<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

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Philippines

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South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Tonga

Tuvalu

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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

Peru

United States

Iran

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.

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: Armenian Elections, Xi Goes to North Korea

U.S.-Iran Relations

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

Snapshots

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. 

Economics

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

India

(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

Kazakhstan

A cargo ship anchored May 16 in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran. Major gaps in negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program persist, and the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will remain fragile over the next week.

The Weekly Rundown: Rubio Visits India, a Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

The Japanese flag flies outside the Bank of Japan (BoJ) headquarters in central Tokyo on March 19, 2024. 

Monetary tightening will increase government interest payments and fiscal deficits, but the impact on debt dynamics and defense spending will remain manageable, provided the central bank avoids large-scale government bond sales.

How Will Rising Interest Rates Impact Japan's Debt Outlook?

Mexico

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sept. 3, 2025, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

The Weekly Rundown: Elevated Tensions in the Middle East, Putin Heads to Beijing

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026.

Despite a mutual desire to stabilize relations, Xi and Trump's meetings produced few tangible results, sustaining the risk of future tariff escalations, export restrictions and other coercive measures.

Xi-Trump Talks Fail To Move the Needle on Major Issues

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a bilateral meeting in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025.

Environment, Science & Technology

The May 14-15 meetings will likely yield a limited extension of the current U.S.-China economic detente while leaving core strategic disputes over technology controls, Taiwan and Iran largely unresolved.

Trump-Xi Summit Likely To Preserve Trade Truce, Test Strategic Fault Lines

Thailand confirmed it will participate in a compulsory conciliation process under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea that Cambodia invoked to address the two countries' overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand, the Bangkok Post reported on June 5.

Thailand, Cambodia: Maritime Conciliation Process Adds Risk to Land Border 

Indonesia published a new regulation clarifying the product-level scope of its new state-controlled commodity export regime, pursuant to which most exports of major palm oil products, several coal products and ferroalloy products containing more than 2% carbon by weight must move through the newly established state-owned entity Danatara Sumberdaya Indonesia, or DSI, Bloomberg reported on June 5.

Indonesia: Newly Announced Regulation Confirms Centralized Export Regime

South Korea's ruling Democratic Party, or DPK, won 12 of 16 metropolitan mayor and governor seats in the June 3 local elections, and the conservative People Power Party, or PPP, won the other four, a sharp drop from its earlier 12 seats, Yonhap News Agency reported on June 4.

South Korea: Elections Support Lee's Reforms and Second Term Gambit, Test Fragile Opposition

Energy

The Philippine Senate resumed work after a senator aligned with Vice President Sara Duterte's bloc broke ranks, enabling rival senators aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to secure a 12-member quorum, elect an acting Senate president and reorganize the chamber's leadership, Reuters reported on June 3.

Philippines: Senate Resumes Work With Disputed New Leadership

The Philippine Senate failed to open its June 1 session after recent events reduced the 13-member majority bloc to 11 senators, prompting the bloc -- which also includes the Senate president -- to skip the session rather than risk losing control of the floor, Bloomberg reported the next day. 

Philippines: Senate Dysfunction Leads to Paralysis

During the second India-Australia Defense Ministers' Dialogue, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles reviewed advancements in bilateral maritime defense cooperation since launching the dialogue in October 2025, The Economic Times reported on June 1.

India, Australia: Governments Agree To Finalize Defense and Maritime Agreements

The U.S. Trade Representative launched a Section 301 investigation into Vietnam's intellectual property protection and enforcement practices, Reuters reported on May 29.

Vietnam, U.S.: IP Probe Adds New Pressure to Trade Talks

Cyber

The Philippines and Vietnam upgraded ties to an enhanced strategic partnership during Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary and President To Lam's May 31-June 1 state visit to Manila, Reuters reported on June 1.

Philippines, Vietnam: Manila, Hanoi Upgrade Ties Amid South China Sea Pressure

Asia-Pacific

SITUATION REPORTS

Thailand, Cambodia: Maritime Conciliation Process Adds Risk to Land Border

Indonesia: Newly Announced Regulation Confirms Centralized Export Regime

South Korea: Elections Support Lee's Reforms and Second Term Gambit, Test Fragile Opposition

Philippines: Senate Resumes Work With Disputed New Leadership

Philippines: Senate Dysfunction Leads to Paralysis

India, Australia: Governments Agree To Finalize Defense and Maritime Agreements

Vietnam, U.S.: IP Probe Adds New Pressure to Trade Talks

Philippines, Vietnam: Manila, Hanoi Upgrade Ties Amid South China Sea Pressure

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