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Maria Siow
Senior Correspondent, Asia
Maria Siow is a long-time China-based correspondent and analyst with keen interest in East Asia. Maria has a masters degree in international relations.
Maria Siow is a long-time China-based correspondent and analyst with keen interest in East Asia. Maria has a masters degree in international relations.
Areas of Expertise:
Chinese foreign relations, Asian affairs, China’s public diplomacyLanguages Spoken:
English, Mandarin
Removing statues of the country’s founding father appears aimed at stripping democratic legitimacy from his daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi.
The ‘long overdue’ move is expected to boost the defence ministry’s capacity to work more closely with allies and ease operational strain.
A joint study for a 2,790MW hydropower project is more political stunt than power plan, critics say.
While some Pacific Islands Forum members have criticised the test near Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea appears to have backtracked, analysts say.
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Agreeing to Kyiv’s co-production proposal risks triggering a backlash from Beijing and Moscow, analysts say.
Wellington’s bid to join the pact flags a hard-security pivot, but analysts ask if such treaties serve Pacific societies’ best interests.
The navy’s first littoral combat ship is arriving later this year without the anti-ship missiles meant to give it offensive teeth.
Half a century after a bruising naval defeat, Pakistan is signalling it can again challenge India on its eastern flank.
Eight years after ‘Indo’ was added to signal India’s importance, analysts say its removal points to a shift in Washington’s priorities.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi questions the accuracy of China’s military spending data, contrasting it with Japan’s transparent approach.
China and India have been jostling for influence in Myanmar as the Asean member remains embroiled in civil war.
Ottawa is fielding its largest military contingent in years at the Rimpac drills. Whether it can sustain the commitment is another matter.
Instead of showing remorse, Washington ordered New Delhi to obey its blockade, stoking public outrage.
The Japanese leader also proposed a strategic mineral stockpiling plan during the summit to counter China and boost Tokyo’s global role.
By exporting warships, analysts say Tokyo is sidestepping military pacts to bind partners through shared hardware.
Analysts view the decision to prioritise Kuala Lumpur and Beijing as practical rather than a direct snub of New Delhi.
Southeast Asia needs energy. Russia needs friends. Next week’s summit in Kazan could offer opportunities for both sides.
The initiative aims to break China’s near-monopoly, but private-sector caution and a history of unfulfilled pledges stand in the way.
Analysts warn that a lack of commitment by the four-member bloc on the project could open the door for China to expand its economic clout.
Analysts say the US defence secretary’s taunts ring hollow given Washington’s own record of undermining alliance obligations.
The military leader’s first presidential trip to New Delhi signals pragmatic engagement as India moves to counter rising Chinese influence.
Restarting the shelved US$3.6 billion Myitsone Dam project could ultimately come down to Beijing’s ‘risk tolerance’.
Japan scrambled its fighter jets 448 times in nine months last year. Most of the intercepts involved Russian or Chinese aircraft.
Japan is a key counterweight for the Philippines to deal with its maritime challenges in the South China Sea, analysts say.
With submarine projects stalled and frigate funding cut, Thailand’s fleet risks being outpaced by regional rivals.
Energy security and supply chains topped the summit’s formal agenda. The subtext was a fear of ‘alliance abandonment’, analysts say.
Analysts say US-controlled parts may have been a factor in Norway’s revoked export licences, underscoring risks for Asian defence buyers.
Joint energy security is easy to endorse in principle, yet the bloc has a stubborn record of leaving its emergency frameworks untouched.
Bangladesh’s new prime minister has formally asked China to help with a long-delayed river project near the sensitive Siliguri Corridor.
