China
Senior Chinese financial regulator and ex-graft fighter Zhou Liang under corruption probe. Chinese authorities placed Zhou Liang, vice chairman of the National Financial Regulatory Administration, under investigation for serious violations of discipline and law, marking a major purge in the financial regulatory system. Zhou, 54, led the Communist Party discipline watchdog’s organization department before helping steer banking regulation through the 2017 overhaul and the 2023 creation of the NFRA. His career had long ties to former vice president Wang Qishan for years. Xinlu Liang, South China Morning Post, March 24
China protests to Japan about Tokyo embassy break-in. China lodged a protest with Japan after a man who claimed to be an active-duty Self-Defense Forces officer scaled the wall and entered the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, according to Beijing. Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the intruder admitted the act was illegal and threatened Chinese diplomats. China demanded an investigation, punishment, and stronger protection for its missions as tensions with Japan deepen over Taiwan and other disputes. Liz Lee, Ethan Wang, and Kiyoshi Takenaka, Reuters, March 24
Chinese firms' involvement in 5G network may deter investors, EU warns Vietnam. EU Commissioner Jozef Sikela warned that Vietnam’s use of Huawei and ZTE in 5G contracts could deter foreign investors who fear for data security. European firms Ericsson and Nokia are building Vietnam’s core network, but state operators have awarded recent deals to Chinese rivals. Vietnam has defended the equipment as reliable and cheaper. The European Union announced new transport and energy investments as more Chinese telecom contracts remain under discussion. Francesco Guarascio, Reuters, March 24.
Japan
Japan to drop 'most important' tag for China ties. Japan’s 2026 Diplomatic Bluebook will drop the phrase “one of its most important” for ties with China and describe Beijing as an important neighbour and the relationship as strategic and beneficial. The draft cites confrontations over rare earth export controls, radar lock-ons targeting Japanese aircraft, and pressure around Taiwan. The shift follows sharper rhetoric from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and a new Japan-U.S. plan on minerals supply chains. Tamiyuki Kihara and Tim Kelly, Reuters, March 24
Japan to prepare 800 billion yen from reserves for gas subsidies. Japan plans to tap contingency reserves in fiscal 2025 to add about 800 billion yen to gasoline subsidies as crude prices rise during the Middle East crisis. The fund helps hold average regular gasoline prices near 170 yen per liter and also covers diesel, heavy oil and kerosene. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said reserves from fiscal 2025 or 2026 could be used if needed for households and transport networks during shocks. Takao Shinkai, The Asahi Shimbun, March 24
South Korea
South Korean alleged 'drug lord' running ring from Philippines jail extradited. South Korean police took Park Wang-yeol into custody after the Philippines sent him on temporary extradition for investigation into an alleged narcotics ring run from prison. Park was serving a 60-year term for triple homicide. Seoul said the treaty clause pauses his Philippine sentence while investigators pursue charges at home. Officials said Park escaped prison twice and used smuggled phones, while local media reported meth distribution worth 30 billion won. Jack Kim, Reuters, March 25
5-day driving rotation system to get stricter in public sector amid energy crisis. Korea will tighten its five-day driving rotation rule for public sector workers from Wednesday as the Middle East conflict strains global energy supplies. More than 20,000 institutions and 1.5 million vehicles fall under the measure, with exceptions for pregnant people, parents with infants, people with disabilities, and electric and hydrogen vehicles. Officials estimate savings of 3,000 barrels of petroleum a day and kept participation voluntary because of concerns for workers. Yi Whan-woo, The Korea Times, March 24.
