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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
The coalition of Australia, US, Philippines, and Japan was recognised by the Pentagon chief as the most ‘strategically positioned to manifest deterrence’.
His attendance at the meeting of major powers will be the new president’s first overseas trip since taking office.
Bangkok’s resistance to Phnom Penh’s attempts to ‘internationalise’ the border dispute is likely to affect the meeting, experts say.
Vietnam and Thailand’s upgraded partnership aims to boost trade to US$25 billion by 2030, reflecting Hanoi’s tiered diplomacy approach.
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Return of Trump and his America-first policy seen to be source of anxiety for many partners and allies.
New Zealand has committed to US$7.1 billion in defence spending over the next four years in response to rising global tensions.
Analysts say the use of advanced drones from China and Russia has resulted in more casualties and slowed down opposition offensives.
Fake content on the clash between India and Pakistan may deepen social polarisation and erode trust in reliable sources, analysts warn.
Xi’s meeting highlights China’s increasing support for Myanmar’s isolated regime and indicates a strategic alignment with Russia, analysts say.
Washington is retaining the 10 per cent baseline tariff on UK imports, whereas Japan is aiming for zero levy for its exports to the US.
The prime minister’s visit to his ‘good friend’ Prabowo shows that the region is central to Australia’s foreign policy agenda, experts say.
Analysts say Wellington’s new visiting forces agreement with the Philippines signals a more ‘alliance-like’ approach to foreign policy.
Canberra expected to continue managing close US relationship as it leans towards boosting ties with Southeast Asia, analysts note.
The arms provided by Russia to India and China to Pakistan come even as Moscow and Beijing want tensions in South Asia to ease, analysts say.
Vietnam has urged China and the Philippines to ‘refrain from actions’ and respect its sovereignty over the archipelago.
The Pacific Islands Forum wants answers from Washington over its unmet financial pledges to the region, including US$200 million in funding.
Recent visits by ships from Vietnam, Russia and Japan at Ream are aimed at deflecting views of China’s ‘preferential access’, analysts say.
China’s ‘Never Kneel Down’ video employs nationalistic rhetoric to resonate with a Chinese audience, but is unlikely to influence the global narrative on tariffs.
Ishiba’s visits follow Chinese President Xi Jinping’s own tour of the region, reflecting a broader competition for influence.
Despite US enthusiasm, South Korea fears being drawn into conflicts beyond the Korean peninsula, such as the Taiwan Strait.
Seoul has offered to partner with Washington in shipbuilding and energy, and says it aims to address their bilateral trade imbalance.
Port call shows Cambodia remains ‘open for cooperation’ with other nations and Ream Naval Base is not exclusively for China’s use, analysts say.
Vietnam’s reported move to buy US F-16 jets could end 70-year defence ties with Russia and risk China’s wrath, analysts say.
About one-third of the steel and aluminium used in US naval vessels, including the Aukus submarines, have been hit by Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Amid global uncertainty, Japan’s ‘diplomatic consistency’ and pacifist stance solidified its position as the most trusted major power.
The US president’s ‘one-sided deal’ rhetoric is aimed at extracting trade concessions and higher defence payments from Tokyo, observers say.
Phnom Penh has offered to slash import taxes, but analysts warn it could still miss the mark with a transactional Trump administration.
While Malaysia calls for a united front, the reality is a race for bilateral deals, with Vietnam leading the charge – as China watches on.
The China-funded expansion of Ream Naval Base has made the US and analysts worried that it will be used as a strategic outpost by China.
