China
China warns propaganda staff and classified units to stop media leaks of state secrets. China’s secrecy watchdog urged propaganda departments and classified units to tighten confidentiality reviews after several recent disclosures of state secrets by journalists. Specific cases included unauthorized sharing of classified documents, filming restricted military equipment, and mislabeling sensitive materials, all of which led to leaks via social and mainstream media. Alcott Wei, South China Morning Post, October 12
China’s Wingtech seeks government help after Dutch intervention at Nexperia unit. Chinese chipmaker Wingtech announced it will pursue legal options and seek government backing after the Netherlands imposed controls on its subsidiary Nexperia over national security concerns. The Dutch intervention restricts Wingtech’s influence on the company’s decisions but allows production to continue. Wingtech’s shares fell 10% following the move. Toby Sterling, Reuters, October 12
Japan
Japan’s main opposition party head signals openness to unite on PM vote. Constitutional Democratic Party leader Yoshihiko Noda expressed willingness to coordinate with other opposition parties in selecting a unified candidate for Japan’s next prime minister, following the Komeito party’s exit from the ruling coalition. Noda urged Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki to show flexibility despite policy differences. Kyodo News, October 12
LDP toying with revenge tactics over Komeito’s decision to bolt. In response to Komeito’s departure from their 26-year coalition, the Liberal Democratic Party is considering fielding candidates against Komeito incumbents in future Lower House elections. The LDP is also exploring a new alliance with Nippon Ishin, though it would still fall short of a majority. The Asahi Shimbun, October 11
South Korea
Rival parties clash over top court justice’s attendance as parliamentary audit begins. South Korea’s National Assembly opened its annual audit with heated disputes over Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae’s appearance and the Lee administration’s policies. Cho refused to answer questions, citing judicial independence amid allegations of election interference. Yi Wonju, Yonhap News Agency, October 13
Gov’t to unveil measures to stabilize housing market this week. South Korea’s government will introduce new measures to stabilize housing prices amid recent increases in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The decision follows a meeting between the Democratic Party and top officials. While tighter lending rules or expanded regulatory zones are expected, tax hikes are unlikely ahead of next year’s elections. Kim Soo-yeon, Yonhap News Agency, October 12
North Korea
North Korea holds military parade, shows off new intercontinental missile. North Korea unveiled its latest Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile during a military parade attended by dignitaries from Russia, China and Vietnam. Kim Jong Un also met with Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev and discussed increased cooperation. Additional weapons displayed included hypersonic missiles, cruise missiles and suicide drone launchers. Joyce Lee and Josh Smith, Reuters, October 10
High-profile chief of N.K.’s abolished body appears to retain director title. Ri Son-gwon, former head of North Korea’s dissolved United Front Department, was referred to as a director of the ruling party’s Central Committee in state media, indicating he retains a leadership role despite the agency’s abolition. The department was reportedly restructured as Bureau 10 under a broader overhaul of inter-Korean policy organs. Park Boram, Yonhap News Agency, October 13
Thailand
‘Little say’ for public in BJT charter draft. The Pheu Thai Party criticized Bhumjaithai’s charter amendment draft for excluding public involvement, warning that its approach could lead to an unqualified constitution drafting assembly. Pheu Thai promoted its own hybrid model combining indirect public input with parliamentary selection and argued it is the most balanced and legally sound option. Bangkok Post, October 13
Thais see Anutin’s economic policy as short-term relief: Dusit Poll. Over 80% of Thai respondents view the government’s handout-driven economic measures as only offering temporary support, with most preferring long-term strategies such as environmental investment and integrated water management. The Bhumjaithai Party received the highest confidence rating among political groups, though many respondents remain skeptical of any party’s economic solutions. The Nation, October 12
Vietnam