S. Korean sub to make trans-Pacific journey for joint drills with Canada amid major bid. A 3,000-ton South Korean submarine will cross the Pacific for the first time to join drills with Canada in June, then take part in the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific exercise in Hawaii. The 14,000-kilometer trip by the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho comes as a South Korean consortium seeks a landmark contract to supply 12 submarines to Canada. Two Canadian submariners will join the final leg from Hawaii to Victoria. Lee Minji, Yonhap News Agency, March 25
North Korea
Belarus leader Lukashenko to visit North Korea: KCNA. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will visit North Korea at Kim Jong-un’s invitation, according to state media. KCNA did not give dates, but Russia’s TASS, citing a Telegram channel close to Lukashenko’s press service, said the trip is expected on March 25 and 26. Kim and Lukashenko are expected to discuss bilateral ties. TASS said the visit could strengthen the legal basis of relations and expand cooperation between the two countries. Kim Seonghun, Yonhap News Agency, March 24
North Korea’s destroyers: satellite analysis, March 2026. Satellite imagery shows North Korea’s new 5,000-ton destroyer force remains incomplete despite public rollouts and expansion plans. Choe Hyon appears back at Nampo after sea trials, while Kang Kon has stayed moored at Chongjin since repair work after a failed launch. A third destroyer is about 30 percent complete. The ships carry missile potential, but accidents, technical problems and limited movement point to weak combat readiness for the fleet. Bruce Songhak Chung, Daily NK, March 24
Thailand
Opposition seeks energy crisis debate. Five opposition parties agreed to seek an urgent House debate on Thailand’s energy crisis and the People’s Party said it would raise alleged fuel hoarding. Party spokesman Parit Wacharasindhu said members would submit an oral motion, press for recommendations to the government and seek a second sitting on Thursday. He cited supply conditions, public impact, price controls and fuel availability, while Bhumjaithai also prepared its own motion for parliament debate. Bangkok Post, March 24
New cabinet ready for royal endorsement. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thailand’s new cabinet lineup is ready for royal endorsement and indicated Pakorn Nilprapunt would become deputy prime minister overseeing legal affairs. He said changes from earlier expectations, including Borwornsak Uwanno’s absence, were part of a new administration. Nominees have submitted records for vetting, the cabinet is expected to have 35 members and coalition posts will go to Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai under the new coalition. Mongkol Bangprapa and Aekarach Sattaburuth, Bangkok Post, March 24.
Myanmar
Resistance chief killed as infighting erupts between Yaw factions in Magwe. Infighting between two Yaw resistance factions in Magwe killed Captain Kaung Kaung and Sai Zaw Win and left two others in critical condition. The splinter Ground Operations Regional Office said it was ambushed during conciliation talks by fighters from the Yaw Defense Force. The YDF said it was rescuing kidnapped members. The clash broke a ceasefire brokered after earlier detentions, while local support networks urged dialogue and restraint for peace. The Irrawaddy, March 24
Laos
Inaugural session of 10th National Assembly approves Laos’ top leadership. In the opening session of its 10th legislature, Laos’ National Assembly re-elected President Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and National Assembly President Xaysomphone Phomvihane, confirming continuity in senior leadership. Lawmakers also elected Viengthong Siphandone as vice president and approved leaders for the assembly, judiciary, audit office and inspection authority. Bounfaeng Phaymanivong, Vientiane Times, March 25
Laos seeks approval for USD 1.3 billion railway to Vietnam. Laos has asked the National Assembly to approve a railway linking Vientiane to Vietnam’s Vung Ang Port, with the first 147-kilometer phase running from Thakhek to the Moua border crossing. The standard gauge line would carry passengers at up to 150 kilometers per hour and freight at 80. Officials said the project would cut logistics costs, strengthen trade, improve supply chains and give Laos direct sea access for exports. Namfon Chanthavong, The Laotian Times, March 24
Cambodia
Cambodia denies arms build-up amid Thai push to scrap border agreement. Cambodia rejected a Thai allegation that it is importing Eastern European arms for another border conflict and called the claim baseless. Phnom Penh said its armed forces remain committed to bilateral agreements, peace, and international law. The dispute widened after a Thai Senate panel proposed ending the 2000 land border memorandum. Cambodia said two rounds of Thai attacks in 2025 displaced over 600,000 civilians and left 50,000 unable to return. Sao Phal Niseiy, Cambodianess, March 24
Philippines
Duterte to skip House impeachment hearing. Vice President Sara Duterte will skip the first House justice committee hearing on her impeachment case, according to her defense spokesman. Lawmakers invited her to respond to allegations tied to confidential funds used by the Office of the Vice President and the Education Department. Committee chair Gerville Luistro said her presence could help test the complaints and inform the panel’s decision on whether grounds for impeachment exist in the case. Red Mendoza, The Manila Times, March 24
