China
China accuses the Philippines of ‘selective and discriminatory’ Chinese arrests. Beijing accused Manila of selective and discriminatory enforcement against Chinese nationals after several arrests and detentions by Philippine cities. China’s embassy demanded case-by-case updates within four days, fair handling, protection of detainees’ rights, and release of those found not to have violated Philippine law. The disputes come amid heightened South China Sea tensions and deepening Philippine-U.S. security ties. Cao Jiaxuan, South China Morning Post, May 28
China slams US commander’s ‘dagger’ label for South Korea. China criticized U.S. Forces Korea Commander Xavier Brunson after he described South Korea as a “dagger” and Japan as a “shield” in relation to China’s regional ambitions. Beijing’s embassy in Seoul said the remarks crossed a line and questioned whether Washington authorized them. The comments come as the U.S. seeks a broader Indo-Pacific role for its South Korea-based command. Victoria Bela, South China Morning Post, May 28
China’s top military officials face ‘ironclad’ rules in anti-corruption fight. China’s Central Military Commission issued new measures tightening education, management, and supervision of senior PLA cadres. The 26-article rules follow sweeping anti-corruption purges that left President Xi Jinping and disciplinary chief Zhang Shengmin as the only remaining members of the once seven-member commission. The measures emphasize ideological rectification, party discipline, personnel control, collective leadership, and closer oversight of senior officers. William Zheng, South China Morning Post, May 28
China says Taiwan should not 'interfere' in its air force missions around island. China’s defense ministry said Taiwan should not interfere with Chinese air force missions around the island, describing the flights as operations in Chinese airspace. Beijing said its military will continue training, combat readiness, and actions to safeguard sovereignty. Taipei has reported recent Chinese combat patrols, more than 100 ships along the first island chain, and coast guard tensions near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands. Ben Blanchard, Reuters, May 28
Japan
Japan, Philippines to negotiate on intel-sharing pact amid China concerns. Japan and the Philippines will begin formal talks on a military intelligence-sharing agreement as they upgrade ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also confirmed cooperation on Japanese destroyers and other defense equipment, joint opposition to unilateral changes in the East and South China seas, oil stockpiling support, a new tax treaty, and possible revisions to economic partnership agreements. Kyodo News, May 28
Japan’s population marks sharpest drop to 123 mil. in 2025: census. Japan’s population, including foreign residents, fell by a record 3.1 million from 2020 to 123,049,524 in 2025, marking a 2.5% decline and the third straight census drop. The Tokyo metropolitan area held 30.1% of the population, exceeding 30% for the first time. Officials attributed the decline to aging and deaths outnumbering births, intensifying pressure on regional communities and the economy. Kyodo News, May 29
South Korea
S. Korea says U.S. made no proposal to change combined command structure after OPCON transfer. South Korea’s defense ministry said U.S. Forces Korea has not proposed changing the allies’ agreement to retain the Combined Forces Command structure after Seoul retakes wartime operational control. The ministry rejected a report that USFK warned a rushed transition could lead to the command’s dissolution. The allies remain committed to a conditions-based transfer, though timing concerns persist between Seoul’s preferred schedule and USFK’s 2029 target. Kim Seung-yeon, Yonhap News Agency, May 28
S. Korea, U.S. to launch talks on security initiatives from summit agreements next week. South Korea and the United States will begin formal talks in Seoul to implement security agreements from the Lee-Trump summit fact sheet. Discussions will cover South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine plan, uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing for peaceful use, and expanded shipbuilding cooperation. Seoul’s delegation will be led by First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo, while U.S. Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker will lead the American side. Song Sang-ho, Yonhap News Agency, May 28
S. Korea kicks off 2-day early voting for June 3 local elections. South Korea opened two days of early voting for local elections and parliamentary by-elections seen as a referendum on President Lee Jae Myung’s first year. Voters can cast ballots at 3,571 polling stations nationwide. Contests include 16 mayoral and gubernatorial posts, 227 local government heads, about 4,000 local council seats, and 14 vacant National Assembly seats, with Seoul and the capital region viewed as key battlegrounds. Yi Wonju, Yonhap News Agency, May 28
Unification minister to be probed over alleged leak of N. Korean nuclear info. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young will face a prosecution review over allegations that he disclosed classified information about North Korea’s nuclear facilities. Chung said during a parliamentary session that North Korea operates a uranium enrichment facility in Kusong, in addition to Yongbyon and Kangson. The unification ministry said his comments were based on public remarks, research analyses, and media reports. Kim Han-joo, Yonhap News Agency, May 28
North Korea
