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Asean

Asean
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.
Beijing has tried to drum up support among Southeast Asian diplomats following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s (centre) comments about Taiwan in November. Photo: Reuters
China-Asean relations

Exclusive | Inside China’s rare meeting to lobby Southeast Asia against Japan

Beijing summons Southeast Asian envoys and invokes Japan’s WWII history, but campaign to isolate Tokyo gains little traction.

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Thailand

Video | Tourists mistake Thai funeral for a restaurant

Crime

Video | Fake police station and uniforms found in Cambodian scam centre

Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

Video | Philippines rejects moves to impeach Marcos

One complaint focused on ‘ghost’ projects that left the country vulnerable to devastating floods.

A Philippine house panel votes on the impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as lacking in substance, at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines, February 4, 2026. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David
China airliners

China’s C919 is a hit at home. Will it be a ‘hard sell’ in Singapore?

China’s C919 could be the only single-aisle jet to feature in a fly-by at this year’s Singapore Airshow, one source says.

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US-China relations

Opinion | Beijing must be clear-eyed about its national interests abroad

As the US disrupts international norms, China should reconsider its place in the world system to protect its overseas investments.

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Myanmar

Myanmar junta pledges to remove former civil servants from blacklists

After the military snatched power in a 2021 coup, tens of thousands of public workers left their posts in a surge of civil disobedience.

Demonstrators hold placards during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, on February 18, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE
The Philippines

Is Philippines falling behind in EV race as Southeast Asia revs up?

Policy uncertainty and the Philippines’ lack of competitiveness in key areas have reinforced investor unease, observers say.

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China-Philippines relations

Asian Angle | South China Sea: 6 risks facing Philippines, China as conflict threshold lowers

From violent incidents to US missiles in Luzon, a ‘perilous new normal’ and vanishing red lines threaten to derail the Code of Conduct.

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Donald Trump

Asian Angle | ‘Old order is not coming back’: Trump’s US, not China, threatens status quo

American unpredictability is pushing countries to hedge more proactively – and, ironically, soften existing tensions with China.

A protester interrupts US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) as he testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday. Photo: Getty Images
The Philippines

How far can Asean engage Myanmar without legitimising military rule?

The bloc’s foreign ministers meet in Cebu amid concerns that diplomacy could slide into tacit acceptance of military rule.

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Asean foreign ministers pose for a group photo in Cebu City on Thursday where they discussed the bloc’s response to the Myanmar crisis. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

Just 1 visa to rule them all? How European-style pass could help Asean tourism

While Asean members such as Malaysia and Vietnam have shown strong post-pandemic growth, tourist numbers have lagged in the Philippines.

The Philippines

Filipino’s death fuels concern over coercive recruitment in Ukraine war

Observers say the case of John Patrick reflects human exploitation and the structural pressure on Russia’s manpower resources.

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Donald Trump

Opinion | Why Southeast Asia should not fear Trump’s disruption

Instead of joining Trump’s neocolonial ‘Board of Peace’, Southeast Asian leaders should seize the chance to help rebuild a global order that is just and equitable.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China economy

Opinion | China’s slowing overseas investment reflects caution, not retreat

Amid rising protectionism and increased pushback in advanced economies, Beijing is strategically recalibrating its investments abroad.

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A container is lifted by a crane backdropped by the construction of the Chinese-funded mega port, in Chancay, Peru, on October 29, 2024. Photo: AP
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s exports jump 15.4% in 2025 to ‘historical high’

City’s trade to be supported by sustained global growth, improved ties with new markets and strong demand for AI products, authorities say.

Cambodia

Fear of Thai border action steers Cambodia towards UN law of sea after 43 years

Cambodia’s smaller and weaker navy will find safety in numbers and rule of law now that it has ratified Unclos, according to analysts.

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Belt and Road Initiative

China close to opening US$10 billion canal linking heartlands to Southeast Asia

The vast waterway in China’s southern Guangxi region is set to open before the end of 2026, according to state media reports.

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The Pinglu Canal, which stretches 134km (83 miles) across China’s southwestern Guangxi region, is expected to boost trade ties between China and Southeast Asia. Photo: Xinhua
Banking & finance

In a turbulent world, funding Asia’s critical infrastructure a ‘duty’: AIIB

New president says private capital and international cooperation essential to funding infrastructure projects across continent.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s foreign, mainland Chinese firms hit record high as gold deal hailed

John Lee highlights ‘unprecedented achievements’, unveils landmark pact to develop gold trading ecosystem, including clearing platform with Shanghai.

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Trade finance in Hong Kong set for a competitive tech upgrade

Monetary Authority’s five-year fintech upgrade will streamline SME trade finance and help build the city’s digital trade infrastructure.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s five-year fintech road map aims to modernise the city’s trade finance landscape and strengthen connectivity with mainland China and Asean trade corridors. Photo: Shutterstock
Myanmar

Video | Can Myanmar’s elections bring an end to its civil war?

International observers and bodies have slammed the elections as a sham that is neither free nor fair.

Myanmar elections
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Indonesia

‘Resilience’ is Indonesia’s new foreign policy buzzword, but is it just rhetoric?

Analysts warn the vague concept lacks a long-term strategy and risks Jakarta drifting from its non-aligned values into transactional deals.

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US-China relations

Asian Angle | What a US-China ‘grand bargain’ would mean for Southeast Asia

Washington’s Venezuela raid has resurrected old fears about ‘spheres of influence’, sounding alarm bells for Southeast Asian autonomy.

Cambodia

Video | South Korean scam suspects brought home from Cambodia

Seoul continues its crackdown on scam centres in Southeast Asia following the kidnapping and murder of a South Korean student in Cambodia.

Police officers escort South Koreans allegedly involved in scam operations in Cambodia after being forcibly repatriated from Cambodia, at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Soo-hyeon
US-China relations

Opinion | China has Trump 2.0 to thank for emerging stronger in tech and trade

As intense US-China competition becomes the new normal, pressure has strengthened China’s capacity to adapt rather than deter it from its long-term ambitions.

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President Xi Jinping attends a high-level reception to ring in the Lunar New Year at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on January 27, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
Diplomacy

Opinion | Why so many states reject bloc rivalry to choose partnership with China

It’s a calculated choice to keep growth, infrastructure momentum and policy space alive in a world that punishes the economically exposed.

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US-Asean relations

Foot in the door or trap? Risks of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Southeast Asia

Nations are likely to try to avoid early commitment while steering clear of outright rejection to minimise US retaliation, analysts say.

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