Coast Guard, BFAR boats sent to protect fishermen. The Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources sent seven vessels to Bajo de Masinloc after Chinese ships harassed more than 20 Filipino fishing boats. The mission secured fishing grounds, delivered fuel, food packs and ice, and launched an aerial surveillance flight. Patrols documented six China Coast Guard vessels, 20 maritime militia ships and one PLA Navy warship near the shoal during the patrol in the area. Franco Jose C. Baroña, The Manila Times, March 24
Duterte impeachment hearings begin today, March 25. The House Committee on Justice will open formal impeachment hearings against Vice President Sara Duterte at 10 a.m. on March 25 at the People Center in the House of Representatives. The panel will set ground rules, resolve motions and may begin hearing evidence and witnesses. Lawmakers will decide whether two complaints alleging constitutional violations, misuse of confidential funds and threats against officials establish probable cause for the case at hand. Reina C. Tolentino, The Manila Times, March 24
Taiwan
Taiwan deputy trade representative Yen Huai-shing dies aged 53. Premier Cho Jung-tai said Deputy Trade Representative Yen Huai-shing died at 53 after resigning because of health problems linked to heavy work pressure. Cabinet officials said she played a key role in Taiwan-U.S. tariff talks before taking leave. Yen died on March 12 after treatment in the hospital. She had served in the Executive Yuan’s Office of Trade Negotiations since 2024 and worked at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research. Wang Yang-yu and Matthew Mazzetta, Focus Taiwan, March 24
Taipei tells Denmark to fix ‘China’ tag. Taiwan demanded that Denmark restore “Taiwan” as the nationality label for Taiwanese residents after Copenhagen changed residence permits to list them as “China” in 2024. The foreign ministry said the move violates EU policy and democratic principles and warned of retaliatory steps that could affect Denmark’s image, business interests and cooperation prospects. Taiwan is pressing South Korea to revise its e-arrival entry system after it labeled Taiwan as “China (Taiwan).” Huang Ching-hsuan and Sam Garcia, Taipei Times, March 24
East Asia
Minerals, Metals, and Megawatts: How China’s Power Generation Drives Its Industrial Metals Ecosystem. China’s emergence as an “electro-state” rests on abundant low-cost power, dense industrial clustering, cheap credit, and vast downstream demand that reinforce one another across mining, refining, materials processing, and manufacturing. That system has made China dominant in critical metals and electrified goods while creating major barriers to alternative supply chains elsewhere. Demand-side protections such as tariffs may shield ex-China investment, but diversification will raise costs and require difficult tradeoffs between security and competitiveness. Coal remains central to heavy industry even as renewable generation and grid expansion accelerate. Reducing dependence on China will take decades, sustained policy coordination, and acceptance of higher costs. Rogan Quinn, Rhodium Group, March 24
China’s new masterplan for its tech economy in 2030 and beyond. China’s 15th five-year plan extends industrial policy beyond established strategic sectors to the commercialization of drones, AI robots, hydrogen power and brain-computer interfaces within five years, while targeting later breakthroughs in fusion and quantum computing. The plan is designed to direct state funding, private capital and local bureaucratic effort toward selected frontier industries, building on a model that supporters say aided AI and the low-altitude economy. But earlier plans missed important targets, China still trails in advanced semiconductors and passenger jets, and trying to dominate too many emerging sectors at once could waste capital, outrun market demand and provoke stronger US countermeasures. The Economist, March 24
China's OpenClaw 'lobster craze' shows its AI adoption outpaces the West. OpenClaw’s rapid spread in Shenzhen, local government subsidies, and swift corporate adoption illustrate a broader Chinese readiness to install, test, and commercialize new technologies at scale. That receptiveness reflects a public association between technological change and improved daily life, reinforced by earlier waves such as mobile payments and platform services. China’s second-mover advantages, large user base, and alignment among consumers, firms, and growth-focused local officials create powerful adoption effects. Security risks and uneven regulation remain significant, and Beijing has already restricted sensitive workplace use. Even so, China may gain less from frontier-model leadership than from becoming the largest arena for practical everyday AI deployment. Lizzi C. Lee, Nikkei Asia, March 24
Two Sessions: what are ‘China services’? China is pushing services exports as a higher-value complement to goods trade, with Premier Li Qiang calling for a globally competitive “China Services” brand in technology, finance, logistics, digital, medical, and consumer sectors. Services still make up only about 15 percent of total trade and the country remains in deficit, but 2025 services trade reached about US$1.12 trillion, rising 7.4 percent and outpacing goods. Policy support is moving away from routine outsourcing toward biotech, professional services, digital culture, and service capabilities that help Chinese firms expand abroad through logistics, e-commerce, legal support, market research, and overseas branches. CHINA POLICY, March 24