North Korea not keen to engage with the U.S. or South Korea, Singapore FM says. Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said North Korea is focused on self-reliance and military deterrence rather than engagement with the U.S., South Korea, or Japan. After visits to both Koreas, he noted Pyongyang’s closer ties with Russia, continued dependence on China, rejection of reunification, and possible eventual return to talks if conditions are favorable. Brenda Goh, Jack Kim, and Yong Jun Yuan, Reuters, May 28
Vietnam
Vietnam, Singapore to promote sci-tech, innovation as pillar of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. General Secretary and President To Lam and Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam agreed to make science, technology, and innovation a pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The two sides also discussed digital transformation, clean energy, carbon credits, cybersecurity, emerging technologies, financial centers, defense-security cooperation, and other matters. Vietnam News, May 29
Thailand
Thai court acquits opposition politician accused of royal insult. A Thai criminal court acquitted Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit of lese majeste and cybercrime charges tied to a 2021 Facebook livestream criticizing the government’s COVID-19 vaccine campaign and its reliance on royal-owned Siam Bioscience. Thanathorn was formally indicted in 2022, and prosecutors have 30 days to appeal the ruling. Panu Wongcha-um, Reuters, May 28
Myanmar
Beijing launches soft power blitz as anti-China sentiment soars in Myanmar. China is expanding media cooperation with Myanmar’s regime through state broadcasters, private outlets, documentaries, dramas, language programming, and cultural content as public hostility toward Beijing grows. Senior Chinese media official Cao Shumin met regime and broadcaster representatives, while Ambassador Ma Jia urged regime-aligned outlets to promote stories of mutually beneficial cooperation. Maung Kavi, The Irrawaddy, May 29
Myanmar president to embark on first India visit since taking over. Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing will visit India from May 30 to June 3 and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 1. The trip could be his first official India visit since becoming president in April through a parliamentary vote. His planned attendance at the International Big Cat Alliance summit was converted into an official visit after the summit was postponed. Kanjyik Ghosh, Reuters, May 28
Cambodia
Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers break ice on border conflict. Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers held their first talks on the border dispute in New York, with Cambodia reaffirming compulsory conciliation and commitment to continued border settlement discussions. Both sides described the meeting as candid, called for implementation of the Dec. 27 Joint Statement, and agreed to maintain regular consultations. Meng Seavmey, Cambodianess, May 28
Philippines
Court orders arrest of Jinggoy Estrada, Bonoan but sets bail. The Sandiganbayan Second Division issued arrest warrants and hold departure orders against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan in a graft case. Bail was set at P90,000. Reina C. Tolentino, The Manila Times, May 29
PH, Japan sign double tax convention, other deals during Marcos visit. The Philippines and Japan signed a double taxation convention and cooperation deals on agriculture, health, and human resource development during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit. The two governments also agreed to expand cooperation in artificial intelligence, space, energy security, supply chains, military information sharing, and maritime boundary discussions. Catherine S. Valente, The Manila Times, May 29
Taiwan
Taiwan says U.S. has no timetable for chip tariffs, preferential terms already agreed. Taiwan Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun said the U.S. has no timetable for Section 232 semiconductor tariffs and that Taiwan has already secured preferential treatment under a January trade deal. The agreement cuts or removes some tariffs on Taiwanese imports and grants Taiwan corresponding benefits if future chip tariffs are imposed, particularly for businesses investing in the U.S. Ben Blanchard, Reuters, May 28
Legislature approves NT$8.8 billion 2026 defense procurement budget. Taiwan’s Legislature approved a 2026 special defense procurement budget of NT$8.811 billion to fund five U.S. weapons systems, including M109A7 howitzers, HIMARS, anti-armor drones, Javelin missiles, and TOW 2B missiles. The borrowing-funded allocation is the first annual installment under a broader NT$780 billion arms procurement framework running through 2033. Chao Yen-hsiang and Sean Lin, Focus Taiwan, May 29
East Asia
Trump Shouldn’t Give China a Veto on Taiwan Arms Sales. Trump’s pause on a pending Taiwan arms package would weaken deterrence, signal that Taiwan’s security is negotiable, and invite Chinese pressure. U.S. law and precedent support defensive arms sales through the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances. Delays could harm allied confidence, discourage Taiwan’s defense spending, slow delivery of air defense and anti-armor systems, and erode public trust in Washington while aiding Beijing’s coercive aims over Taiwan and regional stability. Rush Doshi and David Sacks, Council on Foreign Relations, May 28
A Tale of Two Presidents in Beijing. Trump’s May 2026 Beijing visit with Xi Jinping sought a change toward constructive strategic stability after years of trade and technology conflict. The leaders announced trade and investment boards, purchase commitments, rare earth discussions, and a September Washington visit. Sustaining progress requires tariff carve-outs, renewed restraint on export controls, AI safeguards, arms control dialogue with Russia, and a Taiwan approach that lowers cross-strait tension while preserving bilateral gains and stability. Sourabh Gupta, East Asia Forum, May 28
