China
Beidaihe meeting signals start of summer break for China’s political elite. Top Chinese leaders began their annual summer retreat in Beidaihe, marked by Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi hosting over three dozen scientists and academics, signaling the start of the informal break. The gathering, attended by party personnel chief Shi Taifeng and State Councillor Shen Yiqin, precedes October’s fourth plenum as the leadership drafts the 15th five-year plan. Sylvie Zhuang and William Zheng, South China Morning Post, August 4
China's military conducted patrols in South China Sea, spokesperson says. China's Southern Theatre Command said its forces conducted routine patrols in the South China Sea from August 3 to 4, criticizing a Philippines-India joint sail as disrupting regional peace and stability. China claims nearly the entire waterway, overlapping with the maritime zones of multiple Southeast Asian nations. The Philippine embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters, August 4
Japan
Nippon Ishin no Kai could join ruling coalition if the conditions are right. Nippon Ishin no Kai leaders signaled openness to joining the ruling Liberal Democratic Party–Komeito coalition if two conditions are met: replacing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and designating Osaka as Japan’s backup capital. With the coalition lacking a majority in both chambers, adding Ishin could help secure votes to pass legislation. Eric Johnston, The Japan Times, August 4
Opposition parties fume over US trade deal not being put in writing. Japanese opposition lawmakers criticized Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa for failing to produce a written U.S.-Japan trade agreement, warning that President Donald Trump’s administration could retract or delay tariff cuts. The deal sets a 15% reciprocal tariff on most Japanese goods starting August 7, up from 10% but below the 25% once threatened. Himari Semans, The Japan Times, August 4
South Korea
South Korea, U.S. prepare for summit with details of trade deal unresolved. South Korea and the United States are heading into a leaders’ summit with key issues from their recent tariff deal unsettled, including profit-sharing for $350 billion in Korean investments, non-tariff barriers, and agriculture market access. Seoul rejected Washington’s claim it would take 90% of investment profits, calling it political rhetoric, and denied opening its rice market. Hyunjoo Jin and Jihoon Lee, Reuters, August 4
Nat'l Assembly expected to vote on contentious broadcasting bill despite filibuster by main opposition. South Korea’s National Assembly is expected to vote on a bill revising the Broadcasting Act to curb government influence over public broadcasters after the main opposition People Power Party’s filibuster ends. The proposal expands KBS’s board from 11 to 15 members and is part of three bills aimed at reforming public media governance. Yi Wonju, Yonhap News Agency, August 5
North Korea
South Korea starts removing anti-North Korean loudspeakers on border. South Korea began dismantling loudspeakers that broadcast propaganda into North Korea as President Lee Jae Myung seeks to lower tensions and revive stalled dialogue. The devices were switched off in June after his inauguration, but Pyongyang has rejected talks. Soldiers were seen unplugging and taking down the speaker walls along the border, a move the defense ministry called a practical step toward easing tensions. Ju-Min Park, Reuters, August 4
India
Thailand
PM has no plan to quit before ruling. Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will not resign before the Constitutional Court rules on her leaked call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, according to her secretary-general Prommin Lertsuridej. He dismissed media reports suggesting an early resignation to avoid a political ban, saying she respects the court’s authority. Paetongtarn maintains her actions aimed to defuse border tensions and were taken in consultation with security agencies. Mongkol Bangprapa, Bangkok Post, August 4
PM submits defence to Constitutional Court over leaked Hun Sen audio clip. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra submitted her written defence to the Constitutional Court regarding a leaked phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. Her secretary-general said the documents were filed ahead of the August 4 deadline and aimed to show she acted in good faith to de-escalate border tensions and protect civilians. The Nation, August 4
Vietnam
Vietnam expects more substantive, effective ties with Arab League president. State President Luong Cuong met Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Cairo on August 4, expressing Vietnam’s intent to deepen political trust and implement existing cooperation agreements. He called for closer coordination at multilateral forums like the UN and the Non-Aligned Movement and offered to serve as a bridge to ASEAN. Vietnam News, August 4
Cambodia
