China
China rejects Trump proposal to join U.S.-Russia nuclear disarmament talks. China dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion to join trilateral nuclear disarmament talks with Russia, calling the idea “neither reasonable nor realistic.” The statement followed reported discussions between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a summit in Alaska. Enoch Wong, South China Morning Post, August 27
China’s top legislature schedules session for September. The Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress will convene its 17th session in Beijing from September 8 to 12. Lawmakers will review key draft laws covering atomic energy, public health emergency response, national parks, and hazardous chemical safety, as well as proposed amendments to the Arbitration and Prison Laws. Xinhua, August 26
Japan
Japan, India to issue leaders' statement to boost security, economic ties. Prime Ministers Shigeru Ishiba and Narendra Modi will issue a joint statement pledging deeper cooperation in security, economics, and human exchange, with a 10-year strategic vision. The document will oppose unilateral changes to the status quo, reference China’s maritime actions, and promote Quad collaboration. Kyodo News, August 27
Ishimaru to quit as party leader, eyes new run for Tokyo governor. Shinji Ishimaru announced his resignation as leader of Saisei no Michi after electoral defeats in the Tokyo metropolitan and Upper House elections, stating the group should not center around one individual. Though stepping back from party operations, he confirmed a potential 2027 gubernatorial bid. Eiichiro Nakamura and Kaho Matsuda, The Asahi Shimbun, August 27
Japan opposition party lawmaker’s offices searched for alleged salary fraud. Tokyo prosecutors raided the offices of Japan Innovation Party lawmaker Akira Ishii over claims he falsely claimed salary for a secretary who performed no work. Searches were conducted in Tokyo and Ibaraki, where Ishii is based. The case follows recent political funding scandals and mirrors a 2024 conviction of another lawmaker for similar fraud. Kyodo News, August 27.
South Korea
Court denies arrest warrant for ex-PM Han over martial law allegations. A Seoul court rejected a special counsel's request to arrest former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, citing unresolved legal questions over his alleged role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law bid. Han faces charges including abetting insurrection, perjury, and document tampering. He is accused of proposing a Cabinet meeting and destroying a revised decree draft intended to legitimize the martial law plan. Lee Haye-ah, Yonhap News Agency, August 27
PPP lawmaker critical of ex-President Yoon’s impeachment elected as party chief. Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, a staunch opponent of former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, was elected leader of South Korea’s People Power Party, narrowly defeating Kim Moon-soo with 50.27% of the vote. His win follows internal party divisions and a presidential election loss. Chae Yun-hwan, Yonhap News Agency, August 26
North Korea
North Korea’s Kim says stronger special operation force is important, state media reports. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un emphasized the need to enhance special operations forces and sniper units during a visit to a training base, according to state media KCNA. The statement aligns with recent military modernization efforts aimed at boosting elite capabilities within the armed forces. Ju-min Park, Reuters, August 27
India
PM Modi avoided 4 calls from Donald Trump amid tariff tension: report. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly ignored four calls from U.S. President Donald Trump in recent weeks amid a growing tariff dispute, with India resisting pressure over its purchase of Russian crude oil. Analysts warn the U.S.-India partnership is weakening, while Modi prepares for a China visit. Sanstuti Nath, NDTV, August 27
Thailand
Thailand grants some Myanmar refugees right to legal work. Thailand will allow approximately 80,000 Myanmar refugees living in border camps to seek legal employment, with 42,601 of working age eligible. The move follows labor shortages caused by a Cambodian worker exodus and is backed by the UN refugee agency, which called it a strategic economic investment. Naw Betty Han, Reuters, August 27
Paetongtarn will not be in court for Friday’s crucial ruling. Suspended Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will monitor the Constitutional Court’s ruling in her ethics case from Government House instead of attending in person. Her legal team will be present at the court. The ruling concerns a phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. If found guilty, she would become the third Shinawatra to be removed from office. Bangkok Post, August 27
Vietnam
PM Phạm Minh Chính to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in China. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend the 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1 at the invitation of the Chinese government. The visit includes summit participation and other bilateral engagements, reinforcing Vietnam’s diplomatic outreach within regional multilateral frameworks. Vietnam News, August 27
Myanmar
Myanmar junta chief presses election drive in tour of three regions. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing visited eight towns across Bago, Yangon, and Magwe to promote the December 28 election, calling on citizens and military personnel to vote for candidates who “serve the national interest.” The vote is expected to secure his path to the presidency. Maung Kavi, The Irrawaddy, August 27
