning also appears to be moving south after transiting the Taiwan Strait. Yuanyue Dang, South China Morning Post, April 22
China unveils plan to make cities more youth, child friendly. China issued a new blueprint urging cities to build youth development into housing, healthcare, education, jobs, and public services as it tries to support families and counter demographic decline. The plan includes childcare subsidies, better maternity and pediatric care, broader after-school services, and fairer school access for migrant workers’ children. Farah Master, Reuters, April 22
U.S. criticizes China's pressure on African countries to block Taiwan president's trip. The United States said several African countries revoked overflight clearances for Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s planned trip to Eswatini at China’s behest, calling it an abuse of the international civil aviation system. Taiwan said the denials forced cancellation of the visit, while the EU and Britain also voiced concern over politically motivated airspace decisions. Michael Martina, Reuters, April 22
Japan
DPP to back bill strengthening government’s intel gathering. Japan’s intelligence overhaul bill is expected to pass the Diet after the opposition Democratic Party for the People decided to support it. The measure would create a Cabinet-level National Intelligence Council and a National Intelligence Agency with authority to coordinate intelligence gathered by ministries. Other opposition parties have raised concerns about privacy protections and political neutrality. Mayu Fukase, The Asahi Shimbun, April 22
Minister’s offering at Yasukuni first shrine visit by Takaichi Cabinet member. Economic growth strategy minister Minoru Kiuchi visited Yasukuni Shrine during its spring festival, marking the first confirmed visit by a member of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet. Kiuchi signed the visitor’s book as a minister and made a tamagushi offering at his own expense. More than 120 lawmakers also joined a collective visit, while Haruko Arimura made an offering on Takaichi’s behalf as LDP president. The Japan Times, April 22
Japan and New Zealand’s leaders reaffirm cooperation over Middle East. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reaffirmed close cooperation on efforts to ease Middle East tensions, including safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. They also agreed on the importance of stable supplies of energy and essential materials, welcomed Japan’s revised defense equipment export guidelines, and pledged deeper bilateral cooperation in security and a free and open Indo-Pacific. The Japan Times, April 23
South Korea
Lee’s approval rating remains at record high of 69 pct: poll. President Lee Jae Myung’s approval rating held at a record 69% for the third straight National Barometer Survey, while negative views edged down to 21%. Support for the ruling Democratic Party rose to 48%, and backing for the main opposition People Power Party fell to 15%, its lowest level under the current administration. Ahead of June 3 local elections, 58% said voters should back the ruling party for stability, while 30% favored the opposition as a check on the government. Yi Wonju, Yonhap News Agency, April 23
S. Korean special envoy meets Iran’s foreign minister amid Middle East tensions. South Korea’s special envoy to Iran met Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran as Seoul sought a definitive end to the conflict and safe passage for South Korea-linked vessels and seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. Chung Byung-ha also stressed the importance of bilateral ties, while Araghchi said Iran was ready to cooperate and defended the blockade as a matter of national security. South Korea said 26 related ships and 173 Korean crew members remain stranded. Kim Seung-yeon, Yonhap News Agency, April 23
South Korea, Vietnam sign 12 MOUs as Lee urges broader cooperation. South Korea and Vietnam signed 12 memorandums of understanding in Hanoi as Lee Jae Myung pushed for broader cooperation in energy security and infrastructure alongside trade and investment. The agreements covered nuclear power, electricity, and infrastructure during Lee’s talks with Tô Lâm. Kyu-seok Shim, Reuters, April 22
U.S. Republicans urge S. Korea to stop ‘targeted’ discrimination against American companies. More than 50 U.S. Republicans urged South Korea to halt what they called discriminatory actions against American companies, including Coupang, and said Seoul was ignoring commitments to avoid unnecessary policy and legal barriers. The lawmakers argued that scrutiny of Coupang over a major data leak was being used as a pretext to target a U.S.-listed firm, and warned that such moves could help Chinese companies gain ground and create security risks. Kim Seung-yeon, Yonhap News Agency, April 22
North Korea
N. Korea, Russia boost high-level exchanges to unprecedented level ahead of Kursk recapture anniv. North Korea and Russia sharply expanded senior-level contacts ahead of the first anniversary of Kursk’s recapture, with three Russian ministers visiting at once and working-level meetings held in Wonsan-Kalma. The two sides also launched construction of a friendship hospital and prepared commemorations tied to North Korean soldiers killed in the Russia-Ukraine war. Park Boram, Yonhap News Agency, April 23