North Korea, Vietnam agree to cooperate on defence, other fields, KCNA says. North Korea and Vietnam signed agreements covering defense, foreign affairs and health cooperation during a visit by Vietnamese Communist Party chief To Lam to Pyongyang. The visit coincided with the 80th anniversary of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party and marked the first by a Vietnamese leader in nearly two decades. Reuters, Reuters, October 11
First Congress of Government Party Organisation for 2025-2030 term opens. Vietnam’s Government Party Organisation opened its first congress in Hanoi, with over 450 delegates attending to review the 2020–2025 term and outline goals for 2025–2030. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized building a transparent, innovative and people-centered government. Vietnam News, October 14
Myanmar
ASEAN to discuss Myanmar election observers at October summit. Myanmar’s military government has invited all ASEAN member states to send election observers for its year-end polls, a move the bloc will consider during its upcoming regional summit. Malaysia’s foreign ministry confirmed the invitation and stated it was addressed to its Election Commission. Naw Betty Han, Rozanna Latiff and Ashley Tang, Reuters, October 10
Philippines
Philippines, China trade accusations over South China Sea vessel clash. The Philippines and China exchanged blame after a Chinese coast guard ship allegedly used a water cannon and rammed a Philippine vessel near Thitu Island, escalating tensions in the disputed South China Sea. China said the Filipino vessel entered its waters illegally, while the U.S. condemned Beijing’s actions as aggressive. Phuong Nguyen, Karen Lema, Selena Li and Eduardo Baptista, Reuters, October 12
Majority of Filipinos want Duterte held accountable — SWS survey. Half of Filipino adults believe former president Rodrigo Duterte should be held accountable for drug war killings, according to a nationwide SWS survey. The poll followed the International Criminal Court’s denial of Duterte’s request for interim release. Support for accountability was strongest in the Visayas and Metro Manila, with the lowest levels in Mindanao. Franco Jose C. Baroña, The Manila Times, October 13
Indonesia
Indonesia ready to facilitate closer ties between N. Korea and ASEAN. Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono met North Korean counterpart Choe Son-hui in Pyongyang, reaffirming Indonesia’s readiness to support deeper DPRK-ASEAN engagement. The two signed a renewed memorandum on bilateral consultations and discussed expanding cooperation across political, socio-cultural, technical and sports sectors. It was the first such visit by an Indonesian foreign minister in 12 years. ANTARA News, October 11
Taiwan
Taiwan sees no significant impact on chip sector from China rare earths curbs. Taiwan’s economy ministry stated that newly expanded Chinese export controls on rare earths are unlikely to affect its semiconductor sector, as the restricted elements differ from those required in chipmaking. Taiwan sources most of its rare earth-related materials from Europe, the US, and Japan. Broader impacts on electric vehicles and drones remain possible. Ben Blanchard, Reuters, October 12
Taiwan president unveils ‘T-Dome’ air defence system to counter China threat. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te announced plans for a new multi-layered air defense system called T-Dome, aimed at increasing interception capabilities amid rising threats from China. The system, compared to Israel’s Iron Dome, will be funded in a special military budget proposal expected by year-end. Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard, Reuters, October 10
India
India upgrades ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban, says it will reopen Kabul embassy. India announced it will reopen its embassy in Kabul and upgrade its technical mission to a diplomatic mission, marking its first official diplomatic engagement with the Taliban since 2021. The move follows talks between Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi. Shivam Patel, Reuters, October 10
Kazakhstan
Tokayev proposes regional nuclear council in Kazakhstan. At the Central Asia-Russia summit in Dushanbe, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed forming a regional council in Kazakhstan focused on nuclear fuel cycle expertise and radioactive waste management. Construction is underway on the first plant and contracts have been awarded to China for additional facilities. Dmitry Pokidaev, The Times of Central Asia, October 10
East Asia
