About this site

Each page of this site is intended to give readers a quick snapshot of news and opinion both from and about various regions and countries in the Indo-Pacific. The inclusion (or exclusion) of links and summaries is not intended as endorsements of the views original sources express.

Because of the number and variety of sources (unevenly distributed across regions), we are constantly trying to improve the selection, organization, and presentation of regional news and opinion.

In order to aid the absorption of that material, we are including twice-weekly summaries for each of the main regions: East Asia (Sundays and Wednesdays in Asia), Southeast Asia (Mondays and Thursdays), and South Asia (Tuesdays and Fridays).

But, these summaries are nested in news and opinion feeds largely derived from local English-language media. Our purpose in emphasizing local media is threefold:

  1. To let the region speak for itself.
  2. To boost local English-language media.
  3. Most importantly, to permit the English-speaking reader to get a feel for the region that can be lost in the well-manicured analyses to be found in Western(ized) media sources.

On this third point, the issue is not that these (often academic) pieces are of poor quality. On the contrary, we think the analysis to be found in established, credible sites and journals is absolutely crucial to understanding the region and helping it develop peacefully. Indeed, we hope there will be more of it.

But, relying on those sources is not sufficient, especially in a period of history in which the Indo-Pacific region is likely to be pivotal. We think the flavor, for lack of a better word, of local English-language media in the Indo-Pacific contains information that cannot be easily captured in established media sources.

In short, we aspire to collaborate with–to boost–both local English-language media and Western media focused on the region. This site cannot fill the gaps that we perceive exist in coverage of the Indo-Pacific, but we aim to contribute to the filling of those gaps.

Running a site like this costs money, and it will not be able to thrive without income. At present, we are relying on advertisements, although we may move towards a subscription model in the future. We hope that with increased income, we can improve the quality of our feeds and provide more in-depth coverage.

The Editor