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China-Asean relations

China-Asean relations
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China-Asean relations. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang speaks at the ASEAN - Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - China Economic Forum official dinner on the sidelines of the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 27, 2025. Photo: Reuters
Banking & finance

‘Hotbed of opportunity’: Premier Li says China’s economy offers ‘certainty’

Chinese premier says Beijing will play bigger role in global development and calls on Asian infrastructure bank to address challenges.

Singapore

In China, ‘bridge-builder’ Singapore champions a multilateral world

US-China trade war

Vietnam’s Pham confident of ‘positive’ results ahead of US tariff deal deadline

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China-Singapore relations

Asean can ‘shape its own destiny’ amid US-China rivalry: Singapore PM Wong

At ‘Summer Davos’, Singaporean leader Lawrence Wong says Southeast Asia rejects zero-sum competition and embraces engagement with all powers.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong attends a session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
South China Sea

Opinion | How data-sharing can help defuse South China Sea tensions

A project to share maritime information could contribute to turning the region from a geopolitical flashpoint into a model for preventive diplomacy.

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China-Singapore relations

Xi urges Singapore to join China on ‘right side of history’ as PM Wong visits

As global trade tensions escalate, Chinese president encourages Singapore’s leader to promote an ‘equal multipolar world’.

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China-Singapore relations

China looks to Singapore to help secure supply chains from US trade war turmoil

In talks with city state’s prime minister, Chinese premier says both countries must uphold ‘true multilateralism’.

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Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) meets Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Monday. Photo: Handout
Asean

Opinion | Cambodians don’t want to be a chess piece in the US-China rivalry

US tariffs are delaying progress on working conditions while border tensions with Thailand jeopardise the informal economy.

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Diplomacy

Macroscope | A retreating US opens door to wider Asian economic integration

Buffeted by Trump’s disruptive policies, Asia should seize the chance to reassert the need for regional integration as the US retreats.

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Cambodia

Top Thai lawmaker invited to China as Cambodia border row tests Beijing’s diplomacy

Analysts predict Beijing will opt for a behind-the-scenes role over direct intervention as tensions build between Southeast Asian countries.

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Representatives of the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Cambodian Army shake hands during military talks near the disputed border between their countries on June 8. Photo: EPA-EFE
US-Asean relations

Crisis calculations: Trump’s America has Southeast Asia in a spin

Punitive tariffs and severe aid cuts are shaking the foundations of the US relationship with Asean, deepening a sense of ‘unreliability’.

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Illustration: Huy Truong
China-Singapore relations

Singapore leader’s visit gives China chance to pitch itself as reliable partner

Lawrence Wong’s visit takes place under the shadow of threatened US tariffs that have given Beijing an opening to rally support.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s Anwar: nobody can dictate how friendly we should be to US or China

The prime minister said that trade-reliant Malaysia was ‘pragmatic’ in its policies and open to all.

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US-China trade war

The US-China rivalry is reshaping global supply chains – who benefits most?

Vietnam, Indonesia and other emerging economies could emerge as winners, analysts say.

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Chinese and US flags are seen in this illustration taken on January 30, 2023. Photo: Reuters/Dado Ruvic
Asean

Asian Angle | Trump tariffs challenge Asean’s unity and economic stability

As Trump’s tariff policies threaten Asean solidarity, the bloc should focus on regional trade to maintain stability and prevent division amid divergent responses.

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An Asean logo is displayed at the venue, ahead of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Langkawi Island, state of Kedah, Malaysia, on January 17. Photo: EPA-EFE
US-China relations

Opinion | Why US defence chief’s attack on China won’t find favour in Southeast Asia

The US is playing up the ‘China threat’ and wants allies in Asia to increase defence spending, but it may find this to be a hard sell.

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Asean

Opinion | How Europe can be Southeast Asia’s hedge against US-China trade war

The region’s best bet might be to take its own side and develop greater trade and diplomatic relations with Europe.

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United States

Opinion | Asia is becoming more multipolar but not because of US decline

The Trump administration’s unclear foreign policy aims are prompting US partners to look beyond security alignment with Washington alone.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China trade

Pressured by US tariffs, Chinese exports expand in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia

‘Exports are being diversified, bit by bit, and Southeast Asian countries are becoming more and more important trading partners,’ analyst says.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | Why democracy vs autocracy isn’t the definitive contest shaping the world

With unilateralism on the rise, the world is moving towards a situation where no power is willing to take on the mantle of global leadership.

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South China Sea

China’s 4 core principles show way to peace in South China Sea, think tank says

China and Southeast Asia must keep resolution of maritime issues ‘within their own hands’, Xinhua Institute research report says.

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A Chinese coastguard ship seen through Philippine binoculars in the disputed South China Sea. Photo: AP
US-China trade war

While Xi-Trump call offers respite, China’s neighbours still caught in rivalry

Detente between US and Chinese leaders could complicate many Asian countries’ calculations for striking a balance between the superpowers.

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The call between Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) and his US counterpart Donald Trump (left) on Thursday has been seen as a diplomatic breakthrough after weeks of worsening tensions. Photo: TNS
Asean

Opinion | Asia is finally cool in the eyes of those who matter – its young

From Chinese EVs and hotpots to anime and K-pop, Asia’s soft power is capturing the imagination of Southeast Asia’s army of young people.

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China trade

As US-China rivalry squeezes Asian markets, is taking sides even an option?

Analysts break down what the protracted power plays between Washington and Beijing mean for Asian economies as they walk a tightrope of risks vs rewards.

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China-Philippines relations

Opinion | With 50 years of history, Manila and Beijing should do better diplomacy

Stop allowing South China Sea spat to poison the waters when there are in fact many areas of potential cooperation for mutual benefit.

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Allowing security issues to dominate relations is neither wise nor strategic. Photo: Shutterstock
China's military weapons

Indonesia considers buying Chinese J-10 jets that played lead role in Kashmir

The country’s deputy defence minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto said the planes ‘meet our criteria and are affordable’.

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Pakistan Air Force J-10C fighter jets. Photo: AFP
Global South

Is China’s promise of a new world order a self-serving power play?

As Beijing pitches its multipolar vision, wary potential partners may recalculate their hedges rather than shift alliances, experts say.

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China-South Korea relations

South Korea’s new leader faces tightrope act between China ties, US alliance

Analysts expect Lee Jae-myung’s foreign policy to be marked by pragmatism, but balancing economic and security interests will be challenge.

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