China, the United States, and the AI Race. U.S. firms channel massive capital into frontier models and infrastructure, with recent benchmarks showing a leading American system outperforming China’s DeepSeek V3.1 across software engineering, cost, and cybersecurity screens. China stresses applied, “embodied” intelligence across factories, logistics, and cities, deploying millions of robots and scaling “AI + Manufacturing” through state targets and procurement. Emerging Chinese export controls on critical minerals, rare-earth magnets, and related know-how expand leverage over downstream technologies, reshaping supply chains for chips, EVs, and clean energy. The strategic contest now pits U.S. model supremacy against China’s industrial diffusion and resource control, with escalating policy moves and tariff threats adding economic pressure. Michael Froman, Council on Foreign Relations, October 10
The Repetition Complex. Eight themed People’s Daily commentaries signed by the fictitious Zhong Caiwen assert that “to believe in China is to believe in tomorrow,” praising Xi Jinping Economic Thought for resilience, innovation, and social security while sidestepping sluggish prices, weak demand, and a 29 percent foreign-investment drop. The Central Propaganda Department and Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission use the pen name to broadcast authority ahead of the October 20-23 Fourth Plenum, which will draft the 2026-2030 Five-Year Plan. Repetition as rhetorical strategy seeks to drown skepticism, yet excessive insistence reveals insecurity and fuels doubt about Beijing’s economic messaging. The series spotlights the Party’s dilemma: proclaim confidence while confronting headwinds that demand difficult policy changes. Investors watch for reforms and implementation after the slogans fade. David Bandurski, China Media Project, October 12
The Rise of Cheap, Chinese Humanoid Robots. Chinese firms Unitree, DeepRobotics, and Astribot disrupt Western robotics by selling $16,000 humanoids built with drone and EV supply chains, open-source SDKs, and a “good enough, fast, accessible” philosophy that accelerates iteration through mass adoption. Boston Dynamics’s Atlas remains more capable yet costs over $140,000, showing diverging strategies between capability-first research and market-led scale. China’s low cost, openness, and state-backed investment form a flywheel where volume yields data, feedback improves design, and profitability arrives before frontier performance reaches parity. Leadership in humanoids may move from laboratories to factories as these robots exit showrooms and enter logistics, inspection, and consumer services. Western developers must cut costs, embrace modularity, or focus on hazardous environments where precision outweighs price to stay competitive in global industrial and household applications. Andy Liao, Sino-Southeast Initiative, October 11
China’s Economic Stagnation and Tech Innovation Are Linked Stories. China’s innovation surge, rising to 10th in the Global Innovation Index, soaring R&D outlays, leadership in high-impact patents, and advances in EV batteries and solar, coexists with slowing growth, heavy debt, a property bust, and chronic overinvestment that props up inefficient firms. A weak social safety net and policy bias toward industry over households curb consumption and confidence. Diffusion lags because skills are scarce: roughly 60% of workers lack any high school; informal employment has expanded; many drift to low-wage gig work. Proposed fixes include unemployment insurance for rural workers, loosening hukou barriers, and sustained investment in early childhood and general secondary education. Reform would broaden growth but impose transitional costs; inertia amplifies external frictions and de-risking. Scott Kennedy and Scott Rozelle, Foreign Policy, October 10
China’s Tibetan Mega-Dam May Become an Ecological Disaster. Beijing approved a 1.2 trillion yuan project on the lower Yarlung Tsangpo near the Great Bend, targeting 300 billion kilowatt-hours a year, roughly triple Three Gorges. Environmental reviews are opaque. A notice said about 42,000 hectares would be removed from a protected reserve, and requests for disclosures were denied as state secrets. Scientists warn of habitat loss, landslides, changed flows, and flood or drought risk for India and Bangladesh. The site lies near a disputed frontier, heightening hydropolitics. China today leads global hydropower additions toward 2030 peaking and 2060 neutrality goals, yet rights groups call Tibet’s surge “irreparable damage.” The project also signals state-building aims and leverage over transboundary rivers. Bibek Bhandari, Foreign Policy, October 10
