How the few freedoms North Koreans enjoyed have vanished since the pandemic (April 7, 2025, The Washington Post)
The city of Hyesan, just over the river from China, once offered a glimpse of a more open North Korea. Now it exemplifies Kim Jong Un’s mounting authoritarianism.
The Precarious Power of Azerbaijan: How a Delayed Peace With Armenia Endangers a New Regional Order (May 26, 2025, Foreign Affairs) (Subscription required)
Few other countries in the past five years have experienced as great a shift in fortune as Azerbaijan. As recently as 2020, the small, oil- and natural-gas-rich country was mired in a decades-long conflict with neighboring Armenia and lacked full control of its territory. Today, that situation has dramatically changed.
Fear factor: more Japanese worry war ‘likely’ to break out in Asia, survey shows (May 6, 2025, South China Morning Post) (Subscription required)
Japanese people are increasingly fearful that war will break out in the Asia-Pacific region and that Japan will be dragged into the fighting with rising tensions over disputed islands in the East China Sea adding to public anxiety.
Why are some key Tehran allies staying out of the Israel-Iran conflict? (June 14, 2025, The Associated Press)
Hezbollah has long been considered Iran’s first line of defense in case of a war with Israel. But since Israel launched its massive barrage against Iran this week, the Lebanese militant group has stayed out of the fray.
North Korea’s Partially Sunk Frigate Has Already Been Ceremoniously Relaunched (June 12, 2025, The War Zone)
New satellite imagery indicates that North Korea has held a new launch ceremony or a similar event for its second Choi-Hyun class frigate. How North Korea managed to get the ship looking like it does now, even superficially, so quickly after it sat in the water for days isn't clear.
Is Thailand on the Cusp of Another Military Coup? (June 11, 2025, The Diplomat) (Subscription required)
Border tensions with Cambodia, a Shinawatra in power: the current situation bears an alarming resemblance to the country’s last two military takeovers.
The urgent search for a new regional and global order (June 2, 2025, East Asia Forum)
The shifting balance of power in Asia, with the United States no longer a guaranteed force for stabilisation and China asserting itself as its strategic peer, demands that middle powers find new ways to protect an open, rules-based order.
Is Beijing engineering election wins for 'soft on China' politicians? (May 28, 2025, The Japan Times)
In recent national elections, parties seen as softer on China have won or gained ground in Taiwan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and most recently the Philippines. Is this a coincidence, a backlash against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs or the result of effective work by the UFWD?
Is China’s BeiDou a weapon of war? (June 9, 2025, Space News)
Chinese technologies are without question a double-edged sword. From DeepSeek AI to Huawei smartphones, DJI drones and industrial port cranes, many of these tools raise valid concerns about surveillance, information theft and disruption.
The Historical Great Powers of Asia: Medieval East Asia (May 16, 2025, The Diplomat) (Subscription required)
China has played a prominent role in Asian history, regarded by its immediate neighbors, such as Korea and Japan, as well as far-flung peoples, like the Arabs and Romans, as one of the preeminent great powers of their world. Medieval and early modern Asians unanimously understood that China was one of the most important empires of their time.
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Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio
Blessing Asia
In October-2022 more than 500 Christian leaders from across Asia gathered in Thailand for the Asia 2022 Congress, sponsored by the Lausanne Movement and various partnering organizations. I had the opportunity to participate in the Congress virtually and was mightily blessed. From Bible exposition to K-pop worship, and through seminars and workshops, the participants were encouraged by the stories of what God is doing in countries all over Asia. Clearly, God is on the move.
A beautiful vision was portrayed in a video of the popular worship song The Blessing, featuring singers from all over Asia. Here it is:
Many of the sessions have already been posted on their website and to their YouTube channel.
One that I found particularly helpful considering all that is going on in China was a presentation titled Church and State Relationship in Asia Today. You can see the video here.
I encourage you to spend some time on their website; there are fantastic resources for understanding God’s work in Asia today.
Original link: https://www.chinasource.org/resource-library/blog-entries/blessing-asia/
Image credit: Andrea Brucker, via Unsplash
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