China
U.S. adds Alibaba, BYD and other Chinese tech champions to military company blacklist. Chinese electric vehicle developments include Xpeng's mass production of autonomous cabs, stronger battery electric vehicle sales, Chery's overseas expansion plans, potential gains for European suppliers, insurance and charging barriers, Tesla's FSD launch in China, and Nio's warning that price wars should not override profitability. Teresa Elena Frontado, South China Morning Post, June 8
China begins large-scale delivery of gallium chips for space-ground 6G network. China delivered 5 million gallium nitride semiconductors for commercial smart terminals supporting a space-air-ground 6G network. Developed by CETC's No. 55 Research Institute and Nanjing Guobo Electronics, the silicon-based chips aim to combine high performance with lower production costs for communications use. Zhang Tong, South China Morning Post, June 8
China's Xi vows unwavering support for North Korea's Kim in rare Pyongyang visit. Xi Jinping pledged continued support for Kim Jong Un and called for stronger China-North Korea strategic ties during a rare Pyongyang summit. The visit comes as North Korea deepens links with Russia, expands trade and military cooperation, and signals nuclear and naval ambitions. Jack Kim and Liz Lee, Reuters, June 7
Tencent seeks $4 billion via U.S. dollar bond and offshore yuan bond sale, sources say. Tencent is seeking $4 billion through U.S. dollar and offshore yuan bonds, returning to global debt markets after a 2025 offshore yuan sale. Proceeds will support general corporate purposes, while S&P cited the company's low debt ratios and expected net cash position over the next two years. Scott Murdoch and Yantoultra Ngui, Reuters, June 8
Japan
Takaichi turns to wine-and-dine politics to woo LDP bigwigs. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has increased dinner and lunch meetings with senior Liberal Democratic Party figures after previously avoiding traditional political dining. The meetings appear aimed at easing concerns over weak communication with the party, though some attendees said policy coordination remained limited. Hayato Jinno, The Asahi Shimbun, June 8
Major parties back draft proposal on Japan’s imperial family law revision. Most major ruling and opposition parties backed a draft proposal to maintain the number of imperial family members. The plan would let female members keep imperial status after marrying commoners and allow the family to adopt men from former branch families, while leaving female succession unresolved. Kyodo News, June 8
South Korea
Supreme Court chief justice accepts election watchdog head’s resignation amid ballot shortage controversy. Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae accepted National Election Commission Chairperson Roh Tae-ak’s resignation after ballot shortages disrupted local elections in Seoul. The NEC sent additional ballots to 140 polling stations nationwide, voting was temporarily suspended at 26 stations, and a fact-finding committee will investigate the incident through June 19. Kang Yoon-seung, Yonhap News Agency, June 8
Special counsel seeks two-year prison term for ex-President Yoon in election law case. Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team sought a two-year prison term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol over alleged false statements before the 2022 presidential election. Prosecutors said the claims affected the race, and a conviction could require the People Power Party to return 39.7 billion won in reimbursed campaign expenses. Chae Yun-hwan, Yonhap News Agency, June 8
Ruling party to pick new leader at national convention in August. South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party plans to choose a new leader at an August 17 national convention after its local election victory. Rep. Jung Chung-rae faces pressure despite the party winning 12 of 16 mayoral and gubernatorial seats, while potential contenders include Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Rep. Song Young-gil. Yi Wonju, Yonhap News Agency, June 8
South Korea to overhaul election process after ballot shortage shocks country. President Lee Jae Myung called ballot shortages in local elections shocking and said South Korea will overhaul its election process. The incident kept some voters waiting for hours, prompted protests demanding a new election, led the election commission chief to resign, and triggered plans for a national inquiry. Jack Kim, Reuters, June 8
