Asia Pacific – War Watch

Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | China | Donald Trump | Gaza | Human rights | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Jimmy Lai | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Taiwan | Tariffs | Trump tariffs | US foreign policy | US news | World news | Xi Jinping

What was actually achieved at Trump and Xi’s ‘stalemate summit’ in Beijing?
ByAmy Hawkins in Beijing May 15, 2026

US president said he and Chinese leader ‘settled a lot of different problems’ but gave little detail on solutionsTrump China visit live – latest updatesDonald Trump’s whirlwind trip to Beijing – the first US presidential visit in nearly a decade – wrap…

Read More What was actually achieved at Trump and Xi’s ‘stalemate summit’ in Beijing?
Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Biomass and bioenergy | Donald Trump | Environment | Fossil fuels | Gas | Gaza | India | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Philippines | Pollution | South and central Asia | US-Israel war on Iran

Public health at risk across Asia as price of gas for cooking soars
By May 13, 2026

Families turn to dirty fuels such as firewood, bringing fears over air pollution and fragility of energy transitionIn the ramshackle lanes of a south Delhi slum, Afshana Khatoon crouched wearily on her haunches and began lighting a small pile of firewo…

Read More Public health at risk across Asia as price of gas for cooking soars
Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | China | Donald Trump | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Taiwan | US foreign policy | US news | US-Israel war on Iran | World news | Xi Jinping

Donald Trump will arrive in Beijing this week knowing that Xi holds all the cards | Simon Tisdall
BySimon Tisdall May 10, 2026

The US president will be counting on China to influence Iran and help him out of his latest mess. But the price may be high – including for TaiwanLike an out-of-control wrecking ball, swinging wildly back and forth, Donald Trump smashes up the internat…

Read More Donald Trump will arrive in Beijing this week knowing that Xi holds all the cards | Simon Tisdall
Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Defence policy | Donald Trump | Donald Tusk | Gaza | Germany | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Japan | Lee Jae-myung | Middle East and north Africa | Nato | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Russia | Sanae Takaichi | US news | World news

The Guardian view on Germany, Japan and the end of the postwar order: as US alliances crumble, a new world emerges | Editorial
ByEditorial April 24, 2026

Developments in Berlin and Tokyo show how far the strategic environment has shifted in response to authoritarian threat and American unpredictabilityWhen Donald Trump hosted Sanae Takaichi, the Japanese prime minister, last month, he could not resist a…

Read More The Guardian view on Germany, Japan and the end of the postwar order: as US alliances crumble, a new world emerges | Editorial
Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | China | Donald Trump | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | US news | US-Israel war on Iran | World news

Who can claim victory if Iran ceasefire holds? An early winner is China
ByAmy Hawkins in Beijing April 9, 2026

Beijing’s powerbrokers are credited with winning Iran over, although one analyst says they were ‘pushing an open door’Middle East crisis – live updatesAs the world struggles to make sense of what, if anything, was achieved by the ceasefire deal announc…

Read More Who can claim victory if Iran ceasefire holds? An early winner is China
Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | China | Donald Trump | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Middle East peace talks | Nuclear weapons | Pakistan | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | South and central Asia | World news

Pakistan and China propose five-part peace plan for Middle East
ByHannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi and Shah Meer Baloch in Islamabad March 31, 2026

Foreign ministers Ishaq Dar and Wang Yi met in Beijing as Pakistan pushes for peacemaker roleMiddle East crisis – live updatesPakistan and China have released a joint five-part proposal for peace in the Middle East, after Pakistan’s foreign minister fl…

Read More Pakistan and China propose five-part peace plan for Middle East
Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | China | Donald Trump | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Oil | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | US-Israel war on Iran | World news

China’s ‘teapot’ oil refineries keep economy brewing – but surging crude prices leave them strained
ByAmy Hawkins in Weifang March 30, 2026

The factories, which buy cheap crude and turn it into fuel, are struggling as higher oil prices threaten their razor-sharp margins The towns that are the bulwark of China’s energy security can, at a moment of global crisis, appear deceptively quiet. Tr…

Read More China’s ‘teapot’ oil refineries keep economy brewing – but surging crude prices leave them strained
Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | China | Donald Trump | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | JD Vance | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | US foreign policy | US news | World news | Xi Jinping

Trump seeks to delay China summit as Vance denies ‘wedge’ over Iran war
ByRobert Tait in Washington March 16, 2026

Pair attempt to strike united front amid reports vice-president skeptical over US-Israeli attack on IranDonald Trump revealed that he had asked China to delay his forthcoming visit to Beijing while the war with Iran was continuing, as he attempted to s…

Read More Trump seeks to delay China summit as Vance denies ‘wedge’ over Iran war
Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Business | China | Commodities | Donald Trump | Energy industry | Fossil fuels | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Oil | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | UK news | US news | US-Israel war on Iran | World news

If oil price shocks weren’t bad enough, Trump’s war could have other unintended consequences | Adam Hanieh
ByAdam Hanieh March 12, 2026

China consumes around 90% of Iran’s oil exports, so could be forced to rely on alternative suppliers – particularly RussiaWith the US-Israeli war against Iran in its second week, energy markets are in turmoil. On Thursday, the price of Brent Crude Oil …

Read More If oil price shocks weren’t bad enough, Trump’s war could have other unintended consequences | Adam Hanieh
Asia Pacific | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | South Korea | US foreign policy | US military | US-Israel war on Iran

Hasty redeployment of US missiles from South Korea to Middle East leaves Seoul rattled
ByJustin McCurry in Tokyo March 11, 2026

South Korea’s president has sought to reassure the public that the country is able to deter threats from the NorthIt has been almost a decade since the sleepy South Korean village of Seongju was transformed overnight into a key location in the country’…

Read More Hasty redeployment of US missiles from South Korea to Middle East leaves Seoul rattled