China
Trump may impose more tariffs on China as punishment for Beijing buying Russian oil. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said President Donald Trump is considering tariffs on Chinese imports over the country’s record purchases of Russian oil, citing a precedent set with India. Beijing defended the trade as legal and warned against unilateral sanctions. Analysts expect China to maintain Russian oil imports, which supplied nearly 20% of its crude last year, despite potential U.S. measures. Robert Delaney and Kandy Wong, South China Morning Post, August 11
Chinese state media says Nvidia H20 chips not safe for China. A social media account linked to state broadcaster CCTV warned that Nvidia’s H20 artificial intelligence chips pose security, technological, and environmental concerns, urging consumers to avoid them. The criticism follows Beijing’s inquiry into potential backdoor access, which Nvidia denies. Developed after U.S. export curbs in 2023, the chips briefly faced a U.S. sales ban before its reversal in July. Yukun Zhang and Brenda Goh, Reuters, August 10
Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao taken in for questioning, WSJ reports. Senior Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao, viewed as a potential future foreign minister, has been detained for questioning after returning from an overseas trip in late July, according to the Wall Street Journal. Liu, 61, heads the Communist Party body managing relations with foreign political parties and has met officials from over 160 countries. His detention is the highest-level probe of a diplomat since Qin Gang’s 2023 ouster. Antoni Slodkowski and Chandni Shah, Reuters, August 10
Japan
Ishiba says he will assess his responsibility based on election review. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated he will evaluate his responsibility for the ruling coalition’s poor Upper House election results after the Liberal Democratic Party completes its review and consults lawmakers. Some party members have urged him to resign, and discussions are underway on whether to hold an emergency leadership vote. Ishiba ruled out a leadership reshuffle and pledged to expedite the Japan-U.S. tariff deal. The Japan Times, August 9
South Korea
South Korea’s military has shrunk by 20% in six years as male population drops. South Korea’s armed forces have fallen to 450,000 personnel, a 20% drop since 2019, due to a sharp decline in enlistment-age males amid the world’s lowest birthrate. The military faces a 50,000-troop shortfall, including 21,000 non-commissioned officers, raising operational concerns. Officials cite improved capabilities, U.S. alliance support, and a growing defense industry as reasons for shorter service terms. Jack Kim, Reuters, August 10
Lee to hold extraordinary Cabinet meeting Monday to decide on pardon for ex-Justice Minister Cho. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will convene a special Cabinet meeting on August 11 to review and potentially approve presidential pardons, including for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk. Cho, serving a two-year prison term for academic fraud and interference in a government inspection, has been named as a possible beneficiary. Kim Seung-yeon, Yonhap News Agency, August 10
North Korea
North Korea starts dismantling some border loudspeakers, South Korea says. South Korea’s military reported detecting North Korean forces removing some propaganda loudspeakers along parts of the border, following Seoul’s similar actions earlier in the week. Officials said they are monitoring to confirm if the dismantling is widespread. President Lee Jae Myung’s government has halted anti-North broadcasts to revive dialogue. Heekyong Yang and Joyce Lee, Reuters, August 9
North Korea warns of reprisal against South Korea-U.S. drills amid signs of tensions easing. North Korean Defence Minister No Kwang Chol condemned upcoming South Korea-U.S. joint military drills as a “direct military provocation” and vowed countermeasures. The 11-day exercise, starting August 18, will test command and troop mobilization but has partly been postponed, a move seen as aligning with President Lee Jae Myung’s efforts to reduce tensions. Jack Kim, Reuters, August 10
Thailand
Thai soldiers injured by landmine near Cambodia amid fragile ceasefire. A Thai soldier lost a foot and two others were wounded after triggering a landmine while patrolling near the Cambodian border, in an area recently cleared of mines. Bangkok accused Phnom Penh of violating the Ottawa Convention and Thai sovereignty, a claim Cambodia denied. The incident, the third in weeks, comes after last month’s deadly clashes and amid ASEAN-monitored ceasefire efforts. Panu Wongcha-um, Reuters, August 9
Pheu Thai plays down poll showing public happier with military than government. The ruling Pheu Thai Party downplayed a survey indicating higher public confidence in the armed forces than the government over the Thai-Cambodian border conflict. Party spokesman Danuporn Punnakan said trust in the military was natural as it leads territorial defense and operates under government direction. The Nida Poll found 62.52% were very confident in the armed forces versus 11.99% in the government. The Nation, August 10
Vietnam
Lee, Vietnam’s Lam pledge to expand strategic partnership. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Vietnamese Communist Party chief To Lam agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, security, technology, and culture during Lam’s visit to Seoul, the first by a Vietnamese party leader in 11 years. The two countries aim to boost bilateral trade to $150 billion by 2030 and plan to sign over 10 agreements covering energy, education, science, and cultural exchanges. Kim Eun-jung, Yonhap News Agency, August 11
NA Standing Committee to convene 48th session from August 11-13. Vietnam’s National Assembly Standing Committee will meet from August 11-13, with backup dates on August 14-15, to review multiple draft laws including those on extradition, state of emergency, and mutual legal assistance. The agenda includes oversight reports, resolutions on democracy in legislative bodies, and policies for Gia Binh International Airport investment, as well as incentives for Samsung projects in Vietnam. Vietnam News, August 10
Cambodia
Foreign Ministry rejects Thai allegations of new landmine deployment. Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied Thailand’s claim that Cambodian forces planted new landmines along the border, injuring three Thai soldiers, including one who lost a leg. Spokesperson Chum Sounry called the accusations baseless and urged patience pending a credible investigation. He called on Thailand to avoid public statements that could erode trust and to honor ceasefire agreements, including refraining from troop movements toward the other side. Khmer Times, August 10