North Korea, Russia aim to open new road bridge soon, KCNA says. North Korea and Russia plan to open a new road bridge across the Tumen River as ties deepen under their strategic partnership. KCNA said the bridge will support tourism, trade, and travel, while Russian officials said completion is targeted for June 19. The project comes alongside expanding ministerial exchanges and broader cross-border cooperation with both Russia and China. Heejin Kim, Reuters, April 23
Vietnam
Vietnam, South Korea aim for $150B trade by 2030. Vietnam and South Korea agreed to pursue bilateral trade of $150 billion by 2030 and deepen economic connectivity as Lee Jae Myung visited Hanoi. The two sides emphasized market access, supply-chain integration, infrastructure, semiconductors, AI, smart cities, clean energy, and technology cooperation, and also reaffirmed coordination on defense, security, cultural exchanges, and peace and stability in the East Sea and on the Korean Peninsula. VnExpress, April 23
Myanmar
Myanmar considering 'good things' for detained Aung San Suu Kyi, Thailand says. Thailand’s foreign minister said Myanmar’s new president indicated the authorities were considering unspecified “good things” for detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi as Naypyitaw seeks to normalize ties with ASEAN. Bangkok also said it was ready to support Myanmar’s efforts to improve relations with the bloc. Panarat Thepgumpanat, Panu Wongcha-um, and Martin Petty, Reuters, April 22
Laos
President Xi meets special envoy of Lao leader. Xi Jinping called for China and Laos to deepen strategic coordination, expand practical cooperation, and implement their new five-year action plan for a shared-future community during talks with Lao special envoy Saleumxay Kommasith. The meeting highlighted close party-to-party ties, the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and both sides’ commitment to broader cooperation and support for each other’s development goals. Vientiane Times, April 23
Cambodia
Cambodia lodges new protest over Thai unlawful actions at Ta Krabei Temple. Cambodia lodged another protest over what it described as Thailand’s unlawful activities at Ta Krabei Temple, including public gatherings, official visits, infrastructure work, and the continued presence of Thai authorities. Phnom Penh said the actions violate its sovereignty, bilateral agreements, historical boundary documents, and international law, and urged Thailand to halt all activity and withdraw personnel while the dispute is addressed through the Joint Boundary Commission. Meng Seavmey, Cambodianess, April 22
Hun Manet tells Chinese ministers Cambodia’s peaceful border stance unchanged. Prime Minister Hun Manet told visiting Chinese ministers Wang Yi and Dong Jun that Cambodia remains committed to resolving its border dispute with Thailand peacefully and in line with international law. The talks, held during the first Cambodia-China “2+2” dialogue, also covered closer cooperation in politics, trade, investment, defense, security, clean energy, infrastructure, transport, and agriculture, as both sides moved to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership. Cambodianess, April 22
Philippines
ICC judges reject bid to release former Philippine President Duterte. Appeals judges at the International Criminal Court ruled that the court retains jurisdiction over Rodrigo Duterte despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, allowing the case against him to proceed. Prosecutors accuse Duterte of playing a central role in killings during his anti-drug campaign, and families of victims in the Philippines welcomed the decision. Bart Meijer and Stephanie van den Berg, Reuters, April 22
China and Philippines taking ‘baby steps’ towards better relations: Manila’s ambassador. The Philippines is trying to build more stable and predictable ties with China before tackling harder disputes such as the South China Sea, Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz said. He pointed to renewed diplomatic contact, interest in expanding trade and tourism, and continued talks on energy cooperation, while stressing that economic ties should not be used as political leverage. Dewey Sim, South China Morning Post, April 22
SC intervention sought over 'expanded' House impeach proceedings. Petitioners challenging the impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte asked the Supreme Court to restrain House proceedings, arguing the justice committee had gone beyond the original complaints by considering SALNs, AMLC materials, corporate records, tax documents, and a new affidavit from Antonio Trillanes IV. They said the expanded scope violated due process and improperly introduced matters outside Duterte’s current term. Franco Jose Baroña, The Manila Times, April 23
Malaysia
Amid Middle East tensions, Malaysia rules out unilateral action in Strait of Malacca. Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said any action involving the Strait of Malacca must be made jointly by Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand under existing patrol and security arrangements. He stressed ASEAN’s consensus-based approach, said Malaysia would continue to back ZOPFAN and ASEAN centrality, and argued the country must maintain “active neutrality” to avoid economic disruption. Malay Mail, April 23
Taiwan