A war, a postponed summit and a wider US-China rift. The Iran war has delayed the planned Trump-Xi summit and added another complication to a relationship already defined by rivalry and interdependence. Beijing criticized the US and Israeli attacks on Iran and the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as violations of international law, but stopped short of outright condemnation and has shown no overt military backing for Tehran. China’s caution reflects its larger trade, investment and energy ties with Gulf states, concern over Hormuz disruption and retaliatory attacks on Gulf infrastructure, and a longer-term priority of managing relations with Washington. Beijing also sees the conflict as another Middle East distraction that pulls American attention and resources away from the Indo-Pacific. Joseph Chinyong Liow, ThinkChina, March 24
The Case for Enabling Nongovernmental Engagement with North Korea. US restrictions are preventing American NGOs from resuming humanitarian work in North Korea through delayed or denied licenses, special validation passports, and prolonged holds on sanctions exemptions. The 2024 amendment to North Korea sanctions added narrow humanitarian exemptions for activities such as medical, agricultural, and clean water projects, but the new pre-activity reporting process gave the State Department broad power to block them. Years of restricted access have eroded relationships with North Korean counterparts and jeopardized operations including vaccinations and maternal immunizations. Replacing pre-activity reporting with post-activity reporting, as in Syria, Iran, and Afghanistan, would reduce delays, preserve oversight, reopen people-to-people channels, and better align humanitarian access with diplomatic aims. Austin Headrick, 38 North, March 24
The limits of South Korean soft power. South Korea’s global image has been transformed by hallyu, which has delivered tourism gains, export revenue, and stronger nation branding. Cultural attraction, however, has not reliably translated into political influence or diplomatic leverage. The failed 2023 Busan World Expo bid showed that global familiarity with K-pop, television, and film did not sway state voting decisions with economic and strategic consequences. International fandoms also remain difficult for Seoul to direct and can mobilize around causes unrelated or contrary to government aims. Cultural success therefore functions more as brand equity and domestic reassurance than as proof of measurable preference-shaping power. CedarBough T Saeji, East Asia Forum, March 23
Southeast Asia
Iran War holds trade implications for Southeast Asia. The war in Iran threatens Southeast Asia through disrupted energy supplies, higher oil and LNG prices, rising shipping costs, weaker growth, and greater market volatility, with the region especially exposed because so much Gulf crude and LNG transits the Straits of Hormuz. Those pressures also affect US inflation, which could shape the Trump administration’s tariff decisions as midterm elections approach. Higher energy and transport costs, along with fertiliser-related pressures, risk worsening affordability in the United States and making additional tariffs politically costly. Because reciprocal tariffs have only been partially replaced and further measures remain months away, the administration retains room to soften its tariff stance. A partial tariff climbdown is therefore presented as a plausible outcome for Southeast Asia to watch closely. Stephen Olson, FULCRUM, March 24
China Is Squeezing Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia’s deeper integration with China has produced widening trade deficits, pressure on local industry and limited industrial upgrading rather than shared prosperity. Chinese firms keep higher-value processes, technology and suppliers at home, leaving regional plants concentrated in labor-intensive assembly while cheaper Chinese goods undercut domestic producers in sectors from textiles to auto parts. Beijing’s push for technological self-reliance also threatens Southeast Asia’s gains in semiconductors and other advanced manufacturing. Weak rule of law, patronage and poor oversight have compounded the strain, contributing to labor unrest, environmental damage and criminal activity linked to Chinese projects. The region needs diversified trade ties, stronger ASEAN integration and firmer governance to capture more value from growth. Jessica C. Liao and Zenel Garcia, Foreign Affairs, March 24
Can Laos de-risk from China on its own terms? Laos is trying to reduce its exposure to China without abandoning a statist-socialist development model built on foreign-backed energy, infrastructure, and resource projects. That strategy supported growth and poverty reduction but also produced heavy debt, macroeconomic instability, and environmental damage, with Chinese loans and deferred repayments leaving the government highly exposed. Since late 2024, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party has promoted a “self-reliant economy” focused on lowering debt, strengthening resilience, improving transparency, and diversifying toward partners such as Vietnam and Russia. But China still accounts for most foreign investment, opaque debt management persists, and expensive borrowing underscores how limited Laos’ room to delink remains. Keith Barney and Simon Creak, East Asia Forum, March 24
Lessons for Singapore From Trump’s War in Iran. Iran’s attacks on the UAE and disruption of Hormuz show how a small trade-dependent state with a close US security partnership and a strategic chokepoint can become a military target. Singapore shares many of those vulnerabilities through its reliance on open trade, quiet but substantial defense ties with Washington, and location beside the Strait of Malacca, a narrower and even more vital maritime corridor. In a US-China war, Beijing could see Singapore as part of an effort to constrain Chinese trade and support American operations. Singapore is urged to keep convening diplomacy, expand contingency planning with partners, and confront the risks of its geopolitical position. Derek Grossman, Foreign Policy, March 24