<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

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Brunei Darussalam

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China

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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

The Australian flag flies at half mast over Parliament House on Jan. 22, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia, to honor the victims of the Bondi shootings.

Military & Security

Politics

Passed in response to the Bondi Beach attack, the legislation will likely fuel legal and federal-state friction, deepen opposition fragmentation and entrench security policy as a persistent fault line in Australian politics.

The Political Impact of Australia's Gun Reform and Anti-Hate Bills

Snapshots

Zhang Youxia, senior vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), attends the opening of the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress on March 11, 2023, in Beijing, China. 

The removal of Xi's closest military ally signals an acceleration of his push to eliminate internal threats and heightens uncertainty about the president's decision-making on Taiwan, potentially raising the risk of future conflict.

China's High-Level Military Purge Raises Risk of a Miscalculation on Taiwan

Israel

Palestinian Territories

United Kingdom

India

Egyptian trucks and heavy machinery on Oct. 26, 2025, on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

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

The Weekly Rundown: A Gaza Border Reopening, EU Leaders Visit India

A man walks past a billboard for the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam outside the National Convention Center in Hanoi on Jan. 15, 2026. 

Economics

The five-yearly event will likely codify a more centralized, security-anchored governing model, while setting ambitious goals for economic growth and administrative reforms, though internal and external pressures will hinder implementation.

Previewing Vietnam's 14th National Party Congress

Columns

On Geopolitics

United States

Europe

Global Trade

U.S. protectionism has dramatically weakened the rules-based, multilateral trade regime established after World War II, driving governments to increasingly view trade through a national security lens rather than purely an economic one.

The Geopolitics of Trade: Conclusion

Greenland

Denmark

France

Switzerland

Ukraine

Russia

A sniper police officer on the Congress hotel during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum on Jan. 24, 2025, in the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: Davos, Europe Steps Up Greenland Deployments

Venezuela

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil (left) attend a meeting in Beijing on May 12, 2025.

U.S. pressure on the new Venezuelan government will briefly cool China's engagement in Latin America and could renew trade tensions with Washington, though Maduro's removal is unlikely to affect China's calculus regarding Taiwan.

Assessing China's Response to the U.S. Capture of Venezuela's Maduro

U.S.-China Relations

Nigeria

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Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2026 highlights high-impact, low-probability risks and trends from the annual forecast presented in more extreme terms.

RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2026

U.S.-Iran Relations

Benin

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Canada

The Greenlandic flag on Jan. 8, 2026, on the roof of Tivoli Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ukraine security talks and a Gaza peace plan will be in the spotlight at Davos.

The Weekly Rundown: Elections in Uganda and Benin, Canada's Carney Goes to China

Media

Forecast Webcast

Energy

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2026 Annual Geopolitical Forecast.

2026 Annual Geopolitical Forecast Webcast

The Australian government said a U.S. decision to step back from broad government-backed minimum price guarantees for critical minerals will not derail its national critical minerals strategy, reaffirming plans for a strategic reserve and alternative demand support mechanisms, Reuters reported on Jan. 30.

Australia, U.S.: U.S. Price Floor Pullback Tests Critical Minerals Cooperation

The European Union and Vietnam formally upgraded relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Vietnam's highest diplomatic tier, according to a 60-point joint statement published by Vietnamese state media on Jan. 29.

EU, Vietnam: Brussels, Hanoi Upgrade Ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

The Chinese government granted Chinese tech giants ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent approvals to purchase a combined total of more than 400,000 Nvidia H200 chips, according to Reuters sources on Jan. 28.

China, U.S.: Beijing Conditionally Allows Some Nvidia H200 Chip Imports

China's ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian warned that Beijing would have an "obligation to take measures" to protect the interests of Chinese companies if Canberra pushes ahead with a forced sale or otherwise coercive measures to reclaim the Port of Darwin, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Jan. 28.

China, Australia: Beijing Warns of Retaliation Amid Port of Darwin Dispute

U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Jan. 26 that he was increasing "reciprocal" tariffs on South Korea as well as tariffs on South Korean automobiles, pharmaceuticals and lumber goods from 15% to 25% because the South Korean legislature has failed to "enact our Historic Trade Agreement."

South Korea, U.S.: Trump Raises Tariffs Over Seoul's Slow-Walking of Trade Deal

The United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is travelling to China for a three-day visit starting Jan. 27, marking the first such trip by a British leader since 2018, Reuters reported the same day.

U.K., China: Starmer To Visit Beijing Amid Revival of High-Level Economic Engagement

Argentina

A U.S. military plane landed in Argentina's southernmost province on Jan. 25, three days after the Argentine government intervened in the region's Ushuaia port and took control of its operations for one year, removing provincial authorities' powers amid allegations of embezzlement and infrastructure problems, Perfil reported on Jan. 25.

Argentina: Government's Administrative Takeover of Southernmost Port Indicates Strong Alignment With Washington

Myanmar's three-phase general election concluded Jan. 25 with the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party winning a dominant 290 seats across both houses of parliament, AP reported the next day.

Myanmar: Junta-Run Election Consolidates Military Rule

Asia-Pacific

SITUATION REPORTS

Australia, U.S.: U.S. Price Floor Pullback Tests Critical Minerals Cooperation

EU, Vietnam: Brussels, Hanoi Upgrade Ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

China, U.S.: Beijing Conditionally Allows Some Nvidia H200 Chip Imports

China, Australia: Beijing Warns of Retaliation Amid Port of Darwin Dispute

South Korea, U.S.: Trump Raises Tariffs Over Seoul's Slow-Walking of Trade Deal

U.K., China: Starmer To Visit Beijing Amid Revival of High-Level Economic Engagement

Argentina: Government's Administrative Takeover of Southernmost Port Indicates Strong Alignment With Washington

Myanmar: Junta-Run Election Consolidates Military Rule

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