The Asia-Pacific region faced a multitude of security challenges in 2025, including recurring border conflicts, heightened political rhetoric, and domestic unrest, though regional countries continue to prioritize peace and development through dialogue and cooperation.
Persistent Border Tensions
Throughout the year, border disputes involving Thailand and Cambodia, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and India and Pakistan remained significant security concerns in the Asia-Pacific. Clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, stemming from longstanding territorial disputes, reignited after confrontations began in late May.
A joint peace declaration was signed by Thailand and Cambodia during the ASEAN summit in Malaysia on Oct. 26. However, renewed violent clashes erupted in December, less than two months later. Data from both sides indicates that these clashes have resulted in dozens of deaths and the evacuation of over 700,000 people.
“The immediate priority is to halt the fighting, safeguard civilians and return to a diplomatic path supported by international law and the neighborly spirit on which ASEAN depends,” said Anwar Ibrahim, prime minister of Malaysia and the 2025 ASEAN chair, following the renewed conflict.
Humprey Arnaldo Russel, head of the ASEAN-China Research Center of the University of Indonesia, expressed hope that ASEAN, in coordination with China, can facilitate a mutually acceptable peace proposal for the early resolution of the dispute.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated in October following deadly border clashes that killed dozens of soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants, and wounded hundreds on both sides. A ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Türkiye ended the October clashes, but subsequent talks in the Middle East have not yielded a lasting agreement.
Shair Ahmad Hashmat, an Afghan scholar, noted that both Pakistan and Afghanistan recognize that prolonged instability undermines domestic security and regional economic integration, emphasizing the need for continued diplomatic engagement.
Relations between India and Pakistan also experienced renewed strain in 2025, following an attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir in April that killed 26 people. The two countries exchanged military strikes before agreeing to a ceasefire in May. Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, warned that further military action could entail unacceptable risks.
Aggressive Political Remarks Spark Security Concerns
In East Asia, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks regarding China’s Taiwan drew widespread criticism for potentially reviving militarism and threatening regional stability. At a Diet meeting on Nov. 7, Takaichi linked the Taiwan question to a “survival-threatening situation” – a trigger under a 2015 law – suggesting potential military involvement.
Despite representations from China, Takaichi has not retracted her statements. Keio University Professor Emeritus Hiroshi Onishi warned that Takaichi’s remarks revealed a worrying tendency toward militarism and were unacceptable. Valery Kistanov, a Japan expert at the Russian Academy of Science, cautioned that the remarks could heighten regional tensions and risk conflict. Australian Citizens Party’s National Chairman Robert Barwick described the remarks as destabilizing and undermining regional security. Julia Roknifard, a senior lecturer at Taylor’s University in Malaysia, urged Japan to focus on domestic socio-economic challenges.
In recent years, Japan has increased defense spending, eased arms-export restrictions, and pursued offensive weapons development.
Domestic Unrest Highlights Urgency of Stability, Development
Domestic instability in several South Asian and Southeast Asian countries further complicated regional security in 2025. Protests in Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines resulted in casualties, property damage, and economic disruptions.
In Nepal, protests against a ban on unregistered social media platforms, combined with anger over corruption, escalated on Sept. 8. The World Bank has lowered Nepal’s economic growth projection to 2.1 percent for the 2025-26 fiscal year, citing recent unrest and political uncertainty.
Anti-corruption protests in Indonesia, beginning in late August, spread across the country, with demonstrators setting fire to regional parliament buildings and damaging public infrastructure. Following Sept. 1, large-scale demonstrations subsided as the government launched political reforms and strengthened international cooperation to attract investment and create jobs.
Thousands protested in Manila and other parts of the Philippines in September, voicing outrage over widespread corruption. Philippine authorities reported at least one death and over 200 arrests during the protests. The Philippines’ chief economist, Arsenio Balisacan, stated that the country’s economy is expected to slow down in the second half of 2025, partly due to the corruption scandals.
Peace, Development Remain Shared Aspirations
Regional countries have consistently emphasized peace and development as the most reliable path toward prosperity in the Asia-Pacific, whether addressing border disputes, political rhetoric, or domestic unrest. Oh Ei Sun, principal adviser for Malaysia’s Pacific Research Center, noted the need for a more robust and enforceable regional security mechanism.
Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, called for a rules-based regional order that rejects the use of force in resolving disputes. Afghan scholar Hashmat emphasized the importance of inclusive multilateralism, respect for sovereignty, and peaceful dispute resolution. Russel stressed that inclusive prosperity and shared development are the foundation of enduring peace and security, ensuring no state or society is left behind.
To maintain regional stability, the Indonesian expert stressed the importance of consolidating regional cooperation institutions, including ASEAN, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Eng Kok Thay, a secretary of state of Cambodia’s Council of Ministers, stated that preventing miscalculation and building crisis-response tools are crucial. Hashmat stressed that a stable and peaceful Asia-Pacific will contribute to global security.
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