Trump and Xi Are Angling for Three Years of Stability. Trump and Xi used their Beijing summit to establish a principal-to-principal model for managing U.S.-China tensions through the rest of Trump’s term. Xi gave Trump rare personal access and agreed to a September Washington visit. Both sides accepted a constructive strategic stability framework, leaving trade, technology, and Taiwan for leader-level management, while U.S. midterms, China’s transition, and the Iran war threaten the detente and future diplomatic gains for both capitals. Damien Ma, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, May 28
China’s Police and Security Cooperation Agreements. China’s Ministry of Public Security has built a global network of police and security cooperation agreements under Xi Jinping. Since 2006, it has signed at least 205 agreements with seventy-four countries plus Taiwan. Partners include Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Russia, and the United States. The agreements cover transnational crime, counterdrugs, counterterrorism, border enforcement, police training, overseas Chinese interests, cybercrime, scams, and financial crime. Sophie Zhuang, Sheena Chestnut Greitens, and Cameron Waltz, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, May 28
How Partisan Is Taiwan’s Security Debate? Taiwan’s debate over defense spending and U.S. reliability is shaped by party identity. Survey data show 54 percent support Lai Ching-te’s proposed defense budget, with DPP voters backing it and KMT voters rejecting it. Support tracks belief that spending deters China. Views of America remain split, trust is weak, and concerns about U.S. Middle East commitments cut across partisan lines as voters separate Trump from United States institutions and alliances. Lev Nachman and Wei-Ting Yen, Brookings, May 28
The Hardest Part of “Reunifying Taiwan by Force” May Not Be the Invasion. Chinese claims that force could secure Taiwan overlook six strategic paradoxes. An invasion may lose surprise, trigger U.S. war, and bring sanctions. A blockade would damage global supply chains and China’s trade. Japan and U.S. allies could respond because Taiwan affects sea lanes, credibility, and chips. Time may favor Taiwan’s defenses, while postwar rule over a hostile society could create decades of resistance and isolation after a victory in name. Erik Rostad, U.S.-China Perception Monitor, May 28
Building a State-Controlled Knowledge Infrastructure: The Evolution of Distance Education in North Korea. North Korea’s distance education has evolved from correspondence programs into a digital, state-managed network for technical training, workforce development, and science dissemination. Under Kim Jong Un, learning platforms, S&T rooms, libraries, and the Sci-Tech Complex became tools for adult education, teacher retraining, public health instruction, and regional factory staffing. The system expands skills under sanctions while strengthening monitoring, ideological control, and centralized governance across uneven infrastructure inside the country’s institutions. Yonho Kim, 38 North, May 28
Southeast Asia
The 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award Did Not Fail. China rejected the 2016 ruling, yet the Award reshaped the South China Sea dispute by grounding maritime claims in UNCLOS and limiting historic-rights narratives. It became a legal baseline for Philippine diplomacy, regional claims, and wider support from partners defending navigation rights. ASEAN remains divided, while militarization and U.S.-China rivalry raise risks. Its value lies in preserving law as a standard against future coercion and acquiescence across contested regional waters. Lowell Bautista and Aries A. Arugay, FULCRUM, May 28
Beijing seeks to shape ASEAN health market rules. Beijing is building cross-border volume-based procurement platforms to carry Chinese drug pricing, procurement rules, and quality standards into ASEAN and other markets. Guangxi’s Fangchenggang platform has gained firms, orders, and investment pledges, using China’s low-cost base to challenge Western multinationals. Growth opportunities are strong, but limited mutual recognition, fragmented procurement systems, weak market intelligence, and rival Chinese price wars could impede durable rule-setting across regional health markets over time. China Policy, May 28
South Asia
Canada and India Could Shape a New AI Order. Canada and India’s March 2026 AI agreements could give middle powers a role in setting rules beyond U.S.-China rivalry. Canada offers AI research, minerals, and energy, while India brings talent, digital infrastructure, and AI ambitions. The partnership needs Canadian legislation, shared governance standards, critical mineral supply planning, and talent pipelines to create a durable Indo-Pacific AI architecture before other powers define the terms for regional supply chains and data rules. Warawita Yaemsuda, East Asia Forum, May 28
Bangladesh’s Unfinished Revolution. Bangladesh held a credible election in 2026 after the 2024 uprising ended Sheikh Hasina’s rule and brought the BNP back to power. The Yunus interim government stabilized reserves, inflation, banks, and exports, but barred the Awami League. Tarique Rahman faces pressure over the July Charter, energy and fertilizer shocks from the U.S.-Iran war, and a reset with India, while reforms risk party control under familiar patronage structures and political limits. Avinash Paliwal, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, May 28