https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/32909/feed The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the Asean Declaration by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Its aims include accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development of its member states and the protection of regional peace and stability. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Reuters Reuters Indonesia and Singapore are looking to set up a joint task force to deal with haze from Indonesia’s wildfires, the countries’ foreign ministers said on Tuesday, as they met to reaffirm their ties after weeks of simmering tensions. The visit to Jakarta by Singapore Foreign Minister ‌Vivian Balakrishnan came amid mounting frustrations in the city state over the transboundary haze generated by Indonesia’s most intense forest fires in 11 years. After a two-hour meeting, Singapore and Indonesia’s top... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372331/singapore-indonesia-plan-create-haze-task-force-share-data-amid-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372331/singapore-indonesia-plan-create-haze-task-force-share-data-amid-tensions Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:52:04 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun will skip this week’s meeting of Southeast Asian defence chiefs and their dialogue partners in Cebu, with Beijing instead sending its defence attache in the Philippines. Dong has attended the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) for the past two years. This year’s ADMM and ADMM-Plus, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, coincide with a major Communist Party meeting known as the fifth plenum, which is running in Beijing from Monday to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3372323/chinas-defence-minister-dong-jun-miss-asean-defence-talks-fifth-plenum-convenes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3372323/chinas-defence-minister-dong-jun-miss-asean-defence-talks-fifth-plenum-convenes Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:12:28 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. Where I grew up in Kalimantan, we call it libur asap, the “smoke holiday”, when the haze gets too thick for school. This year, as Singapore and Malaysia choke on the same smoke, it is easy to ask why Indonesia doesn’t simply stop burning. The honest answer is that the palm oil... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3372142/solution-asean-haze-starts-helping-oil-palm-smallholders https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3372142/solution-asean-haze-starts-helping-oil-palm-smallholders Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:30:19 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan In parts of Southeast Asia, unsold homes are piling up as developers struggle to clear housing stock – yet young buyers hoping to land their first property still cannot find an affordable home. The paradox reflects a growing mismatch between the homes being built and what aspiring buyers can afford, according to analysts, who point to speculative investment, financing hurdles and poor locations as factors leaving properties empty even amid demand for affordable housing. In Vietnam, the problem... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372208/southeast-asias-housing-paradox-too-many-homes-too-few-buyers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372208/southeast-asias-housing-paradox-too-many-homes-too-few-buyers Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:24 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong officials held discussions with finance ministers and representatives from economies such as Brunei during last week’s Apec meeting on reducing reliance on the US dollar and expanding the use of local currencies and the yuan for bilateral trade settlement, the city’s treasury chief has said. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu on Sunday also shared lighthearted but telling anecdotes about the intangible gains made by the city from hosting the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3372073/hong-kong-seeks-bigger-role-yuan-regional-trade-treasury-chief-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3372073/hong-kong-seeks-bigger-role-yuan-regional-trade-treasury-chief-says Sun, 25 Oct 2026 10:44:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Indonesia cut exports of natural gas to Singapore on Saturday to prioritise domestic demand, an official said, with the two countries at loggerheads over regional air pollution emanating from wildfires on the vast archipelago. The head of SKK Migas, a state agency supervising the oil and gas sector, said Indonesia would cut a total of 31 million standard cubic feet per day from its supply to Singapore. Fifteen million standard cubic feet per day was being cut from Natuna in Indonesia’s Riau... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372025/indonesia-cuts-gas-singapore-amid-borneo-sumatra-wildfire-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372025/indonesia-cuts-gas-singapore-amid-borneo-sumatra-wildfire-haze Sat, 24 Oct 2026 10:21:42 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Indonesia’s warnings of curbing energy exports to countries it deems disrespectful amid regional tensions have put Singapore and other Southeast Asian buyers on notice, exposing the risks of relying on a neighbour increasingly protective of its resources. On Thursday, Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Bahlil Lahadalia said he would not hesitate to consider halting exports to countries that did not respect Indonesia. “Don’t come asking for help only when you’re in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371967/what-indonesias-warnings-energy-cuts-mean-asean https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371967/what-indonesias-warnings-energy-cuts-mean-asean Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:22:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The