South Korea to seek priority supply of Nvidia Vera Rubin GPUs, science minister says. Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said South Korea will request priority supply of Nvidia Vera Rubin GPUs because deliveries appear likely to be delayed. The government issued a notice for its GPU project, while Nvidia B300 chips are still expected to arrive on time. Hyunjoo Jin and Joyce Lee, Reuters, June 8
Chip rout puts Korea's ‘ant’ investors to the test as margin debt soars. South Korean retail investors face growing losses after leveraged bets on chip stocks were hit by a sharp market reversal. Margin-based stock investment has reached record levels, driven by fear of missing out, single-stock leveraged ETFs tied to Samsung and SK Hynix, and a KOSPI rally that raised policymaker concerns over volatility. Cynthia Kim and Yena Park, Reuters, June 8
North Korea
North Korea's Kim calls enhancing ties with China top priority. Kim Jong-un told Xi Jinping in Pyongyang that developing ties with China is North Korea's most important strategic priority. Xi pledged support for North Korea's interests and called for broader cooperation in the economy, trade, military affairs, science and healthcare, without publicly mentioning denuclearization. Kim Eun-jung, Yonhap News Agency, June 8
Myanmar
Myanmar regime vows pre-monsoon push to reopen India’s ASEAN highway. Min Aung Hlaing said his regime will intensify operations before the monsoon to regain the Kale-Tamu section of the India-Myanmar-Thailand highway and restore border stability. Analysts said reopening the route remains unlikely because resistance forces control key areas and the military is overstretched across multiple fronts. Maung Kavi, The Irrawaddy, June 8
Moscow agrees to build power plant for Myanmar’s stalled Dawei SEZ. Myanmar’s regime signed an agreement with Russia’s Inter RAO to build a power plant at the delayed Dawei deep-sea port and special economic zone. The deal followed renewed attempts to revive the project, though analysts questioned whether Moscow would commit major funding amid resistance attacks and security risks. Maung Kavi, The Irrawaddy, June 8
Cambodia
Amnesty says Cambodia scam centres still operating despite crackdowns. Amnesty International said many suspected scam compounds in Cambodia remain active despite official enforcement efforts. Cambodia rejected the findings, citing arrests, asset seizures, casino license revocations and deportations. The report alleged police collusion, abuse of trafficking victims and official treatment of survivors as irregular migrants. Josh Smith, Reuters, June 8
Philippines
Prosecutors: No reply to Duterte’s response. House prosecutors said no reply is needed to Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment answer because the allegations are deemed disputed under the rules and her filing raises no material factual issue. Prosecutors said pre-trial preparations will proceed, with the first hearing set for July 6. Reina C. Tolentino, The Manila Times, June 8
Curlee Discaya taken into PNP custody after Senate turnover. The Philippine National Police served an arrest warrant on contractor Curlee Discaya after the Senate turned him over from custody. Discaya faces non-bailable charges tied to an allegedly anomalous Bulacan flood control project, while police said there would be no special treatment and warrants against other accused would be implemented. Author, The Manila Times, June 8
Indonesia
Indonesia's Prabowo appoints new head of free meals agency. President Prabowo Subianto appointed Nanik Sudaryati Deyang to lead the National Nutrition Agency after her predecessor was arrested on corruption charges. Nanik said the free meals program will emphasize budget efficiency, pause new kitchens, refocus recipients and expand remote-area kitchens through grants or CSR funding. Ananda Teresia, Reuters, June 8
Prabowo welcomes eight new ambassadors, reasserts non-alignment. President Prabowo Subianto received credentials from ambassadors of Sri Lanka, the Philippines, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Palestine, Greece, Lebanon, and Saint Lucia. Prabowo reaffirmed Indonesia's free and active foreign policy, emphasizing non-alignment while envoys praised his diplomacy and discussed bilateral ties. ANTARA News, June 8
Singapore
U.S., China in mutually assured disruption dynamic, both sides worse off if they continue imposing restrictions on one another: PM Wong. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the U.S. and China must manage deep differences because their economies remain highly intertwined. Singapore wants both powers engaged in Southeast Asia while strengthening ties with Europe, India, the Gulf states and North Korea, reflecting a foreign policy based on broad engagement and stable partnerships. Fabian Koh, Channel News Asia, June 8
Taiwan
