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Asia Unbound

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

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Elderly people rest and chat at a park in Beijing, January 16, 2024.
Elderly people rest and chat at a park in Beijing, January 16, 2024. Tingshu Wang/Reuters
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What Is the Chinese Pension System and Why Are Its Problems Hard to Fix?

by Zongyuan Zoe Liu January 13, 2025

As the Chinese society ages, China not only loses its comparative advantage in labor but also faces a severe pension funding challenge. Chinese leaders have competing priorities but they do not have the resources to fund them all.

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South Korea
President Yoon's Impeachment? The View From Seoul
CFR’s Sheila A. Smith spoke with Dr. Duyeon Kim with the Center for a New American Security, who is based in Seoul, to get her assessment of the fallout of President Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law. 
Post by Sheila A. Smith and Duyeon Kim December 9, 2024 Asia Unbound
Diamonstein-Spielvogel Project on the Future of Democracy
Alliance of Autocracies Part 2: Understanding How the Broader Network Collaborates
The growing global network of authoritarian regimes collaborates to bolster each other’s power and undermine democratic governance.
Post by Joshua Kurlantzick December 9, 2024 Asia Unbound
Diamonstein-Spielvogel Project on the Future of Democracy
The New, Broader Alliance of Autocracies
As a growing alliance of autocratic states deepens its cooperation to challenge democracies worldwide, its expanding influence remains largely overlooked by policymakers.
Post by Joshua Kurlantzick December 9, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • South Korea
    Martial Law in South Korea
    Yoon Suk-Yeol’s shocking declaration of ‘emergency martial law’ was a frontal assault on the integrity of South Korea’s hard-won democratic system.
    Post by John Delury December 4, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • Kazakhstan
    Kazakhstan Survives Among the Big Powers
    Kazakhstan has skillfully balanced the competing influences of Russia and China by diversifying trade partnerships, fostering economic growth, and leveraging its strategic location to safeguard its sovereignty and autonomy.
    Post by Linda Tjia and Guanie Lim December 2, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • RealEcon
    Protecting U.S. Allies and Partners from Chinese Economic Coercion
    China’s growing willingness to defy the international order, and its increasingly aggressive leadership, have led it to increasingly utilize economic coercion against countries it believes have defied China’s interests. This coercion can be powerful, and the United States and its partners have not been well-prepared for Beijing’s actions. The U.S. and others need to develop a response immediately.
    Article by Elliott Abrams , Ezra Hess and Joshua Kurlantzick December 2, 2024 RealEcon
  • China Strategy Initiative
    Trump’s Victory Will Lead Asian States to Rely on Middle Powers Instead
    Southeast Asia is increasingly turning to middle powers as a hedge against heightening U.S.-China competition in the region.
    Post by Joshua Kurlantzick November 19, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • China
    Understanding Experiences of Chinese Graduate Students in the United States
    Graduate students from China face many challenges in the United States, including stringent visa policies and new restrictions on research funding. Mitigating their challenges can help the best Chinese students stay and work in the U.S.
    Post by Richard Yarrow and Victoria Li November 18, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • Election 2024
    South Asia Warily Eyes the Second Trump Administration
    Although India has developed a strong relationship with President-elect Trump, other South Asian countries may struggle to gain a hearing in his second term.
    Post by Joshua Kurlantzick November 18, 2024 Asia Unbound
  • Australia
    How Australia is Responding to a Second Trump Term
    President-elect Trump’s victory has jeopardized the Biden administration’s AUKUS defense partnership with Australia.
    Post by Joshua Kurlantzick November 12, 2024 Asia Unbound