<p>The Asia-Pacific is home to more people than any other region. Centered on the western rim of the Pacific Ocean, this region includes the easternmost countries of continental Asia as well as the archipelagos that punctuate the coast. Several of these countries, most notably China, experienced rapid economic growth in the second half of the 20th century, giving the region a new sense of global economic relevance that continues today. That relevance, however, depends largely on China, a power in transition whose rise is testing the network of U.S. alliances that have long dominated the region. How effectively Beijing manages its transition will shape the regional balance of power in the decades to come.</p>

Centered on the western rim of the Pacific Ocean, the Asia-Pacific region includes the easternmost countries of continental Asia as well as the archipelagos that punctuate the coast. 

Asia-Pacific

Australia

Samoa

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

China

Timor-Leste

Federated States of Micronesia

Fiji

Indonesia

Japan

Kiribati

Laos

Malaysia

Marshall Islands

Mongolia

Myanmar

Nauru

New Zealand

North Korea

Palau

Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Singapore

Solomon Islands

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Tonga

Tuvalu

Vanuatu

Vietnam

Beyond Quantitative Easing

The New Silk Road

Modernizing China’s Military

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

Globalization

Social Issues

Coping With a Nuclear North Korea

Moscow Looks to the East

China in Transition

A Japanese Awakening

Asia-Pacific: Among Great Powers

Southeast Asia: Burdened by Consensus

Assessments

United States

A video interview of Taiwanese President William Lai plays onstage during The New York Times DealBook Summit 2025 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Dec. 3, 2025, in New York City.

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

President Lai's political disputes with the legislature are unlikely to ease anytime soon, which could disrupt U.S. trade and arms deals and/or jeopardize future opportunities for diplomatic engagement with China.

Taiwan's Political Dysfunction Goes Global

Snapshots

Europe

European Union and Australian flags together.

Global Trade

European and Australian negotiators aim to strengthen supply chain resilience and hedge against growing global trade volatility.


The Strategic Logic Behind Revived Australia-EU Free Trade Talks 

Iran

Germany

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press Feb. 2 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver the annual State of the Union address to Congress on Feb. 24.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Trump Threatens Iran, Pledges To Reimpose Tariffs on Different Grounds

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Canada

Mexico

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House on Feb. 20, 2026, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Trump's use of emergency powers to implement international trade tariffs.

The Trump administration will use other trade authorities to replace many of the IEEPA tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court, meaning U.S. trading partners will remain incentivized to engage on trade matters.

What the Supreme Court Tariff Ruling Means for Trump and U.S. Trading Partners

Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro speaks at a press conference during a Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Cebu City, the Philippines, on Jan. 29, 2026.

The coming year will test ASEAN's ability to maintain unity, manage crises and remain a credible regional forum amid rising internal security risks and a more fractured world order, particularly as the Philippines butts heads with China in the South China Sea.

Previewing the Philippines 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Slovakia

Hungary

Ukraine

Russia

India

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds up his signature on the founding charter of the Board of Peace among other world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The Board of Peace Convenes, Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks in Geneva

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrives at the Government House in Bangkok on Feb. 9, 2026.

The incumbent conservative party's victory will improve short-term political stability, but governance will remain constrained by coalition dynamics, entrenched institutions and uncertain constitutional reform.

Thailand Approves Constitutional Reform, Re-Elects Conservative Party

Japanese Prime Minister and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Sanae Takaichi reacts as she speaks with media on the day of lower house elections at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 8, 2026. 

The LDP's decisive lower house victory will enable Prime Minister Takaichi to boost social and defense spending and strengthen ties with the U.S., though at the expense of Japan’s relations with China and South Korea.

Election Landslide Stabilizes Japanese Politics, Cements Defense Modernization

Bangladesh

Campaign posters Feb. 6 of candidates running in the upcoming Japanese House of Representatives election, in Inagi, Tokyo prefecture.

The Weekly Rundown: Japan Holds Snap Elections, U.S. Weighs Options After Iran Talks

Visitors take pictures in front of an electronic board displaying falling stock prices at the Indonesia Stock Exchange in Jakarta on Jan. 29, 2026.

The episode exposes structural risks embedded in the president's governance that could threaten investor confidence -- and with it, Indonesia's economic growth and manufacturing competitiveness.

Lessons Learned From Indonesia's Market Rout

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan will deploy its domestically produced Type-03 Chu-SAM medium-range surface-to-air defense missile system to the island of Yonaguni in March 2031, Channel News Asia reported on Feb. 24. 

Japan, Taiwan: Tokyo Sets 2031 Timeline for Missile Deployment on Yonaguni 

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

U.S.-based artificial intelligence company Anthropic said three Chinese AI companies set up more than 24,000 fraudulent accounts with its Claude AI model to conduct "distillation" techniques that use data outputs to advance their own AI systems, The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 23. 

U.S., China: Anthropic Claims Chinese Companies Are Using Claude for Distillation

Thai forces reported that Cambodian troops fired a grenade round near a patrol in eastern Sisaket province, prompting Thai return fire, AFP reported on Feb. 24.

Thailand, Cambodia: Forces Skirmish Along Disputed Border

China's Ministry of Commerce placed 20 Japanese entities on a full export control list and 20 others on a new watchlist, thereby restricting or conditioning exports of dual use goods, Nikkei Asia reported on Feb. 24.

China, Japan: Beijing Slaps More Export Controls on Tokyo

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to China on Feb. 24 for his first official visit since taking office in May 2025, accompanied by a large business delegation, Reuters reported the same day.

Germany, China: Chancellor Friederich Merz Travels to Beijing

Chile

U.S. Ambassador to Chile Brandon Judd said on Feb. 23 that the U.S. government had warned Chile against pursuing a Chinese project for submarine cables before sanctioning three high-ranking Chilean officials over the project on Feb. 20, El Pais reported on Feb. 23.

U.S., Chile, China: U.S. Sanctions Chilean Officials Over Chinese Submarine Cable Project

China and Iran are close to reaching a deal for Iran to purchase Chinese-made CM-302 anti-ship cruise missiles, Reuters reported on Feb. 24.

China, Iran: Governments Negotiating Deal on Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam at the White House for their first formal in-person talks, Reuters reported on Feb. 20.

Vietnam, U.S.: Washington Vows To Ease Export Restrictions on Hanoi

Asia-Pacific

SITUATION REPORTS

Japan, Taiwan: Tokyo Sets 2031 Timeline for Missile Deployment on Yonaguni

U.S., China: Anthropic Claims Chinese Companies Are Using Claude for Distillation

Thailand, Cambodia: Forces Skirmish Along Disputed Border

China, Japan: Beijing Slaps More Export Controls on Tokyo

Germany, China: Chancellor Friederich Merz Travels to Beijing

U.S., Chile, China: U.S. Sanctions Chilean Officials Over Chinese Submarine Cable Project

China, Iran: Governments Negotiating Deal on Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles

Vietnam, U.S.: Washington Vows To Ease Export Restrictions on Hanoi

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