Palau president affirms Taiwan sovereignty during Hsiao's visit. Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. backed Taiwan's sovereignty during Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim's visit, saying failure to recognize Taiwan would undermine small-country sovereignty. He supported Taiwan's participation in the U.N., WHO, and ICAO, while Hsiao promoted tourism, friendship, and bilateral projects. Wen Kuei-hsiang and Sunny Lai, Focus Taiwan, June 8
Taiwan says China coast guard patrols to its east are provocative act. Defense Minister Wellington Koo called Chinese coast guard patrols east of Taiwan provocative and said the military will coordinate with Taiwan's coast guard. Beijing launched the patrol after Japan and the Philippines began maritime boundary talks, while Taipei said Chinese ships entered restricted waters and were expelled. Ben Blanchard, Reuters, June 8
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan central bank chief sees no pressure on tenge after rate cut. Kazakhstan's National Bank cut its base rate from 18% to 17% after inflation slowed, while Governor Timur Suleimenov said tenge assets should remain attractive despite lower returns. He cited strong oil and metal prices, stable local-currency demand, and no major external shocks as reasons to expect limited pressure on the tenge. Dmitry Pokidaev, The Times of Central Asia, June 8
Tajikistan
Iran and Tajikistan seek closer economic, security ties. Tajikistan and Iran discussed deeper industrial, security, and environmental cooperation, including textile clusters, metallurgy, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, coal processing, and a joint industrial park. Officials also addressed law enforcement cooperation, endangered species protection, pollutant monitoring, and Iran's role in Tajik hydropower projects. The Times of Central Asia, June 8
Iran war reverberations: A nadir for Asia’s economic security. The Strait of Hormuz closure has exposed Asia’s dependence on imported energy and maritime chokepoints. The shock threatens growth, inflation, food production, manufacturing, and medical supplies across the region. Neither the United States nor China is acting as a stabilizer. Asian governments are pursuing collective resilience through oil reserves, energy sharing, power grids, and trade rules that restrict export controls during crises. Mireya Solís, Brookings, June 8
East Asia
China is innovative. Its economy is a mess. Which will win out? China’s growth model pairs frontier technology investment with property collapse, weak consumption, and local government debt. High-end manufacturing may add one point to annual growth, but construction losses persist. State funds and city projects back AI, chips, robotics, and clean technology, yet many inland bets fail, profits fall, and low-skilled workers risk exclusion as innovation clusters concentrate in richer coastal centers, leaving Xi’s wager exposed to trade, energy, and demand shocks. The Economist, June 8
Xi’s missing smile: What AI reveals about his meetings with Trump and Putin. AI-based facial coding of CCTV footage finds Xi Jinping showed less happiness with Donald Trump in 2026 than in 2017 and moderate warmth toward Vladimir Putin. Taiwan arms sales, chip restrictions, and trade tensions weighed on the Trump meeting. Putin’s Ukraine burden and Russia-China frictions shaped a guarded exchange, pointing to Beijing’s pragmatic search for balance across US, Russian, and Chinese interests as competition continues through summits and strategy channels. Wen-Hsuan Tsai, ThinkChina, June 8
How the Iran war benefits China’s global ambitions. The Iran war has expanded China’s strategic opening as the United States absorbs costs and strains alliances. Beijing is helping Asian states manage energy shortages, strengthening its clean technology position, and contrasting itself with Washington’s disorder. China can pressure Taiwan with claims that America lacks resolve. Lasting gains depend on whether the United States restores discipline, alliance investment, and technological focus. Ryan Hass, Brookings, June 8
Russian propaganda abounds in Chinese social media debate on Ukraine. Chinese Weibo influencers portray Ukraine as a Western proxy, demonize President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, label Ukrainian forces as Nazis, and justify Russian strikes as responses to terrorism. Analysis of 1,800 verified Weibo posts finds four narratives that mirror Russian disinformation, weaken trust between Kyiv and Western partners, and indicate Beijing may tolerate or encourage hostile discourse within China’s controlled information space. Yurii Poita, MERICS, June 8