Cambodia and Thailand begin talks in Malaysia amid fragile ceasefire. Cambodia and Thailand opened talks in Malaysia to maintain a tenuous truce following the deadliest border clashes in over a decade, which left at least 43 people dead and displaced 300,000. Defense ministers plan a General Border Committee meeting Thursday, observed by the United States, China, and Malaysia. Cambodia accused Thailand of violating the ceasefire and demanded the release of 18 captured soldiers. Panu Wongcha-um, Panarat Thepgumpanat, and Chayut Setboonsarng, Reuters, August 4
Ministry of National Defense: Situation calm, but warns of possible Thai attack. Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense said the border with Thailand in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces was calm on August 5 but warned that Thai forces were planning an offensive before the August 7 General Border Affairs Committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur. Spokesperson Maly Socheata said Cambodia continues to fully observe the July 28 ceasefire and called on the international community to prevent further violations. Khmer Times, August 5
Philippines
Philippines, India hold first joint sail in South China Sea. The Philippine and Indian navies conducted their first joint passage in the South China Sea, with exercises taking place inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone over two days. Indian ships INS Delhi, INS Shakti, and INS Kiltan joined Philippine frigates BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Jose Rizal. The sail coincided with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to India and drew a warning from China over third-party involvement. Mikhail Flores, Reuters, August 4
SC urged: Hear arguments on impeachment validity. Senator Francis Pangilinan called on the Supreme Court to allow oral arguments on the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, warning that a constitutional clash could erode public trust in institutions. The House filed a motion for reconsideration after the Court ruled the complaint unconstitutional, arguing that the one-year bar was misapplied and all procedures were followed. Bernadette E. Tamayo, Franco Jose C. Baroña, and Reina C. Tolentino, The Manila Times, August 4
Malaysia
Malaysia agrees to boost tech, LNG purchases from US as part of trade deal. Malaysia will buy $3.4 billion in liquefied natural gas annually and invest $70 billion in the United States over five years under a deal that secures a 19% U.S. tariff rate, down from the 25% previously threatened. Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said Malaysia will also cut duties on 98.4% of U.S. imports and lift some non-tariff barriers while seeking more exemptions for key commodities. Rozanna Latiff, Reuters, August 4
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan holds negotiations with China on nuclear power plant construction. Kazakhstan is in talks with China National Nuclear Corporation to build its third nuclear power plant, while also considering small modular reactors and high-power facilities. First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar said site selection requires access to permanent water sources and clear power distribution plans. Fatima Kemelova, The Astana Times, August 4
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan’s consolidated budget to surpass 1 trillion soms for the first time. Kyrgyzstan’s consolidated budget is projected to reach 1.006 trillion soms in 2025, exceeding the 1-trillion mark for the first time, according to presidential spokesman Daiyrbek Orunbekov. Higher-than-expected revenues drove the surge from the originally approved 708.9 billion soms. Officials credited infrastructure investments, anti-corruption efforts, and debt repayment progress. Turdubek Aigyrov, 24KG, August 4
Northeast Asia
In China’s Brain-Computer Clinics, a Long Wait for a Second Chance. Thousands of people with severe paralysis are applying for BCI trials, but strict medical criteria exclude most candidates and create long waitlists. Flagship hospitals accept far fewer than one in a hundred applicants, as teams weigh ethical risks, limited device capabilities, and scarce slots. A few participants gain basic exoskeleton control or communication, yet the therapy remains experimental. Clinicians caution families against inflated expectations while demand outruns clinical capacity. Jiang Xinyi, Sixth Tone, Aug 4
China’s Private Colleges Ease Entry, Still Struggle for Students. Shrinking youth cohorts and the expansion of public universities leave private colleges with empty seats. To fill places, admissions cutoffs are lowered and special plans target students barely clearing the gaokao, but high tuition and weak job outcomes keep enrolment soft. Provincial quotas still go unfilled, and families question value as fees rise faster than incomes. He Qitong, Sixth Tone, Aug 4
Liquid AI: Why Artificial Intelligence Can’t Be Locked Down. Export controls struggle against AI’s modular, easily shared components. Algorithms, open-source code, and pre-trained models diffuse across borders, and firms can relocate teams or compute to sidestep restrictions. Policymakers are urged to accept global spread, prioritising safety, accountability, and responsible use over attempts at total containment. Jin Kai, ThinkChina, Aug 4