Taiwan defense budget crucial: U.S. Indo-Pacific commander. Admiral Samuel Paparo said Taiwan must show its determination to defend itself, including by passing the government’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget, to sustain strong U.S. support. He said Washington cannot care more about Taiwan’s defense than Taiwan does, while expressing confidence in Taiwan’s willingness to fight and praising its military planning to repel an invasion. Elaine Hou and Evelyn Kao, Focus Taiwan, April 22
Taiwan signs 6 arms deals with U.S. worth around US$6.6 billion. Taiwan signed six major arms procurement deals with the United States worth more than NT$208.77 billion, including HIMARS, M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, anti-armor missiles, ammunition production for Taiwan, and air defense consulting services. The agreements were finalized after Washington allowed delayed payments for 82 HIMARS and 60 M109A7 systems following the legislature’s failure to pass a special defense budget that would have partly funded the purchases. Wu Shu-wei and Joseph Yeh, Focus Taiwan, April 22
Taiwan minister makes rare visit to South China Sea island for drills. Taiwan’s ocean affairs minister visited Itu Aba, or Taiping Island, for coast guard exercises, marking the first ministerial trip there in seven years. The drills included boarding a suspicious cargo ship and other response scenarios. The visit underscored Taiwan’s control of the disputed Spratly outpost amid overlapping claims by China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Ben Blanchard, Reuters, April 23
Nepal
Second Nepali minister leaves month-old government. Nepal Home Minister Sudan Gurung resigned after questions were raised about his investments and other matters, becoming the second minister to leave Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s month-old government. Gurung said the concerns should be investigated and that ethics mattered more than office. Shah will temporarily oversee the home ministry. Gopal Sharma, Reuters, April 22
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan moves to ratify trade deal to boost access to UAE market. Kazakhstan’s lower house of parliament has started drafting a bill to ratify an economic partnership agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and the United Arab Emirates. The deal is intended to strengthen trade ties, improve market access for Kazakh exports, and create more favorable conditions for goods from EAEU member states. The Mazhilis committee on economic reform and regional development will oversee the drafting process and prepare a formal conclusion on the ratification bill. The Astana Times, April 22
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan plans $1 billion for first two small nuclear reactors. Uzbekistan plans to invest nearly $1 billion in the first phase of a small nuclear power project in Jizzakh, beginning with two 55-megawatt reactors. Officials said the project is expected to raise industrial standards, support local suppliers, expand transport and service sectors, create jobs, and deepen nuclear cooperation with Russia following agreements signed in March. Sadokat Jalolova, The Times of Central Asia, April 22
Uzbekistan to restrict foreign access to farmland as land reforms advance. Uzbekistan plans to bar foreign investors from acquiring agricultural land lease rights through auctions, limiting access instead to secondary leases for projects worth at least $10 million on underused land. The reforms also reserve auction participation for domestic farmers and entrepreneurs, expand incentives for efficient land use, and push faster digitalization of land administration. Sadokat Jalolova, The Times of Central Asia, April 22
East Asia
What if China Succeeds? Chinese success, as defined by the CCP, would dismantle U.S. alliances in Asia, expose Taiwan to coercion or conquest, weaken American credibility, and push allies toward nuclear options. Beijing would use military reach, closed trade practices, and technological dominance to pressure other states while spreading surveillance tools and authoritarian norms. Under that outcome, prosperity, openness, and democratic freedom would erode as China moved to the center of the international system. Matthew Kroenig, Foreign Policy, April 22
China’s Demographic Future Is Now. China’s birth collapse and rising deaths point to a faster population decline than many forecasts assumed, with nearly 60 million people projected to disappear by 2035. Developed coastal provinces depend on migration for growth while natural population change turns negative. These pressures weaken consumption, strain labor supply, and deepen pension deficits. Beijing’s birth subsidies look too small, and weaker income growth makes demographic drag a present economic constraint for Beijing. Allen Feng, Rhodium Group, April 22
China’s farm reforms face a trust problem. Beijing wants larger, more productive farms, but land reform faces farmers’ doubts that rental rights will survive local enforcement. Small plots, collective ownership, and fear of dispossession limit formal leasing. Many migrants leave land idle or use oral deals with relatives and neighbors. Certification is not enough. Stronger dispute resolution, clearer limits on land readjustment, and support for informal transfers would make consolidation work with existing rural behavior in practice. William B Smith, East Asia Forum, April 22.
