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Asia Unbound

CFR fellows and other experts assess the latest issues emerging in Asia today.

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Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te delivers his inaugural speech in Taipei, Taiwan on May 20, 2024.
Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te delivers his inaugural speech in Taipei, Taiwan on May 20, 2024. Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters
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Analyzing Lai Ching-te’s Inaugural Address: More Continuity Than Difference

by Rush Doshi and David Sacks May 21, 2024

In his inaugural address, Taiwan’s new president Lai Ching-te signaled broad continuity on cross-strait issues. China, however, is likely to respond with increased pressure.  Read More

China
China’s Marriage Rate Bounces Back After Covid—But Only Temporarily
An uptick in the number of new marriages in 2023 is likely a only temporary blip rather than a long-term change from China's steady transition to a rapidly aging society.
Blog Post by Carl Minzner March 25, 2024 Asia Unbound
South Korea
The U.S. Election and South Korean Anxieties
Today is my last day at CFR, which marks the conclusion of over fifteen years of contributions to Asia Unbound. My publications and contributions to CFR remain in archives on the website. 
Blog Post by Scott A. Snyder March 20, 2024 Asia Unbound
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asian States Struggle to Address the War in Gaza
Southeast Asian responses to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza have aligned with each country’s broader foreign policy stances.
Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick March 19, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • Myanmar
    Myanmar’s Army is Collapsing: An Update
    As the Myanmar military faces a record level of defections, its control of the country looks increasingly tenuous.
    Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick March 11, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • India
    India Strives to Balance Interests in the Middle East
    As conflict intensifies in the Middle East, India's government attempts to juggle relations in the region.
    Blog Post by Manjari Chatterjee Miller March 6, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • Asia
    Taiwan’s 2024 Election Outcomes: Balancing Domestic Challenges and International Relations
    This blog post originated from a recent discussion by Professor Syaru Shirley Lin in the Winston Lord Roundtable Series on Asia, the Rule of Law, and U.S. Foreign Policy, where she debriefed the recent Taiwan elections.
    Blog Post by Syaru Shirley Lin February 27, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • China
    Beijing’s Ideological Pivot Back To the Past
    As China turns the page from its reform era, the Chinese Communist Party's official discourse increasingly references the country's imperial past. 
    Blog Post by Carl Minzner February 23, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • Asia
    Tipped Power Balance: China’s Peak and the U.S. Resilience
    China's decline in economy and influence might indicate its unlikeliness to displace the United States as a leading global power in the foreseeable future. This development calls for a reevaluation of the U.S. policy towards China.
    Blog Post by Yanzhong Huang February 22, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • Indonesia
    Prabowo Wins. Does Indonesian Democracy Lose?
    Prabowo Subianto has won Indonesia’s presidential election. What will his presidency bring? 
    Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick February 14, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • Pakistan
    Imran Khan Denied (But Perhaps Not Forever): Pakistan’s Other Parties Form a Weak Coalition Government
    Pakistan faces uncertainty as a fragile coalition, led by Shehbaz Sharif and reluctantly backed by the PPP, attempts to maintain control of parliament and stifle Imran Khan's PTI following recent elections.
    Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick February 13, 2024 Asia Unbound