Philippines
Philippines to lead efforts for South China Sea Code of Conduct in 2026, says Marcos. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that the Philippines will push for a binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea when it chairs ASEAN in 2026. He said the pact would set clear rules, prevent conflicts, and define responsibilities among signatories. Marcos maintained that defending Philippine sovereignty is compatible with maintaining open communication with China despite recent tensions. Catherine S. Valente, The Manila Times, August 9
Lacson, Sotto to revive VP impeachment case if SC reverses ruling. Senators Panfilo Lacson and Vicente Sotto III said they would seek to reopen the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte if the Supreme Court overturns its decision declaring the complaint unconstitutional. Lacson, who abstained from the Senate’s 19-4 vote to archive the case, argued that acting before the court’s final ruling could preempt its judgment. Critics say the SC’s new procedural rules overstep constitutional limits. Krixia Subingsubing and Tina G. Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, August 11
Indonesia
Indonesia, Peru to sign CEPA during President Boluarte’s Jakarta visit. Peruvian President Dina Boluarte arrived in Indonesia for a state visit to meet President Prabowo Subianto and is expected to witness the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on Monday. The pact aims to boost bilateral trade, cultural ties, and market access for Indonesian goods and services in Central and South America. Jakarta Globe, August 11
Northeast Asia
The U.S. Asia-Pacific Strategy Faces Intense Headwinds. Since January 2025, higher alliance cost-sharing demands, tariff shocks, and aid cuts have strained U.S. ties with Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, and minilateral groupings like the Quad and AUKUS. Tokyo canceled a planned 2+2, Canberra rebuffed pressure for bigger defense outlays, and Seoul rejected budget targets. A Pentagon review has injected uncertainty into AUKUS, while new tariffs and reduced assistance squeeze smaller economies, especially in the Pacific. The resulting fragmentation pushes regional players to hedge and recalibrate relations, including with China. Ghulam Ali, US–China Focus, Aug 8
China’s Consumption Weighed Down by Weak Expectations. Despite first-half 2025 GDP growth of 5.3% and 7.3% export growth, household demand lags as savings swell and prices stay soft. Subsidy programs expanded in 2024–2025 have not offset pessimism. Urban social insurance is comparatively robust, but rural pensions remain meager, reinforcing precautionary saving. Stabilizing demand requires addressing structural drags, property-sector weakness and local-government fiscal strains, potentially through greater central support and targeted balance-sheet repair. Yang Yao, East Asia Forum, Aug 10
China and America in a stablecoin race that could reshape global finance. Hong Kong is drafting a licensing regime for fiat-pegged stablecoins to position the city as a Web3 hub and reduce dependence on the dollar. Mainland China bans private crypto but advances a digital renminbi to extend monetary influence. In parallel, the U.S. is moving to mandate high-quality reserves for dollar-stablecoins, tightening oversight and reinforcing dollar dominance. Competing regulatory models, state-aligned digital currency in China and prudentially regulated private tokens in the U.S., open a new front in currency competition with implications for capital flows, payments, and standards-setting. Evan Freidin, The Interpreter, Aug 11
After the Flood. Typhoon Doksuri’s rains on July 31 inundated Liulihe near Beijing. At the private Fuyu care home, staff moved residents upstairs while awaiting rescue; thirty-one of forty-six elderly residents drowned when help never came. Initial state coverage focused on top-level directives and reported no casualties. Public protests later prompted an official apology, while a rare in-depth account by Sanlian Life Weekly was swiftly removed. The episode shows how casualty reporting and investigative work are constrained by propaganda imperatives, even as occasional journalistic breakthroughs still surface under tight controls. David Bandurski and Alex Coville, China Media Project, Aug 11
Southeast Asia
Neo-Colonialism and the Entrenchment of Palm Oil Exploitation in Indonesia. In July 2025, Indonesia reassigned 400,000 hectares of seized plantation land to state-run Agrinas Palma Nusantara after President Prabowo urged rapid palm-oil expansion. Palm oil now generates over 4.5% of GDP and supports about 16.2 million jobs, but its dominance rests on alliances among state bodies, financiers, and multinationals that obtain subsidized, near rent free land amid weak enforcement. Early schemes that favored smallholders were reversed; narratives branding indigenous farmers “lazy” or “remote” justified dispossession. By recasting thriving territories as “undeveloped wastelands,” elites legitimize monoculture while sidelining local voices. Without changes to resource governance and supply-chain accountability, expansion will deepen inequities and environmental risk. Arnav Singh, Sino-Southeast Initiative, Aug 8
Southeast Asia Should Be Clear-Eyed As It Navigates Trump’s Tariff Fog. Sweeping U.S. tariffs announced on July 31 overturn decades of rules-based trade and impose rates from 10% to 41%, with Southeast Asian economies facing uneven treatment and a 40% penalty on “transshipped” goods. Export-led growth models that powered the region’s rise now confront higher barriers, thinner predictability, and the risk of further arbitrary hikes tied to politics rather than transparent rules. Governments that reached “framework” understandings should expect additional demands; those without deals should plan for volatility and accelerated diversification. Stephen Olson, Fulcrum, Aug 8
Southeast Asia’s Green Transition at a Tipping Point. As 2025 NDCs take shape, ASEAN must choose between entrenched coal and gas use and faster deployment of solar and wind enabled by falling costs and China-centric supply chains. Renewable generation remains a small share of ASEAN’s energy mix, yet regional interconnection via the ASEAN Power Grid, stronger policy frameworks, and innovative finance could accelerate progress. Leaders’ decisions now will determine whether the region moves beyond fossil-fuel dependence toward stated capacity targets. Irvan Tengku Harja, East Asia Forum, Aug 9