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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
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.
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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.
The US president says he spoke with Vietnamese leader To Lam, who is seeking to avoid punishing 46 per cent duties.
Despite recent US efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific alliances, Washington’s tariffs may drive Tokyo and Seoul towards closer economic ties with China.
Both sides are also expected to sign agreements on the development of solar power plants and trade cooperation in several sectors.
While rescue teams struggle against civil war roadblocks, analysts warn of a ‘cursed’ regime facing a legitimacy crisis.
With questions being raised about Canada’s continued membership, doubts cloud the integrity of the decades-old intelligence-sharing alliance.
A visit to Russia by General Min Aung Hlaing aimed to enhance Moscow’s influence in Southeast Asia underscored the junta’s need for diplomatic recognition.
But analysts suggest Washington may be open to resuming talks with North Korea, with Moscow potentially playing the role of mediator.
Japan’s air force scrambled jets to shadow the drones, which analysts believe were probing Tokyo’s military readiness and assertiveness.
Focus on humanitarian aid, regional connectivity could help India regain ‘strategic space’ lost after the Taliban took over in 2021, analysts note.
While the pact aims to strengthen Canberra’s regional leadership, it could also be utilised to monitor Chinese naval activity in the Pacific.
Move to promote soft power at odds with perceptions that Thailand is not doing enough to tackle scam centres along Thai-Myanmar border.
The drills, conducted near a busy air corridor, have prompted both countries to enhance surveillance and collaborate with allies.
Financial constraints and strategic concerns look set to overshadow the Indonesian navy’s ambitions of owning a dual-use carrier.
Japan could buy more US products such as LNG to offset possible tariffs, but analysts say the chances of a full exemption seem unlikely.
New Delhi’s decision on next-generation advanced stealth fighters will have to factor in military data leak concerns, analysts say.
Doubts remain about the delivery timeline for the Australia-bound nuclear submarines and Donald Trump’s commitment to the deal, analysts say.
US think tank report says Washington can initiate ‘virtuous cycle of de-escalatory steps’ to reduce risk and help Manila bolster its lawful claims.
By signing a deal with Beijing, the Cook Islands is asserting its independence – in a stark challenge to New Zealand’s Pacific strategy.