China tries shock-and-awe on Donald Trump. Beijing unveiled fresh curbs on rare-earths, magnet products, and processing know-how on October 9, alongside restrictions on high-performance batteries and related equipment, framing the steps as protection of “world peace” and supply-chain stability. The moves coincided with licensing bottlenecks that left only 19 of 141 European applications approved by early September and demands for sensitive design data from firms seeking permits. President Trump replied with a November 1 deadline, a threat of 100% tariffs on Chinese goods, and potential controls on “any and all critical software,” while casting doubt on an APEC meeting with Xi before later hinting it could occur. Partners brace for collateral damage and diversify as coercive trade accelerates de-risking. The Economist, October 12
Fighting China, Fast and Slow: The Real Logistics Challenge in the Taiwan Strait. U.S. deterrence depends on sustaining dispersed forces under missile attack without fixed ports or large airfields. A D-Day lesson applies: use temporary, expendable logistics first, then transition to traditional networks. Priorities include one-way cargo gliders, autonomous aircraft, uncrewed surface vessels, and swarming resupply to absorb attrition and deplete Chinese interceptors. Distributed operations raise coordination burdens while aging sealift and airlift fleets lag. Regulatory barriers also slow commercial autonomy, whereas China normalizes drone delivery corridors. Building scalable, cheap systems with allies in theater reduces delays and overcomes the “four tyrannies” of time, distance, water, and scale, strengthening credibility in a prolonged fight. Maximilian K. Bremer and Kelly A. Grieco, Foreign Affairs, October 10
Global carmakers must stay in China so they can compete outside China. Foreign makers’ share in China fell from above 60% in 2020 to roughly 35% last year as domestic brands leveraged dense ecosystems in batteries, software, and AI. Exits and retrenchment by Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Renault, Jeep, and others contrast with firms that adapted by engineering vehicles locally with Chinese partners. Nissan’s China-developed EV halted a multi-year slide; GM is rolling out a locally created Buick Electra platform; Toyota and several peers are following. Competing amid China’s speed, cost discipline, and digital integration builds capabilities for global contests as Chinese brands expand abroad. The strategy transformation, “In China for China,” then “In China for the World”, compresses development cycles to under 20 months and transfers methods back to home markets. Hans Greimel, Nikkei Asia, October 10
Japan’s 26-Year-Old Ruling Coalition Collapses. Komeito ended its 1999 alliance with the Liberal Democratic Party on 10 October, citing the appointment of scandal-tainted Koichi Hagiuda and insufficient action on political donations, leaving new LDP leader Sanae Takaichi without lower-house control for her expected confirmation as prime minister. The breakup amplifies internal LDP fragmentation and opens space for opposition coordination, though ideological diversity hampers forming a stable alternative government. Options include minority LDP rule, issue-by-issue deals, or new coalitions involving parties from progressive to ultraconservative blocs. Instability complicates economic policy, upcoming ASEAN and APEC summits, and negotiations with Washington on trade and defense burden-sharing. Political uncertainty also clouds Tokyo’s response to regional security challenges. Voters disillusioned by scandals may reward smaller parties if snap elections follow soon. Kristi Govella, CSIS, October 10
Takaichi’s victory will only accelerate the LDP’s decline. Sanae Takaichi’s elevation triggers deeper fragmentation inside the Liberal Democratic Party and ends the LDP–Komeito partnership, leaving the party short of lower-house control and reliant on opposition cooperation for basic legislation. Leadership contenders avoided concrete remedies for organizational decay, echoed in collapsing membership and weakened factions. Takaichi’s conservative positioning aims to stem defections to Sanseito but narrows appeal beyond the core base. Early economic signals point to fiscal expansion and pressure on monetary policy, risking conflict with the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Japan while inviting instability akin to the Truss episode. With U.S. policy shocks and a changing order, Japan faces strategic drift absent a unifying program that broadens support and rebuilds capacity. Gerald Curtis, East Asia Forum, October 11
