Tunisia’s Climate Crisis, Economic Downturn, and Growing Dependency on Algeria (March 18, 2025, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)
Since 2017, Tunisia has experienced intensified climate change effects, including severe drought. President Kais Saied’s governance failures have only exacerbated the country's long-standing vulnerabilities.
An Asian democracy collapse amid the new world order (March 27, 2025, The Japan Times) (Subscription required)
Over the past five to seven years, democracy and rights have been on a downward slide in nearly every country in Asia that is either a mature, long-lasting democracy or something close to it. This is part of a global trend of democratic decline.
Inside Cambodia’s Political Doomsday Sect (April 1 2025, The Diplomat) (Subscription required)
Not far from the tourist city of Siem Reap in northwestern Cambodia, roughly a thousand devotees gather around a picturesque pond. They are there to listen to the words of their guru, Khem Veasna, whom they believe has descended from the realm of Brahma in human form. His mission: to teach them the true way of Buddha and save them from the coming apocalypse.
GE2025: Singapore voters can’t afford to ignore harsh new global realities (April 5, 2025, The Straits Times)
There’s a strong case that Singaporeans – when weighing up which candidates or political parties to support – should, on top of assessing whether they have adequate answers for immediate bread-and-butter challenges, also judge whether they possess the prescience and cognitive dexterity to navigate a fast-shifting global environment.
Does Israeli and Palestinian Public Opinion Really Matter? (April 1, 2025, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)
Do leaders pay attention to the changing views of their respective constituencies? Each situation presents unique challenges for analysts and scholars trying to answer these questions. And those challenges have grown exponentially more complicated in the wake of October 7, 2023, and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
To counter China’s coercion of Taiwan, we must track it better (March 28, 2025, Australian Strategic Policy Institute - The Strategist)
The threat of a Chinese military invasion of Taiwan dominates global discussion about the Taiwan Strait. Far less attention is paid to what is already happening—Beijing is slowly squeezing Taiwan into submission without firing a shot.
China’s Mysterious New ‘Bridge’ Barges Are Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Seen. Why Isn’t America Building Its Own? (April 4, 2025, Popular Mechanics)
At the Longxue Island shipyard in Guangzhou, China, something remarkable, even for the naval world, has materialized in a short span of time. Make no mistake: these long-legged, long-ramped ships are purpose-built for invasion.
China and India Haven’t Patched Things Up on the Border (April 3, 2025, Foreign Policy) (Subscription required)
Rapprochement comes with challenges, especially for New Delhi. China seeks friendly ties with India—but only on its own nonnegotiable terms. Meanwhile, India has made concessions in pursuit of normalcy, driven by Modi’s affinity for China, economic and military vulnerabilities, and shifting geopolitics.
Is China or the US the ‘wolf warrior’ in Latin America now? (March 24, 2025, Atlantic Council)
From roughly 2013 to 2021, Chinese diplomats often adopted an aggressive approach that became known as “wolf warrior” diplomacy. The term was derived from the name of a popular nationalist Chinese action film, and in practice, wolf warrior diplomacy took the form of Chinese officials publicly using tough and often threatening language toward other nations.
China’s military build-up indicates it is serious about taking Taiwan (March 28, 2025, Chatham House - The Royal Institute of International Affairs)
China has increased its military activity around Taiwan and deployed new landing barges in the South China Sea, while the counter-influence policies of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and shifts in US rhetoric are viewed as provocations by Beijing – fuelling a vicious circle of tensions.
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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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