Ralph Jennings

How COVID-19 Is Straining Human Rights in Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines

Government agents in some countries used stay-home orders to squelch political dissent or bar marginal population groups from aid, human rights groups say.

China Expected to Continue Development in Disputed Asian Sea despite US Sanctions

Chinese officials and their families face US travel restrictions, while 60 Chinese companies are curbed from doing normal business in the US.

Taiwanese Health Official Warns Against Reliance on Coronavirus Vaccines

Credited with successfully controlling COVID-19 outbreak, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung urges vigilance despite expanding inoculation campaigns.

US Lifts Ban on Official Contacts with Taiwan. So, Who's Coming?

After four years of warming toward Taiwan, despite China, U.S. President Donald Trump’s government throws out pro-China rules that have limited visits between senior-level officials.

Southeast Asian View of US: 'The Superpower’s Legitimacy Is Being Put to the Test'

Asian leaders are used to U.S. counterparts telling them how to run a democracy. After Wednesday's Capitol Hill melee, they wonder why.

Trump Targets Imports of Asian Tires in Final Month 

US Department of Commerce says exporters from South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam have 'dumped' passenger tires at low prices in the United States for years.

China-Vietnam Border Wall Would Target Smugglers, Chinese Economic Refugees

Chinese authorities hope to stem any outflow of migrant workers while both sides want to squelch the smuggling of wood, animals and consumer goods.

Vaccine Seen as Potentially Shoring Up China’s Image in Indonesia, the Philippines

China says it believes in spreading its anti-COVID vaccine beyond the world’s wealthiest countries; its image is at stake in some of those places.

How Biden’s Respect for 53-year-old Dialogue Process Could Reshape US-Asia Policy

Trump’s one-on-one approach to countries in Asia came off as volatile. Biden is considered more likely to value the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a 10-member negotiating bloc.

How American Pork Could Lead to Wider US Trade Deal with Export Powerhouse Taiwan 

Legislators in Taipei gave final clearance last week to lift a ban on pork from pigs fed the ractopamine additive.

US Designation of Vietnam as Currency Manipulator Could Spur Talks, Changes, Analysts Say

Vietnamese officials might agree to buy more US imports to close trade imbalance or sign agreement that covers some of Washington’s complaints.

Casinos, COVID or Drugs? Why China Is Building a Fence on the Myanmar Border

Chinese authorities are putting up a barrier along their southeastern border with Shan State, a volatile part of Myanmar, media reports say.

Why a Voice from China Admitted That Disputed Artificial Islands Are Hard to Defend

Analysts believe the magazine Naval and Merchant Ships is sending a message to the incoming Biden administration.

Why Indonesia Will Move its Navy Combat Squad HQ to a Tiny Remote Islet

The country’s navy chief of staff said Nov. 23 the headquarters would relocate permanently from Jakarta to the Natuna islands 1,100 kilometers away.

How China’s Offshore Oil Driller Will Keep Grip in Disputed Sea Despite US Sanctions

China National Offshore Oil Corp. landed last week on a list of 35 firms believed to be aligned with the Chinese military, and Americans are banned from trading company shares.

Asian Countries Handle New COVID-19 Cases without Lockdowns

Officials, backed by compliant local populations, are avoiding crowds, wearing masks, and homeschooling to stop late-2020 virus outbreaks from expanding.

Philippines Parents 'Pimp Out' their Children as COVID Job Losses Mount

Its China Ties Corroding, Australia to Sign Military Deal with US Ally Japan

A reciprocal access agreement due to be reached next year would let Japanese and Australian troops train in each other's territories.

China and Malaysia, Usually Friends, Land in Another Maritime Standoff

The Royal Malaysian navy is tailing a Chinese coast guard vessel that sailed unusually close to Malaysia, analysts say.

Why China and a Bloc of Nations Led by Vietnam Just Met but Ignored Asia’s Biggest Maritime Dispute

COVID-19 recovery and the signing of a giant free trade partnership overshadowed the South China Sea sovereignty flap at summits, plus no one has offered new solutions for the dispute.