Takaichi’s victory delays Japan’s reckoning with immigration reform. The leadership contest pivoted on foreign-resident policy, with Takaichi championing tighter controls as LDP strategists chased voters drifting to Sanseito’s cultural-protection message. Claims about welfare abuse and crime by foreigners lack evidentiary support, while labor shortages and demographic decline require durable integration frameworks. Local governments advance practical coexistence through language access and services as national policy stalls. Prefectural governors’ Aomori Declaration urges a Basic Law on Intercultural Coexistence and stable funding, highlighting a widening center–local gap. Komeito’s exit over values and scandals heightens the chance of an opposition-led government, pushing Takaichi toward rhetorical moderation during parliamentary bargaining yet leaving structural needs unmet. The costs of delay include strained industries, social fragmentation, and eroded readiness for long-term settlement. Yasuo Takao, East Asia Forum, October 12
Is Takaichi Japan’s Future? Takaichi becomes LDP leader as Komeito quits the ruling bloc, citing unresolved funding scandals and hard-line stances, leaving her path to the premiership uncertain without lower-house majorities. Early appointments signal a conservative tilt under Aso Taro’s influence even as she softens rhetoric on polarizing history disputes. Economic priorities stress large fiscal packages and subsidies amid inflation concerns, with scope to revive structural reforms in an Abenomics “third-arrow” mold to boost productivity, technology adoption, and startup activity. Externally, alliance management with the United States and regional ties will test restraint on symbolic controversies. Domestic politics will hinge on whether consolidating right-wing support can occur without losing centrists and younger voters or alienating potential legislative partners. Kenji Kushida, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, October 12
Southeast Asia
Vietnam’s quiet rise: The new diplomatic bridge to North Korea. Pyongyang’s 10 October multilateral event brought China’s premier Li Qiang, Vietnam’s General Secretary To Lam, Laos’s Thongloun Sisoulith, and Russian dignitaries, signaling broader outreach beyond Beijing and Moscow. Vietnam’s participation positions Hanoi as an ASEAN conduit to North Korea and a potential facilitator for future U.S.–DPRK engagement, given normal ties with Washington, Seoul, and Pyongyang. Recent milestones include Kim Jong Un’s appearances with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, and messages emphasizing solidarity with Russia. With South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung government raising hopes for inter-Korean improvement, Hanoi’s balanced diplomacy could help Pyongyang reduce isolation while China values stability on the peninsula. The approach widens options for negotiations without abandoning core alignments. Yu Zeyuan, ThinkChina, October 10
Threads of Opportunity: Reviving Indonesia’s Textile and Garment Sector. Indonesia’s apparel base faces tariff risk in the United States, which buys 40 percent of exports, while new deals with the European Union and Canada offer limited offset given modest shares. Market position has eroded from roughly 4 percent of global trade in the 1990s to 1.5 percent today as the Multi-Fibre Arrangement ended, costs rose, and firms underinvested. Energy accounts for 24–30 percent of production yet subsidies exclude the sector, wages exceed Bangladesh, and input reliance and policy churn add drag. Competitors on the other hand scale, China supplies around 40 percent worldwide; Vietnam 5.6 percent. Priorities are lower logistics and power costs, predictable rules, targeted technology upgrading, and FTAs, or footloose buyers will shift. Deasy Pane, FULCRUM, October 10
South Asia
Will this experiment fix India’s Silicon Valley? Bengaluru’s quality-of-life strengths sit alongside severe governance failures. World-class traffic jams, garbage non-collection, broken lighting, and mounting citizen complaints. Karnataka’s response replaces the single municipal corporation with five bodies overseen by a new Greater Bengaluru Authority, chaired by the chief minister and intended to decentralize service delivery while centralizing coordination across fragmented agencies. The design aims to align responsibility with power, end chronic election delays, and plan infrastructure coherently, with local polls are due early next year. Critics argue the model weakens urban self-government and may violate the 1992 constitutional amendment on devolution, risking litigation and entrenching state control. The initiative is a national test of whether Indian cities can improve within current constitutional constraints and fiscal limits. The Economist, October 9