Beijing’s Flood Came for the Elderly First. Lethal flooding overwhelmed a Miyun nursing home, killing dozens of residents after evacuation plans failed. High-ground assumptions proved false as waters rose rapidly; staff fled before patients, prompting public anger. Officials promised fixes as critics demanded disaster protocols that prioritise the elderly and disabled instead of one-size-fits-all measures. Chen Jing, ThinkChina, Aug 4
Hu Xijin: Is a Xi’an Incident-Style Military Coup Possible in Taiwan? Hu Xijin dismisses the notion that disaffected Taiwanese officers could force unification via a coup, arguing Taiwan’s military professionalism and civil-military controls make it implausible. He contends that durable advantages in economy, governance, and culture would shape long-term cross-strait outcomes. US-China Perception Monitor, Aug 4
House Election in Japan: What It Means. Japan’s ruling coalition lost ground while smaller parties gained, fragmenting the landscape. Coalition bargaining will grow harder, policy direction less predictable, and trade talks with Washington more complex. Populist gains could stiffen stances toward China as younger voters drift from the Liberal Democratic Party. Zhang Yun, China US Focus, Aug 4
Securing South Korea’s Critical Minerals Supply Chains Through Trilateral Cooperation. A RAND study maps vulnerabilities across cobalt, gallium, molybdenum, and tungsten and proposes U.S.–Japan–Korea cooperation: sectoral trade deals, risk-data sharing, joint stockpiles, and coordinated overseas investment. Obstacles include U.S. reviews, corporate rivalry, historical frictions, and regulatory uncertainty. Dedicated agencies are urged to drive execution. Fabian Villalobos et al., RAND Corporation, Aug 4
Southeast Asia
Indonesia’s Sound Horeg Economy: Freedom of Expression Versus Public Health and Order. Towering “sound horeg” speaker stacks fuel local festivities and livelihoods, but noise, safety hazards, and sleepless neighborhoods spur backlash. A July religious ruling deemed deafening setups impermissible unless volumes are reasonable, while a new task force drafted regulations. Implementation varies, leaving officials to balance cultural expression, income, and community health. A’an Suryana, Fulcrum, Aug 4.
Does Indonesia’s New Capital City, Nusantara, Fit into the President’s Long-Term Vision? Phase-one construction advances with multibillion-dollar spending, yet questions persist over alignment with President Prabowo’s priorities on food security and defense. Continuity in project leadership contrasts with concerns over financing transparency, environmental damage, and indigenous rights. Analysts call for clearer funding mechanisms, social safeguards, and a coherent plan linking Nusantara to national strategy. Yanuar Nugroho & Julia Lau, Fulcrum, Aug 4.
The Copper Gambit: How Indonesia Turned a Trade War into Strategic Leverage. Jakarta bans raw copper exports, compels refining, and cements majority control in Freeport Indonesia while commissioning a giant smelter. The policy aims to capture value at home and avoid nickel-sector dependence on Chinese firms. Execution risks, permits, infrastructure, and social impacts, remain large. Akhmad Hanan, The Interpreter – Lowy Institute, Aug 4
South Asia
Bangladesh’s Revolution Is at a Crossroads. Open Elections Are the Best Way Forward. A post-uprising interim government faces law-and-order failures, attacks on minorities, and extrajudicial killings. Moves to ban the Awami League risk disenfranchising millions and entrenching authoritarianism. The recommended path is an inclusive, internationally monitored vote to restore legitimacy and curb extremist violence. Wahiduzzaman Noor, Atlantic Council, Aug 4
Donald Trump Risks Tanking Twenty-Five Years of U.S.–India Relations. Halting trade talks, imposing sweeping tariffs, and courting Pakistan have jolted U.S.–India ties. New duties, including a 10% baseline tariff and extra surcharges, complicate supply chains and domestic politics in India. Analysts warn the partnership could become a partisan issue unless both sides manage pressures and rebuild trust. Evan A. Feigenbaum, Carnegie Endowment – Emissary, Aug 4
What Message Will Modi Take if He Attends the SCO Summit in China? Modi’s expected trip would be the first since the 2020 border clash, signalling a managed thaw amid continuing disputes. Recent ministerial talks covered de-escalation and trade barriers. Attendance would support India’s multi-alignment, even as tensions over terrorism and China–Pakistan ties persist. Shaheli Das, The Interpreter – Lowy Institute, Aug 4
How BRICS Could Become the Global South’s Climate Voice. As U.S. and EU leadership wanes, BRICS spotlights finance reform and a greener mandate for its New Development Bank. The bloc’s demographic weight and rare-earth reserves position it to shape green industrialisation, but internal divisions, fossil-fuel dependence, and non-binding targets limit traction. Sharon Sarah Thawaney, The Interpreter – Lowy Institute, Aug 4
Oceania
Multicultural but Monolingual: Australia’s Pacific Disconnect. Despite high immigration, second-language study has collapsed in Australia, undermining ties with Pacific neighbors. Schools should offer Pacific languages such as Tok Pisin, Bislama, and Pijin to build regional literacy and genuine people-to-people connections. Sheridan Ward, The Interpreter – Lowy Institute, Aug 4