<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

Canada

Mexico

United States

Iran

United Kingdom

India

Cargo ships June 19 off the coast of the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal in Sharjah emirate, along the Gulf of Oman.

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

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

The Weekly Rundown: Japan's Takaichi Goes to India, an Unsteady U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

U.S.-Iran Relations

Colombia

Venezuela

Abelardo de la Espriella, who has since been declared president-elect, waves to supporters after casting his vote during the runoff election on June 21, 2026, in Barranquilla, Colombia. 

Energy

De la Espriella's administration will reverse many of the outgoing government's security, economic and social policies, restoring a hard-line anti-crime approach and deepening ties with the United States.

What de la Espriella's Victory Means for Colombia

Snapshots

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (left) and his wife disembark from the plane at Geneva Airport as they arrive to attend the G7 summit on June 16, 2026.

Lee's handling of the scandal and the resulting backlash could strengthen the conservative opposition and strain relations with the U.S. and Japan, but it could also facilitate closer ties with China.

Ballot Scandal Tests South Korean President Lee's Political, Foreign Policy Goals

The logo of Danantara Indonesia, the country's second sovereign wealth fund, is seen at its headquarters in Jakarta on March 31, 2026. 

Indonesia's new commodity oversight regime marks a major expansion of state control over strategic exports, but fiscal pressure, investor unease and street protests will likely push a softer monitoring model short of a full state takeover.

Managing Uncertainty Under Indonesia's Evolving Export Control Regime

Europe

A digital illustration of Europe.

Environment, Science & Technology

The EU's push to reduce its reliance on foreign technology suppliers risks angering both China and the U.S., while execution will be hindered by domestic industrial constraints and internal political divisions.

Key Takeaways From the EU's Tech Sovereignty Package

Peru

Israel

Lebanon

Armenia

Russia

A banner depicting the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on June 3 in Tehran. There will be an elevated risk of sporadic U.S.-Iran clashes over the next week, as no signs of a diplomatic breakthrough in U.S.-Iran negotiations on a memorandum of understanding have emerged.

The Weekly Rundown: Armenian Elections, Xi Goes to North Korea

Media

Podcasts

How has U.S. grand strategy in the Pacific changed over time?

The Decision Advantage: Taiwan Arms Sales and the U.S.-China Trade War

U.S.-China Relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) gestures to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before a military parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Sept. 3, 2025. 

North Korea's growing relations with Russia and potential reengagement with the U.S. appear to be driving China to pursue a rapprochement after years of diplomatic inaction.

Xi-Kim Summit Signals a Thaw in Long-Frozen Ties Between China and North Korea

(From left to right) Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hold a joint press conference after their Quad meeting in New Delhi on May 26, 2026.

The meeting proved the grouping is still functional, but it faces strong constraints in turning ambitious coordination frameworks into functional maritime, infrastructure, critical minerals and energy initiatives that blunt Chinese regional influence.

Takeaways From Quad Summit: New Initiatives, Enduring Constraints and Future Uncertainty

Police personnel arrive outside the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay, Metro Manila, on May 13, 2026.

Intensifying Marcos-Duterte tensions, fueled by the vice president's impeachment and the ICC's attempted arrest of a Duterte-aligned senator, are testing Philippine institutions and threatening policy gridlock before the 2028 presidential race.

The Escalating Marcos-Duterte Feud Threatens Philippine Institutions

Indonesia's parliament approved rules allowing Danantara, the country's sovereign wealth fund run by the executive branch, to issue special bonds to help fund the government's spending priorities, Bloomberg reported on June 26.

Indonesia: New Bond Protections Raise Governance Risks

Cyber

The U.S. Trump administration preemptively asked U.S. artificial intelligence company OpenAI to limit the release of its GPT-5.6 model to a small set of government-approved organizations before releasing the model more widely, The Intercept reported on June 25.

U.S.: Trump Administration Asks OpenAI To Limit Release of Next Frontier Model

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering sending her foreign minister to the July NATO summit in Turkey in her place, reportedly so she can attend to legislative matters ahead of the July 17 end of the Diet session, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported on June 25.

Japan: Amid Scandal, Takaichi May Skip NATO Summit, Diet Stonewalls Legislation

In a letter to two U.S. senators dated June 10, U.S. artificial intelligence company Anthropic accused Chinese company Alibaba of "illicitly" extracting the capabilities of its Claude AI model at the "largest" levels that the AI lab has measured, the Financial Times reported on June 24.

U.S., China: Anthropic Accuses Alibaba of More Distillation Attacks

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick told corporate executives in a June 22 meeting that the Commerce Department was reviewing state-subsidized robotics imports and could take significant action against them once the review is completed.

China, U.S.: Commerce Secretary Lutnick Hints at Restrictions on Chinese Robots

Indonesia announced a roughly $1.48 billion stimulus package for the second half of 2026, including transportation assistance, employment and vocational programs, food assistance and food price stabilization measures, Nikkei Asia reported on June 23.

Indonesia: Energy Crisis Forces Stimulus as Shortages and Blackouts Spread

A Philippine navy frigate was conducting a patrol near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on June 20 when it was confronted and shadowed by four Chinese warships, the South China Morning Post reported on June 23.

China, Philippines: Scarborough Shoal Patrol Draws Chinese Naval Response

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is facing growing questions in the Diet over her administration's links to an artificial intelligence video-maker who defamed her rivals in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election of October 2025, Sankei Shimbun reported on June 22. 

Japan: Scandal Threatens Takaichi's Strong Leadership Position

Asia-Pacific

SITUATION REPORTS

Indonesia: New Bond Protections Raise Governance Risks

U.S.: Trump Administration Asks OpenAI To Limit Release of Next Frontier Model

Japan: Amid Scandal, Takaichi May Skip NATO Summit, Diet Stonewalls Legislation

U.S., China: Anthropic Accuses Alibaba of More Distillation Attacks

China, U.S.: Commerce Secretary Lutnick Hints at Restrictions on Chinese Robots

Indonesia: Energy Crisis Forces Stimulus as Shortages and Blackouts Spread

China, Philippines: Scarborough Shoal Patrol Draws Chinese Naval Response

Japan: Scandal Threatens Takaichi's Strong Leadership Position

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