Anthony Kuhn

U.S. diplomats staged a rare intervention to rescue the family of a human rights lawyer held in China. Whether this means a more muscular U.S. human rights policy toward China remains to be seen.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has denied involvement in a discounted sale of state-owned land for a new primary school. He says he'll resign if proof of his involvement is found.

The Indonesian court's decision has cheered Muslim conservatives and crushed the hopes of advocates of a more pluralistic and tolerant path for their nation.

The Christian governor of Jakarta, which is the capital of mostly-Muslim Indonesia, has been found guilty of blaspheming Islam. He is expected to appeal his two-year prison sentence.

On Tuesday, North Korea marked the 85th anniversary of the Korean People's Army. That has the U.S. and North Korea's neighbors on high alert for a possible nuclear test.

North Korea detained a dual nationality South Korean-American as he prepared to board a plane at Pyongyang's airport. It brings the number of Americans known to be in North Korean custody to three.

Vice President Mike Pence is traveling the Pacific Rim, where much of President Trump's foreign policy agenda is focused. The other major issue is trade. Pence met with Japan's prime minister.

President Trump plans to sign an order on "Hire American" and "Buy American." Vice President Pence meets with Japan's prime minister after Trump targeted Japan for its huge trade surplus with the U.S.

In South Korea Monday, Vice President Mike Pence warned North Korea that U.S. patience was running out with the regime. This came a day after North Korea tried and failed to test a ballistic missile.

Set to be implemented in 2030, the plan would merge Beijing, the port city of Tianjin and Hebei province into a mega-region to push economic development. Some are skeptical resources will be shifted.

An apparent deal to cooperate on the North Korean nuclear issue is among several points of agreement that are emerging after the summit between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A look at relations between the U.S. and China after Xi Jinping's visit to the U.S. Immediate challenges include how to respond to North Korea.

"We worried if we did not take immediate stabilizing measures," a Chinese analyst says, "the relationship could nosedive and pose serious problems for our finances, economy and strategic security."

A look at what President Donald Trump's first face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping looks like from Beijing.

"China's law does not really encourage people to defend themselves, because that would be encouraging them to rise up and resist [authority]," a Chinese lawyer noted.

Until recently, migrant workers lured by bonuses drove for China's largest Uber-like service. But some local governments banned out-of-town drivers, apparently to protect local jobs and curb growth.

Clearing peat land by fire is illegal but remains widespread, since it's the cheapest way to clear land for farming and industry. Still, peat fires were down by more than 80 percent from 2015 to 2016.

To the surprise of many observers, Tillerson referred to a mutual U.S.-China understanding of "non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had positive things to say about his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday.

A video of NPR Beijing correspondent Anthony Kuhn asking a question about a policy to expand the Beijing region got millions of views on Weibo, China's answer to Twitter. Here's why.