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Laos

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Laos. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Vientiane

Head of State

President Thongloun Sisoulith

Head of Government

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone

Singapore

Singapore’s green power hits record high – yet still under 3% of energy mix

Gas-fired power plants still account for roughly 95 per cent of Singapore’s electricity generation, though renewable imports are rising.

30 Jun 2025 - 8:42AM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong should look to Africa, South America for new markets: trade body head

28 Jun 2025 - 7:22PMvideocam

Myanmar

Myanmar burns US$300 million worth of confiscated drugs

26 Jun 2025 - 7:23PM

Tourism

‘I just felt sick’: how a free shot in Laos cost a British backpacker her life

Bethany Clarke’s dream backpacking trip turned into a nightmare when seemingly harmless free shots proved to be poison.

23 Jun 2025 - 9:23AMvideocam

Simone White (back) and Bethany Clarke (front) tubing down a river in Laos on November 12, last year. Both would fall ill with methanol poisoning within 24 hours. Photo: Facebook/Bethany Clarke

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.

15 Jun 2025 - 10:00AMvideocam

SCMP Highlights

EU sidelined by US-China showdown, Moutai’s new reality: SCMP daily highlights

From EU eyeing impact of Washington-Beijing trade talks to austerity trimming profits at China’s top baijiu maker, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage.

13 Jun 2025 - 9:30PM

China’s C919 passenger plane

China steps up global aviation expansion as Comac bids for Laos carrier

Laos’ flag carrier would reportedly agree to use Comac jets as part of the deal, as the Chinese aviation firm continues its push into Southeast Asia.

13 Jun 2025 - 3:32PMvideocam

Comac, the Chinese state-owned aviation company, has been pushing to expand the use of its passenger jets in Southeast Asia in recent years. Photo: Comac

Asean

Is Trump’s Myanmar, Laos travel ban a blow to US-Southeast Asia ties?

Observers say closed channel over terrorist threat ‘illogical’ and a setback to long-standing relations with affected countries.

12 Jun 2025 - 11:00AM

United States

Trump’s new travel ban takes effect, citizens of 12 nations barred from US

Ban comes amid rising tensions over the US president’s escalating campaign of immigration enforcement.

9 Jun 2025 - 2:17PMvideocam

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.

7 Jun 2025 - 9:30AMvideocam

Asean

Opinion | How Trump’s tariffs could benefit Asean in the long run

While the tariffs may undermine the bloc’s growth in the short term, they are spurring increased cooperation between member states and with others.

6 Jun 2025 - 6:30PMvideocam

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim delivers a speech at the opening of the plenary session of the 46th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur on May 26. The bloc has proposed a summit between the leaders of its member states and US President Donald Trump. Photo: EPA-EFE

United States

Editorial | Solidarity best in face of US tariff tensions

Amid global uncertainty, China is strengthening economic ties with other leading trading partners such as members of Asean and the Gulf states.

31 May 2025 - 2:25AMvideocam

Vietnam

Can Vietnam navigate China’s Mekong ambitions and regional ties?

China’s Mekong River projects pose strategic and environmental challenges for Vietnam, threatening regional influence and vital agricultural resources.

30 May 2025 - 3:16PMvideocam

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong charity aims to bring traditional Chinese medicine to African nation

GX Foundation says it is cooperating with Djibouti’s Ministry of Health to introduce traditional Chinese medicines registered in Hong Kong.

29 May 2025 - 10:37PM

GX Foundation CEO Emily Chan, pictured with a disaster preparedness kit, says the charity’s work has achieved success over the years. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Disease

Heart disease is Southeast Asia’s biggest killer. And it’s only getting worse

A new study has found a huge surge in cardiovascular disease across the region in recent years. Researchers say immediate action is needed.

28 May 2025 - 8:53AM

Southeast Asia’s ageing population contributed to the big jump in case numbers, researchers said. Photo: Shutterstock

Diplomacy

China embassy warns against ‘foreign wife’ scams in Bangladesh

Statement warns against ‘misguided notion’ of paying for brides, urges Chinese nationals to avoid cross-border matchmaking agencies.

26 May 2025 - 5:02PMvideocam

Cambodia

Cambodia is home to world’s most powerful criminal network: report

The network’s illegal activities threaten global economic and political stability, says Jacob Sims, a transnational crime expert.

26 May 2025 - 3:55PMvideocam

Science

Study debunks Covid-19 ‘lab leak’ theory, finds virus didn’t originate in Wuhan

Genetic analysis traces origins of coronavirus to bat populations in Laos and southwest China years before pandemic emerged.

23 May 2025 - 9:00PMvideocam

Horseshoe bats are the primary host for the ancestor of the viruses behind Covid-19 and the Sars outbreak of 2002-2004. Photo: Handout

Climate change

Opinion | With China’s leadership, green industry growth can smooth trade turmoil

Clean energy and climate investments are not just environmental imperatives but economic opportunities. China is already a world leader in these.

23 May 2025 - 10:36AMvideocam

United States

Judge challenges US deportation of Asians to conflict-plagued South Sudan

Judge says US officials must keep control of migrants sent to African nation in case removals are unlawful.

21 May 2025 - 9:18PM

China travel

Foreigners flock to China’s Shenzhen as visa-free entries surge 160%

Visa-free policies have helped the southern tech hub become a popular destination for overseas tourists, particularly from elsewhere in Asia.

14 May 2025 - 5:00PMvideocam

Shenzhen has gained popularity with international tourists, logging a high number of visa-free entries in 2025. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

China food security

How is Yunnan helping as China looks to Asean for more food?

Province’s agricultural imports from largest trading partner up 26.5% in first quarter of this year.

11 May 2025 - 10:00AM

A woman buys flowers from Yunnan province at Hanoi’s Quang Ba Flower Market on March 28. Photo: Xinhua

India-Pakistan tensions

Could India-Pakistan conflict mean empty rice bowls around Asia?

India is the world’s biggest and Pakistan the fourth-largest exporters of rice to import-reliant Southeast Asian nations.

8 May 2025 - 5:10PMvideocam

United States

US judge temporarily blocks deportation of Asian migrants to Libya

Sending deportees to Libya would mark a major escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to offload unwanted migrants.

8 May 2025 - 10:41AM

Malaysia

China rail link in Malaysia’s sights as Bangkok cargo route gets go-ahead

A direct service to Thailand set to begin operations this year would improve connectivity to China, Laos and Central Asia, officials said.

5 May 2025 - 3:57PM

Tourists from Laos and Thailand arrive at a railway station in southwest China’s Yunnan province in February. Photo: Xinhua

Indonesia

Trump’s tariffs drive Chinese solar firms to Indonesia after Southeast Asia levies

Indonesia is now appealing to companies seeking to relocate operations due to high US tariffs on Chinese solar firms in Southeast Asia.

2 May 2025 - 7:44PMvideocam

A technician checks and cleans solar panels in Depok, Indonesia. The Southeast Asian country has become a promising solar hub as Chinese firms seek to bypass US tariffs. Photo: EPA-EFE

Vietnam

Vietnam celebrates 50 years of reunification, end of war with huge parade

Thousands thronged the streets of Ho Chi Minh City for the celebrations, with Chinese troops joining the commemoration for the first time.

30 Apr 2025 - 10:32AMvideocam

US-Asean relations

The Southeast Asians facing exile from the US to a land they’ve never known

After surviving a CIA-led war and building lives in America, Laotian migrants are now being detained and deported with little warning.

27 Apr 2025 - 8:00PM

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