Taiwan’s Political Polarization Is Playing Into China’s Hands. Taiwan has strengthened resilience through civil defense planning, urban military exercises, reserve mobilization, energy and satellite efforts, and support for a drone industry, while its chip sector and U.S. trade ties boost deterrence. Political polarization blocks a defense budget needed for arms purchases, missile and drone production, and stronger signals to Washington. Beijing exploits the divide through outreach to opposition leaders and pressure against Lai’s government and foreign travel plans. David Sacks, Council on Foreign Relations, April 22
Cluster Warhead Tests Underscore the Important Conventional Role of North Korea's SRBMs. North Korea’s April tests of KN-23 and Hwasong-11D missiles highlighted cluster and fragmentation mine warheads built for conventional strikes on wide target areas. The launches showed how short-range ballistic missiles support missions tied to airbases, ports, logistics, command nodes, and troops in South Korea. The tests also matched a party pledge to strengthen concentrated attacks and drew on attention created by Iran’s use of submunition warheads during recent conflict coverage. Vann H. Van Diepen, 38 North, April 22
OpenAI's blueprint for the AI age has a blind spot the size of Asia. OpenAI’s policy blueprint offers serious ideas on public wealth funds, shorter workweeks, adaptive safety nets, and AI safety institutions, yet frames global governance in American terms while neglecting Asia. That omission ignores the region’s population, semiconductor production, regulatory experiments, and alternative models of digital governance. Asian governments need their own industrial policies, safeguards, and distribution plans or they will inherit rules shaped by firms with strong stakes in the outcome. David Villena, Nikkei Asia, April 22
Southeast Asia
Duterte’s Populist Foreign Policy as Illiberal Defiance: Consequences and Prospects. Duterte used foreign policy as symbolic defiance, softening the South China Sea ruling, attacking the U.S. alliance, and quitting the ICC to defend his drug war and stress sovereignty. Personal ties with China and Russia, plus disinformation networks, reinforced this turn. Bureaucratic resistance, security dependence on Washington, and Marcos Jr.’s reversal exposed its limits. Populist disruption could return through Sara Duterte, Chinese influence, democratic weakness, and future electoral contests. Aries A. Arugay, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, April 22
From Fragmentation to Cohesion: Charting a Course for Philippine Maritime Security Governance. Philippine maritime security is constrained by fragmented institutions, overlapping mandates, limited capacity, and exposure to political shifts despite rising threats at sea. A national strategy should unify agencies and local governments, guide capability building, strengthen command and control, and align partnerships with domestic systems. Priority areas include absorptive capacity, coordinated planning, research and development, procurement safeguards, and regional coast guard dialogue to turn maritime reform into durable practice across agencies. Dianne Faye Despi, FULCRUM, April 22
Oceania
Australian media’s ‘China threat’ narrative is a never-ending story. Australian coverage continues to cast China as a security threat, folding new events such as the Iran war into warnings about Taiwan and regional conflict. This framing draws strength from agenda setting, security agencies, defense analysts, bipartisan support for AUKUS, and media incentives that reward alarm. Since 2017, sovereignty, interference, coercion, and war talk have shaped public opinion, leaving little room for other forms of China expertise in Australia today. Wanning Sun, East Asia Forum, April 22