The U.S. Can’t Exclude China From Latin America. China’s presence in Latin America rests on trade, infrastructure, finance, technology, energy, minerals, and digital systems, not conquest. Washington cannot force regional governments to choose between Beijing and the United States. A viable strategy would displace Chinese influence in ports, telecoms, data, minerals, energy, and space infrastructure through competitive financing, private investment, and sustained engagement that offers governments better options without reviving exclusion or paternalism as policy defaults for Washington. Brian Fonseca, Foreign Policy, June 8
China Is Making MAHA’s Favorite Drug. FDA review of seven peptides has placed Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s MAHA allies against China hawks. Wellness advocates want wider access to compounds such as BPC-157 and KPV, while lawmakers warn that Chinese pharmaceutical supply chains pose health and security risks. China dominates peptide inputs, gray market sales, and emerging weight loss drug innovation, making deregulation a test of coalition priorities, safety oversight, and industrial policy under the Trump administration. Kimberly Lim, Foreign Policy, June 8
China Is Providing AI That’s Literate in Africa’s Languages. African developers favor Chinese AI models such as Qwen, DeepSeek, and Kimi because they are open source, cheaper to train, and suited to small language models for local needs. Limited data for African languages raises costs on Western platforms. Chinese tools support projects in education, health, and agriculture but risk lock-in. Western firms can compete if they offer low-cost models for speech, text, and African languages through local developer partnerships. Sam Peters, Foreign Policy, June 8
Russia-North Korea Military Cooperation in Response to China’s Tactical Ambiguity. Russia and North Korea deepened military cooperation because both distrust China’s tactical ambiguity. Pyongyang saw Chinese economic enforcement as weak support, while Moscow viewed Beijing’s refusal to provide direct military aid as a wartime liability. Their bilateral alignment pressures China by raising fears of exclusion and US-allied coordination. Washington should engage North Korea, raise the issue with China, calibrate pressure, and avoid blunt wedge tactics toward Beijing, Pyongyang, and Moscow. Sungmin Cho, Asia Society, June 8
Southeast Asia
Sarawak bets on its sovereign wealth fund to regain greater autonomy. Sarawak’s sovereign wealth fund converts finite oil and gas revenue into a vehicle for fiscal resilience and political autonomy. The fund reflects resource decline, volatile prices, and a history of eroded state rights within Malaysia. Its bond-first strategy favors capital preservation, governance norms, and gradual expansion. Success depends on resisting political demands for local projects while funding future returns from revenues tied to the exposure it seeks to hedge against. Guanie Lim, Nikkei Asia, June 8
The Myanmar Military’s “New” Narrative: Caveat Emptor. Myanmar’s military presents a new administration as legitimate and stabilizing, but most cabinet posts remain held by former generals under Min Aung Hlaing. Engagement from Washington would give Naypyidaw legitimacy while leaving its dependence on China and Russia intact. Military ceasefires, Four Cuts tactics, and illicit economies fuel displacement, scams, trafficking, and narcotics. US policy should strengthen resistance governance and avoid deals that consolidate junta power and harm US interests. Billy Ford, FULCRUM, June 8
No Longer Poor: Can Laos be Clean, Green and Great? Laos will leave the UN Least Developed Country category with rapid growth, lower poverty, and plans to reach upper-middle income status by 2055. Resource-led expansion from hydropower, mining, and plantations has damaged forests, cities, and the Mekong while exposing debt and currency risks. Cleaner growth requires integrated planning, waste laws, stronger enforcement, civic campaigns, incentives, and monitoring tools that link development with climate, water, energy, food, and tourism goals standards. Anoulak Kittikhoun, FULCRUM, June 8
South Asia
India’s limits as a middle power. The Hormuz crisis has renewed interest in middle power cooperation, but India’s strategic autonomy limits deep collaboration. New Delhi favors multipolarity and issue-based minilateral groups while avoiding alliances and military blocs. Its silence after a US strike near Sri Lanka showed caution toward Washington. Middle power coalitions remain constrained by weak trust, unequal pressure tolerance, and limited common security interests. Deepa M Ollapally, East Asia Forum, June 8