KNU denounces Myanmar junta’s election as unlawful, illegitimate. The Karen National Union condemned the junta’s planned December election as unlawful and illegitimate, warning that participants risk becoming “historical accomplices.” The group stated the vote would only prolong dictatorship and suppress democratic resistance, calling for nonviolent opposition. Other armed groups and the National Unity Government also rejected the poll, which is backed by a new junta law criminalizing dissent. Myo Pyae, The Irrawaddy, August 27
Laos
Ministry, provinces elect new Party leaders. Laos has begun its five-year leadership cycle ahead of the National Party Congress, with ministries and provinces electing new Party Committee heads for 2026–2030. Dr. Santisouk Simmalavong will lead the Ministry of Technology and Communications’ Party Committee, while Mr. Sonthanou Thammavong and Mr. Viengsavath Siphandone were chosen in Bolikhamxay and Luang Namtha, respectively. Vientiane Times, August 28
Cambodia
Cambodia and Thailand escalate feud with fresh accusations of ceasefire violations. Cambodia and Thailand traded formal complaints over alleged breaches of their July 28 ceasefire, with Cambodia accusing Thai forces of encroachment and Thailand accusing Cambodia of using civilians as human shields. Both sides recalled ambassadors and downgraded diplomatic ties. Taing Rinith, Khmer Times, August 28
Philippines
Australia, Canada and Philippines stage air defense drills off disputed shoal guarded by China. Warships and aircraft from Australia, Canada, and the Philippines held coordinated air defense drills near Scarborough Shoal, a contested South China Sea feature closely guarded by Chinese forces. The exercise simulated aerial threats and marked the final phase of joint military activities involving over 3,600 troops. Jim Gomez, Associated Press, August 27
Diokno urges Philippines to rejoin ICC to counter China’s aggression. AKBAYAN Rep. Chel Diokno called on the executive branch to rejoin the International Criminal Court, arguing it would enable the Philippines to file a case for crimes of aggression against China over incidents in the West Philippine Sea. Diokno, with 16 other lawmakers, also urged a UN resolution and filed bills to promote WPS education and declare July 12 as West Philippine Sea Victory Day. Reina C. Tolentino, The Manila Times, August 27
Malaysia
Government Procurement Bill 2025 aims to stop misuse of public funds, promote fairness in procurement. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim introduced the bill to end direct negotiation contracts and improve fiscal discipline. It mandates open tenders, supports local industries and SMEs, and requires officials to report violations. Major projects like flood mitigation and hospitals must follow transparent processes. Soo Wern Jun, Malay Mail, August 27
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, Jordan forge stronger economic partnership at business forum. Presidents Tokayev and King Abdullah II pledged to expand ties in energy, agriculture, logistics, medicine, and finance during the Kazakhstan–Jordan Business Forum. Notable initiatives include a uranium supply deal, halal poultry farming, joint vaccine exports, and tech cooperation via Astana Hub and King Hussein Business Park. Fatima Kemelova, The Astana Times, August 27
Tajikistan
Tajikistan’s Rogun Dam delayed as World Bank freezes funding. The World Bank has halted support for the Rogun Hydropower Plant until Tajikistan meets key conditions, including a sustainable financing plan, export agreements, and safety protocols. Mounting environmental concerns and financial risks, including a $6.4 billion funding gap, have stalled progress. Sadokat Jalolova, Times of Central Asia, August 27
East Asia
Asia must learn from SEATO and build its own NATO. SEATO’s shortcomings, including limited Asian membership, no integrated command, and the absence of automatic defense obligations, offer warnings for security architecture. Current bilateral and minilateral links, including U.S.-Japan, U.S.-South Korea, AUKUS, the Quad, and ties with Australia and the Philippines, remain fragmented and slow in crises. Structural barriers persist: Japan-South Korea frictions, divergent threat perceptions, ASEAN’s consensus culture, geographic scale, and China’s economic leverage. Priorities include coordinated planning, intelligence sharing, interoperable systems, multinational drills, unified crisis procedures, and a U.S.-Japan-South Korea maritime dialogue, paired with trade diversification and regional economic support. Consistent U.S. backing matters, yet durable arrangements require regional ownership and resilience over any NATO replica. Ju Hyung Kim, East Asia Forum, August 27
The New Sino-American Modus Vivendi. The Trump administration’s China approach remains erratic: April tariff hikes to 145% on Chinese goods fell back to 30% after rare earth pressure and talks, while Beijing’s duties hit 125%. Restrictions on H20 AI chip exports were eased, Lai Ching-te’s New York stopover was stopped, and positions on TikTok and Chinese students changed, yielding an uneasy coexistence. Drivers include domestic political calculus, market stability concerns, and the pursuit of optical wins, reinforced by corporate lobbying from semiconductor and auto interests. Durable détente faces bipartisan hostility, entrenched security-industrial incentives, and Trump’s reactive ego. A Xi-Trump meeting targeted for Q4, Beijing or APEC Seoul, would likely deliver optics not structure, leaving ties vulnerable to flare-ups. Brian Wong, CHINA US Focus, August 27