son of Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi said she sounded “fairly healthy” after speaking to the detained ex-democratic leader on Thursday for the first time in more than five years. Suu Kyi, 81, is under house arrest in the capital, Naypyidaw, according to Myanmar authorities, where she has been sequestered since being unseated in a 2021 military coup. “She was sounding fairly healthy,” Kim Aris, who lives in the UK, said after the telephone conversation. It was the first time he had spoken to his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371841/rare-suu-kyi-phone-call-son-signals-shift-myanmar-junta-strategy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371841/rare-suu-kyi-phone-call-son-signals-shift-myanmar-junta-strategy Fri, 23 Oct 2026 01:33:46 +0000 Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan The Philippine ambassador to the United States signalled possible meetings of the “Squad” bloc ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathering in Manila, as Washington confirmed that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue would hold its first leaders’ summit in more than two years on the sidelines of the regional talks. An informal defence grouping, the “Squad” forms part of a US-led regional strategy to counter China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. It comprises the US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3371804/quad-confirmed-manila-envoy-signals-likely-squad-talks-trump-xi-summit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3371804/quad-confirmed-manila-envoy-signals-likely-squad-talks-trump-xi-summit Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:00:05 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Southeast Asian nations are seeking to make it easier for businesses and consumers to operate across borders in the digital economy, but achieving the goal will depend on whether governments can align their domestic laws under a proposed pact, according to analysts. Targeted to be signed during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Manila in November, the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) is aimed at improving compatibility between rules and systems governing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371685/asean-wants-single-digital-economy-will-different-state-laws-hobble-its-goal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371685/asean-wants-single-digital-economy-will-different-state-laws-hobble-its-goal Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:30:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Indonesia’s president railed against “countries that like to insult” his nation over wildfires that have razed vast areas, spewing toxic haze into neighbouring countries. The Southeast Asian giant has for months struggled to contain fires that Nusantara Atlas, an independent monitor analysing satellite data, said had consumed more than 1.9 million hectares (4.7 million acres) in the nine months to September. The haze has sent air pollution levels surging to dangerous levels not only at home, but... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371700/prabowo-warns-regional-critics-indonesia-wont-be-insulted-over-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371700/prabowo-warns-regional-critics-indonesia-wont-be-insulted-over-haze Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:54:00 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen With domestic profits narrowing and production capacity expanding, China’s firms are continuing to widen their overseas footprints in search of new, more lucrative markets. In this series, we examine China Inc.’s next phase of “going global” and the complex, challenging international environment its companies have chosen to enter. A subtle shift is taking place among Chinese businesses as they adopt a “China plus one” outlook and redirect domestic investments to neighbouring economies – a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371529/poster-child-why-more-chinese-firms-have-thailand-their-expansion-plans https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371529/poster-child-why-more-chinese-firms-have-thailand-their-expansion-plans Tue, 20 Oct 2026 22:00:05 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Tuesday that the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue would meet in the Philippine capital next month, marking the group’s first summit in more than two years, just days before US President Donald Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shenzhen, China. “It’s been agreement now that we’re going to do it; we’re going to do it in Manila, at the Asean conference,” Rubio said in an interview with Indian news channel CNN-News18. “We don’t... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371558/first-quad-leaders-summit-after-two-years-manila-next-month-rubio-confirms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371558/first-quad-leaders-summit-after-two-years-manila-next-month-rubio-confirms Tue, 20 Oct 2026 17:13:44 +0000 Ronny P. Sasmita Ronny P. Sasmita China’s export machine is accelerating as its domestic economy remains under strain. This comes amid growing trade friction as China’s partners question whether persistent surpluses can coexist with balanced and resilient regional growth. Last month, China’s exports rose 36.3 per cent year on year, while shipments to Southeast Asia jumped 52.3 per cent. The trade surplus reached US$133.5 billion, taking the nine-month total to US$938.1 billion. In contrast, retail sales grew just 0.4 per cent in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371208/chinas-export-boom-creates-difficult-bargain-southeast-asia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371208/chinas-export-boom-creates-difficult-bargain-southeast-asia Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran US President Donald Trump is expected to drive hard bargains on tariffs and critical minerals in his return to the Asean summit in Manila next month, with Washington seeking greater economic and strategic concessions while remaining hawkish on China. The Philippines confirmed on Wednesday that Trump would fly in for the summit from November 16 to 18, before attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Shenzhen that same week. Trump’s second consecutive appearance at the forum... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371132/trumps-second-asean-summit-presence-comes-price-region https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371132/trumps-second-asean-summit-presence-comes-price-region Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ongoing fires in Indonesia that have blanketed parts of Southeast Asia with toxic haze have triggered the highest-level alert by the regional bloc’s climate and fire monitor. “Activation of Alert Level 3 for the Southern Asean region,” the Singapore Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) said on its website, seen on Saturday. Based near Singapore’s Changi Airport, the ASMC uses a four-tiered alert level system, from zero to three, with the highest triggered if there is a “high risk of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371235/asean-climate-monitor-issues-highest-alert-level-over-toxic-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371235/asean-climate-monitor-issues-highest-alert-level-over-toxic-haze Sat, 17 Oct 2026 05:26:04 +0000 Hirokazu Omatsu,Kyi Sin Hirokazu Omatsu,Kyi Sin Japan has long established itself as a pioneer of mediation in Southeast Asia. In 1990, for example, its officials helped broker talks between Cambodia’s warring factions, supplementing international efforts to end conflict in the country. Now, Tokyo is seeking to upgrade its diplomatic toolkit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Peace Mediation Unit was set up in March, followed by the launch of the Parliamentary Association for Peace Mediation in May. Around the same time, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3371168/aseans-myanmar-peace-push-needs-japans-silent-diplomacy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3371168/aseans-myanmar-peace-push-needs-japans-silent-diplomacy Sat, 17 Oct 2026 05:00:10 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian China and the Philippines recently traded accusations over the medical evacuation of a Philippine serviceman from a grounded naval vessel in the hotly disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The incident has sparked renewed worries about potential armed skirmishes in a global artery of trade. But Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr was also quick to emphasise the economic dimensions of a major conflict. After a decade of rapid economic growth, the Philippines is facing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370775/philippines-china-free-manufacturing-strategy-high-risk-bet https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370775/philippines-china-free-manufacturing-strategy-high-risk-bet Sat, 17 Oct 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia has ruled out taking stronger measures against Indonesia over the worsening regional haze, even as widespread school closures and mounting public frustration fuel calls to punish those responsible for forest fires in the neighbouring country. “We need to safeguard the close relationship between the two countries. So, we are not going as far as sending a diplomatic note or taking legal action,” Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan told local media on Thursday. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371108/anwar-says-malaysia-has-done-everything-we-can-against-haze-critics-say-it-can-do-more https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371108/anwar-says-malaysia-has-done-everything-we-can-against-haze-critics-say-it-can-do-more Fri, 16 Oct 2026 05:11:13 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Every time Kristaen Albert returns home, he reaches for one of the dozen cans of oxygen on a table by the entrance of his house in Central Kalimantan. The air in his neighbourhood has turned dusty amber, with air quality far exceeding hazardous levels. “My breathing is noticeably heavier whenever I step outside. It’s hard to concentrate and stay focused, and it is really affecting my work,” Albert, a 31-year-old software engineer, told This Week in Asia. “Living in this haze is awful.” “The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3370998/indonesians-urge-singapore-malaysia-sue-jakarta-haze-blankets-region https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3370998/indonesians-urge-singapore-malaysia-sue-jakarta-haze-blankets-region Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:42:40 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng Senior American diplomats, administration officials and Indo-Pacific military commanders met in Tokyo earlier this month in what one source called an “unusual” gathering ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China in November. People familiar with the meeting said it represented an evolution of a long-standing practice in which US ambassadors stationed across Asia and the Pacific gathered to exchange intelligence, coordinate diplomatic reporting and align regional priorities. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370884/us-holds-unusual-civil-military-meeting-tokyo-ahead-trumps-china-trip https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370884/us-holds-unusual-civil-military-meeting-tokyo-ahead-trumps-china-trip Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:00:07 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele A long-awaited code of conduct (COC) for the South China Sea risks becoming a toothless agreement, analysts have warned, as Beijing and Southeast Asian nations scramble to hammer out a deal by the end of 2026. More than three decades since it was mooted, the proposed pact has remained gridlocked over how to balance competing territorial claims among China and four rival claimant states – Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines. Maritime experts speaking at a conference in Kuala Lumpur this... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370850/will-south-china-seas-code-conduct-remain-elusive-deadline-looms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370850/will-south-china-seas-code-conduct-remain-elusive-deadline-looms Wed, 14 Oct 2026 07:35:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters Asian countries must remind themselves about what happened during the region’s financial crisis in the late 1990s and guard against a recurrence of such shocks, the head of the Philippine central bank said ‌on Wednesday. Before the Asian financial crisis started in 1997, regional economies saw huge capital inflows that prompted the World Bank to describe it as the “East Asian miracle”, Eli Remolona, governor of the central bank, said in an International Monetary Fund panel on the outlook for the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3370829/asia-must-guard-against-repeat-1997-financial-crisis-philippine-central-bank-chief https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3370829/asia-must-guard-against-repeat-1997-financial-crisis-philippine-central-bank-chief Wed, 14 Oct 2026 05:46:12 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan The US government’s plan to live-stream the execution of a former Army member convicted in a deadly 2009 mass shooting is raising questions about how effectively Southeast Asian governments can restrict graphic online content. Analysts say while authorities may have powers to restrict access to the live stream, containing clips and altered copies of the killing posted to social media could prove far more difficult. The issue gained fresh urgency on Tuesday, after Australia’s Environment Minister... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370763/plan-live-stream-us-execution-tests-southeast-asias-content-curbs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370763/plan-live-stream-us-execution-tests-southeast-asias-content-curbs Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:30:47 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar An Indonesian official’s claim that the country exports “oxygen” and not just smoke to its neighbours has renewed criticism of Jakarta’s handling of its annual forest fires, with analysts warning that defensive nationalism risks undermining regional cooperation to tackle the recurring haze crisis. The remarks by Syahganda Nainggolan, the newly appointed head of the Government Communication Agency, reignited criticism over Indonesia’s handling of its ongoing forest and peatland fires, which have... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3370743/indonesias-haze-rhetoric-unempathetic-oxygen-quip-tests-regional-cooperation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3370743/indonesias-haze-rhetoric-unempathetic-oxygen-quip-tests-regional-cooperation Tue, 13 Oct 2026 10:00:45 +0000 Vincent Caradec Vincent Caradec Last month, Japan’s internal affairs ministry released its yearly data ahead of Respect for the Aged Day. People aged 65 and over now make up a record 29.6 per cent of the population. But the figure I keep coming back to was this: 9.43 million Japanese workers were 65 or older last year, about 13.8 per cent of everyone with a job. Members of Japan’s older population are not simply retired. A large part are still at work and some of those people are the ones businesses depend on. The Asia-Pacific... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370071/dont-leave-asias-ageing-debate-until-its-too-late https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370071/dont-leave-asias-ageing-debate-until-its-too-late Mon, 12 Oct 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese investors could face significant disruption if Indonesia imposes a moratorium on new nickel smelters to curb global overproduction and protect local industries across its vast minerals sector, analysts said. Indonesia was weighing a halt to the construction of smelters that produce semi-finished nickel products amid a global supply glut that had driven down commodity prices, state news agency Antara reported, citing energy and mineral resources minister Bahlil Lahadalia. Semi-finished... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3370344/chinese-nickel-investors-brace-headwinds-indonesia-weighs-smelter-freeze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3370344/chinese-nickel-investors-brace-headwinds-indonesia-weighs-smelter-freeze Sat, 10 Oct 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia is facing renewed pressure to clamp down on its companies over their alleged links to forest fires abroad, as recurring haze from Indonesia continues to disrupt schools and daily life despite years of regional efforts to tackle the problem. On Thursday, Malaysia ordered schools to close across several states, including Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and the Rompin district in Pahang, while sporting events scheduled for the weekend were cancelled. The latest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3370388/malaysia-urged-police-its-firms-indonesia-haze-shuts-schools https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3370388/malaysia-urged-police-its-firms-indonesia-haze-shuts-schools Sat, 10 Oct 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Indonesia officially barred under-16s from using “high-risk” social media earlier this year. But that hasn’t stopped the son of one Jakarta-based writer from using it. Aged 14, he already had accounts on Instagram and TikTok – among the platforms Jakarta said children would be banned from using – as well as popular video game Minecraft and gaming platform Roblox. To register, he simply lied about his age. “He can access everything,” Inne Abidin said of her son. “His friends use everything... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370362/childs-play-southeast-asia-takes-big-tech-protect-kids-online https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370362/childs-play-southeast-asia-takes-big-tech-protect-kids-online Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:00:25 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday said Malaysia would do “whatever is possible” to strengthen cooperation with Myanmar and fully reintegrate the diplomatically isolated nation into the Asean fold. The pledge came during an unusually high-profile official welcome for Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, despite Malaysia’s position that such engagement does not amount to recognition of his government. Min Aung Hlaing inspected a guard of honour in Putrajaya before holding private talks with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370161/anwars-push-return-myanmar-asean-sparks-criticism-over-weakened-leverage https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370161/anwars-push-return-myanmar-asean-sparks-criticism-over-weakened-leverage Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:16:15 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As households across Southeast Asia face rising prices, higher borrowing costs and insecure jobs, analysts say governments should do more to protect a middle class that drives consumer spending but can fall between the cracks of social protection systems designed primarily for poorer households. The issue has come into sharper focus in the Philippines, where the Asian Development Bank Institute urged the government in September to provide targeted support for the middle class to protect its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370111/protect-middle-why-southeast-asia-should-care-about-vulnerable-class https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370111/protect-middle-why-southeast-asia-should-care-about-vulnerable-class Thu, 08 Oct 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong and Indonesia can deepen cooperation in green finance as their ties strengthen, the country’s special envoy for international trade has said, adding that the city’s common law expertise can support the nation’s efforts to attract family offices. Hong Kong also played a vital role as a conduit channelling mainland China investments to Asean, Mari Elka Pangestu told reporters before delivering a lecture at the University of Hong Kong on Wednesday. Pangestu is the Indonesian president’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3370083/hong-kong-and-indonesia-can-deepen-green-finance-ties-jakarta-envoy-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3370083/hong-kong-and-indonesia-can-deepen-green-finance-ties-jakarta-envoy-says Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:48:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Risks to Southeast Asia’s energy supplies are multiplying faster than nations are coming up with solutions to meet rapidly rising demand for electricity, according to an International Energy Agency report released on Tuesday. Southeast Asia has a seemingly insatiable appetite for energy, but the region is now in a pinch as energy costs rise, partly due to the Iran war. Fast-growing Southeast Asian economies also need more electricity to power data centres and keep homes and businesses cool. To... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3369949/rising-electricity-needs-put-southeast-asias-energy-security-risk-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3369949/rising-electricity-needs-put-southeast-asias-energy-security-risk-report Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:00:16 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Governments and financial institutions in Southeast Asia urgently need to find a way to safely and quickly share data if they hope to contain a surge in scams, cybersecurity experts warn, as artificial intelligence enables criminal operations in the region to expand their reach rapidly. Criminal enterprises stole as much as US$114 billion from victims across the Asia-Pacific in 2025, according to a United Nations report released in July, more than triple the amount from two years earlier, aided... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369903/southeast-asia-urged-step-war-against-ai-powered-scams-through-data-sharing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369903/southeast-asia-urged-step-war-against-ai-powered-scams-through-data-sharing Tue, 06 Oct 2026 07:50:04 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Southeast Asian governments are learning some hard truths about the data centre boom they spent years working to attract, analysts say – it promises jobs, digital infrastructure and a foothold in the AI economy, but the rapid buildout is also straining power grids, land and regulatory systems. “There is this enthusiasm to attract investments, but now it raises the question: at what cost and at what speed?” said policy researcher Mark Manantan, a research fellow for the Centre for Global Security... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369788/southeast-asia-starts-rethink-its-ai-data-centre-boom-what-cost https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369788/southeast-asia-starts-rethink-its-ai-data-centre-boom-what-cost Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:11:25 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals who were sent back from Malaysia arrived in the country’s largest city on Sunday despite warnings from the UN refugee agency and rights groups that conditions for return remain unsafe. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021, triggering widespread opposition and plunging large parts of the country into conflict. The returnees, including 86 women, have been convicted of staying... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369705/malaysia-repatriates-1500-myanmar-nationals-despite-un-risk-warnings https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369705/malaysia-repatriates-1500-myanmar-nationals-despite-un-risk-warnings Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:08:17 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen During a recent reporting trip to the economic backwater of Nanning, the capital of southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the Pinglu Canal and US tech titan Apple’s latest product launch were on nearly everyone’s lips. The canal, which was officially opened on September 16, was built to make Guangxi a maritime logistics gateway for landlocked provinces in southwestern China and a nexus for trade with Southeast Asia. But many Nanning residents are not sure they will feel any... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369604/reporters-notebook-can-canal-connection-give-lift-economic-backwater https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369604/reporters-notebook-can-canal-connection-give-lift-economic-backwater Sat, 03 Oct 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s reshuffling of his cabinet signals an urgent need to address criticism and dipping ratings by banking on experienced technocrats and trusted figures in key positions. But while the appointment of a new foreign minister has raised hopes of some restraint on Prabowo’s more impulsive foreign policy decisions, analysts say the president’s self-imposed role as “chief diplomat” is unlikely to change. In his second senior cabinet change in under three weeks,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369530/indonesian-cabinet-reshuffle-how-prabowo-looking-restore-credibility-amid-criticism https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369530/indonesian-cabinet-reshuffle-how-prabowo-looking-restore-credibility-amid-criticism Fri, 02 Oct 2026 05:56:49 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Just under a third of Singaporeans, or 31.4 per cent, believe that nuclear energy promises a clean power source with the greatest potential in the city state, representing the highest acceptance rate in Southeast Asia, a new study has found. The approval rate represented an 11.1 per cent increase from 2024, the Southeast Asia Climate Outlook 2026 Survey found, even as solar energy continued to be the most popular choice. Singapore is studying advanced nuclear technologies, including small... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3369437/nearly-third-singaporeans-open-nuclear-energys-potential-highest-asean-study https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3369437/nearly-third-singaporeans-open-nuclear-energys-potential-highest-asean-study Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:25:33 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li For years, Chinese manufacturers have viewed Southeast Asia as a way to reduce exposure to higher US duties on goods made in China. But a new round of tariff cuts proposed by Washington and Beijing could weaken that incentive for some products, potentially changing the economics of the strategy. Under the new US-China Board of Trade, more than 90 per cent of Chinese products on a list of goods worth US$30 billion – mostly everyday consumer items, such as toys and household goods – would return... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369373/has-us-china-tariff-deal-eroded-southeast-asias-tariff-edge https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369373/has-us-china-tariff-deal-eroded-southeast-asias-tariff-edge Wed, 30 Sep 2026 14:11:54 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau A hunger crisis could creep up on Southeast Asia if the region does not guard against export restrictions amid a fertiliser shortfall, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary General John Denton has warned. On the sidelines of the Future of Trade Forum in Singapore on Wednesday, Denton urged the city state, as the next Asean chair, to prioritise the “sleeper issue” for the region. He argued that the real story centred on food, despite the Strait of Hormuz gridlock being widely seen as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369338/southeast-asia-faces-sleeper-food-crisis-hormuz-fertiliser-bottleneck https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369338/southeast-asia-faces-sleeper-food-crisis-hormuz-fertiliser-bottleneck Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:17:16 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial For centuries, geography has been a burden for China’s southwest. Cargo had to travel a long way east to reach the sea through the ports of Guangdong. The Pinglu Canal, which opened to navigation in Guangxi in September, changes all that. It is the first river-to-sea canal built since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949. A feat of engineering, it is a new gateway for trade between China and Southeast Asia. Whether it becomes a two-way gateway will depend on the choices made by Beijing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3369224/both-china-and-asean-must-capitalise-pinglu-canals-potential https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3369224/both-china-and-asean-must-capitalise-pinglu-canals-potential Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen In the latest milestone for China’s heavy-duty gas turbine manufacturers, Shanghai Electric has secured a turnkey contract to deliver equipment to a power plant in Malaysia, giving it a foothold in a market dominated by established foreign players amid a global supply crunch. The state-owned conglomerate, based in the Chinese financial centre, hailed the deal reached earlier this month as evidence of the competitiveness of its integrated solutions and its capacity to design and manufacture... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369029/chinas-gas-turbine-makers-aim-challenge-global-giants-malaysia-start https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369029/chinas-gas-turbine-makers-aim-challenge-global-giants-malaysia-start Mon, 28 Sep 2026 06:20:17 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin A handful of leading firms from emerging industries are expected to receive preferential policy packages and set up operations in Hong Kong within the “next couple of months”, the city’s finance chief has said, as part of efforts to attract investment. In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po provided an update on the city’s drive to draw international and national brands and strategic enterprises to set up business in Hong Kong through... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3368971/hong-kong-close-deals-firms-strategic-sectors-months-paul-chan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3368971/hong-kong-close-deals-firms-strategic-sectors-months-paul-chan Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:00:30 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Vietnamese coffee chain Trung Nguyen Legend has been brewing up big business in China, serving its signature slow-dripped ground blends sourced fresh from Vietnam. As its network of stores expands across China, logistics has become a bottleneck. It focuses on buying coffee beans in season from plantations in Vietnam, but road-and-sea transport to China follows a circuitous route with occasional delays. It hopes China’s first river-to-sea canal, which opened earlier this month, will offer a short... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368815/asean-firms-hope-pinglu-canal-will-open-china-market-fear-flood-imports https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368815/asean-firms-hope-pinglu-canal-will-open-china-market-fear-flood-imports Mon, 28 Sep 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Shi Jiangtao,Fan Chen Shi Jiangtao,Fan Chen Southeast Asia welcomes the continued thaw in US-China ties after the Xi-Trump summit, with analysts saying that less friction between the two powers over issues such as the South China Sea could lower the pressure on the region. Yet, caution persists as the summit left deeper disputes unresolved. “Stable great-power relations – competitive but with sturdy guardrails – will create more legroom for third countries to navigate an increasingly complex world,” according to Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368941/why-southeast-asia-feels-relief-and-caution-after-xi-trump-summit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368941/why-southeast-asia-feels-relief-and-caution-after-xi-trump-summit Sun, 27 Sep 2026 08:06:48 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Indonesia is considering Chinese investment to help build a massive 2,772km (1,722 mile) railway network through the vast, resource-rich region of Kalimantan, following the completion of Southeast Asia’s first high-speed line between Jakarta and Bandung, state media and analysts said. However, analysts noted that any future commercial agreements were likely to be negotiated cautiously, given the financial strains that dogged the high-speed line and the challenges that stalled a proposed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368818/indonesia-eyes-china-massive-2772km-railway-project-caution https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368818/indonesia-eyes-china-massive-2772km-railway-project-caution Sun, 27 Sep 2026 02:00:07 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran After a decade of start-stop negotiations, the European Union and the Philippines have found their way to a “substantial agreement” on free trade – one that analysts say could pave the way for Brussels to lock in an Asean-wide pact. The breakthrough, announced on Tuesday, capped talks that began in 2016 and stalled a year later, only to resume again in 2024. “I am proud to say we have delivered a substantial agreement that reflects the ambition both sides brought to the table,” EU trade chief... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368826/after-eu-philippines-trade-breakthrough-asean-wide-deal-next https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368826/after-eu-philippines-trade-breakthrough-asean-wide-deal-next Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Tan Poh Hwee Tan Poh Hwee China’s technology companies face a question that no pricing strategy can answer: what will their success do to their trading partners? In Europe, that question has become politically urgent. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warns of a “second China shock”, linking persistent trade imbalances to the erosion of Europe’s industrial base. Europe’s dispute carries a broader warning: affordable products can coexist with deep anxiety over the loss of productive capability. If... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3368491/how-chinese-firms-can-avoid-europe-style-backlash-southeast-asia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3368491/how-chinese-firms-can-avoid-europe-style-backlash-southeast-asia Sat, 26 Sep 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Simon Tay Simon Tay The good news is, when US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Washington this week, neither chose confrontation. Amid the high pomp and ceremony, what China has called “constructive strategic stability” continues. Even an uneasy truce in great power relations can be useful. Both recognise the considerable incentive to prevent their economic rivalry from spiralling out of control. Even limited understandings can reduce risks in artificial intelligence (AI) and other... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3368638/us-china-world-asean-must-do-more-avoid-choosing-sides https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3368638/us-china-world-asean-must-do-more-avoid-choosing-sides Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:30:12 +0000