growing PRC services trade. Beijing positions services as a growth multiplier in the 15th Five-Year Plan, despite an imports-heavy deficit; exports reinforce manufacturing jobs while imports deliver know-how and discipline. Policy now advances “institutional opening” and prioritizes productive, digital, cultural, and professional segments, supported by a guidance fund targeting overseas-earning champions. Local protectionism, fuzzy regulations, and security-sensitive areas impede entry and slow competition. Services outpace goods since 2021 and create about 1.6 times the jobs of manufacturing, while outsourcing and digitally delivered offerings accelerate. Tourism and cultural exports also surge amid visa easing. Strategy links services with goods trade and outbound investment to lift value chains and cushion external shocks. Alex Wong, CHINA POLICY, August 27
The geopolitics of the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation: Where does India stand? Xi Jinping’s trip to Lhasa on 20 August marking the TAR’s 60th anniversary coincided with the Dalai Lama’s declaration that the institution will continue and that the Gaden Phodrang Trust alone will identify his successor. India reiterates a neutral line on faith matters, restated in parliament on 21 August, while its 2003 declaration recognises the TAR as part of the PRC and bars anti-China political activity by Tibetans in India. Delhi still treats the Dalai Lama as an honoured guest; strategic continuity reflects the McMahon Line legacy and security logic. Beijing seeks succession control and stresses “adapting religion to China’s realities,” amid heightened surveillance across Tibet. India will likely maintain its historical balance. Rishi Gupta, ThinkChina, August 27
Why China and India won’t join hands against the US. Modi travels to China for the 31 August–1 September SCO summit, not a formal bilateral visit, showing relations have not recovered to reciprocal-visit level. Border frictions persist despite the 19 August Doval–Wang meeting, which pledged stability, management, and a search for a mutually acceptable framework; steps on flights, visas, and Kailash–Manasarovar pilgrimages will not transform ties. Tension sharpened after Beijing cited a Jaishankar “Taiwan is part of China” remark that New Delhi called a misquote, drawing Mao Ning’s objection. Chinese commentary says India seeks leverage against US tariffs, while scholars insist China will confront Washington alone and India could tilt back if US pressure eases. Galwan casualties and Doklam memories keep mistrust high despite summit optics and domestic calculus. Yu Zeyuan, ThinkChina, August 27
Southeast Asia
Indonesia’s Energy Transition: Exercising Strategic Agency in Partnership with China. Indonesia seeks fast decarbonization without derailing growth by using market scale, resources, and industrial policy to shape selective cooperation with China across EVs, minerals, renewables, green finance, carbon markets, grid upgrades, and coal. Guiding principles focus on reciprocity, development-compatible cuts, local value, aligned finance, and integrity to avoid new dependencies. A proposed Task Force on Just Energy Transition and Industrial Cooperation would align investment with jobs and knowledge transfer. Tariffs and eased LCRs are redirecting solar supply chains toward Indonesia, including Longi’s West Java manufacturing and an Indonesia–China–Singapore export model. Execution risks persist: PLN constraints, ESG gaps, and uneven tech transfer, making structured, domain-specific partnerships essential. Kevin Zongzhe Li, Asia Society, August 27
Cambodia–Thailand Conflict: Borders Should Not Be Battlefields. Armed clashes from 24–28 July followed a 28 May fatal incident in Preah Vihear, amid incomplete demarcation around temples such as Preah Vihear, Tamoan Thom, Tamoan Touch, and Ta Krobei. Historical treaties from 1904 and 1907 and politicization since the 2008 UNESCO bid frame the dispute’s persistence. Thailand and Cambodia traded accusations over who fired first, while incendiary rhetoric by General Boonsin Padklang worsened escalation. Cambodia sought ICJ adjudication on 15 June and accepted ASEAN observers deployed from 3 August; Malaysia coordinated the interim team. Material asymmetry favors Thailand, reinforcing Phnom Penh’s legalistic restraint. Durable de-escalation requires accelerated demarcation, phased demilitarization, crisis hotlines, and strict adherence to treaties, ICJ rulings, and non-use of force. Thong Mengdavid, FULCRUM, August 27
China’s Overtures to Southeast Asia: Xi Takes the Lead. A dataset built from MFA announcements shows intensified high-level exchanges under Xi, who elevated peripheral diplomacy and centralized foreign-policy control. Several Southeast Asian leaders are expected at Beijing’s 3 September WWII victory parade, reflecting closer ties. Xi initially visited the region frequently, then delegated more in his third term, with Premier Li Qiang taking a larger role. Traffic patterns are uneven: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam receive more attention; Cambodia, Laos, and Indonesia lead inbound trips, while the Philippines lags. The logic is realist: resources, labour, market access, and political alignment drive prioritisation. The aim is stability in the near periphery amid global uncertainty. Europe still ranks ahead by volume overall. Sense Hofstede, FULCRUM, August 27