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Japan’s former prime minister, the late Shinzo Abe, shakes hands with US President Donald Trump at the White House in 2017. Abe helped give political voice to the Indo-Pacific concept. Photo: Reuters
Asean

Opinion | How the Indo-Pacific got its name – and what China has to do with it

Dating back to a German geographer favoured by Hitler and popularised by a former Japanese PM, the term was a strategic Western rebrand.

Donald Trump

Asian Angle | Seeking the silver lining in Trump’s tariff turmoil

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Myanmar

Opinion | How Myanmar’s devastating earthquake threatens to leave a lasting economic scar

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Malaysia

Asian Angle | Will Malaysia gravitate further towards China in ‘new golden era’ of ties?

A flurry of agreements signed during the Chinese president’s visit last month signals Malaysia’s economic pivot towards Beijing.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a meeting in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 16. Photo: Pool via AP
Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a meeting in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 16. Photo: Pool via AP
Donald Trump

My Take | Facing US tariffs, Asia can transform to lead the world in innovation

Asia should move beyond its low-cost assembly model and scale up the value chain, such as in green technology.

Thailand

Asian Angle | Trump’s tariffs: can Thailand escape the US trade trap after 90 days?

Thailand is seeking to boost imports from the US to address the challenges of Trump’s tariffs, but this is unlikely to improve its economic position.

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Asean

Asian Angle | The end of ‘Chimerica’ and what that means for Southeast Asia

The breakdown of US-China economic symbiosis leaves Southeast Asian nations bracing for unpredictable shocks.

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China has long prepared for an expanded trade conflict with the US. Photo: Shutterstock
China has long prepared for an expanded trade conflict with the US. Photo: Shutterstock
US-China trade war

My Take | Why China’s ‘Never Kneel Down’ video fails to change US trade war narrative

China’s ‘Never Kneel Down’ video employs nationalistic rhetoric to resonate with a Chinese audience, but is unlikely to influence the global narrative on tariffs.

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Asean

Asian Angle | How Asean can turn short-term tariff pain into long-term gain

Intra-bloc trade and diversified supply sources can help reduce dependency on Donald Trump’s United States and expand export options.

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US-Asean relations

Opinion | Trump world: the unravelling of American global leadership

With an isolationist US increasingly viewing commitments as burdens, a power vacuum emerges that China and others can fill.

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US President Donald Trump walks into the White House after arriving on Marine One on Thursday. Photo: EPA-EFE
China-Philippines relations

Asian Angle | Why ignoring China’s Southeast Asia pivot could cost the Philippines

Beijing’s focus on regional stability and trade openness presents both challenges and opportunities that Manila can’t afford to overlook.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping waves during a meeting with Vietnam’s To Lam in Hanoi on April 14. Photo: Reuters
Chinese President Xi Jinping waves during a meeting with Vietnam’s To Lam in Hanoi on April 14. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

My Take | As US tariffs put jobs on the line, can Malaysia afford to cut petrol subsidies?

With US tariff uncertainty jeopardising Malaysian jobs, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim must weigh the necessity of slashing subsidies.

Singapore general election 2025

Opinion | Can the PAP stem a rising opposition tide in Singapore’s election?

Long-term trends favour the opposition, but a fresh approach and focus on global affairs could boost the PAP’s mandate.

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Ukraine war

Opinion | Chinese fighters in Ukraine and the global pipeline feeding Russia’s war machine

Recruitment videos in Mandarin promise high pay and heroism, as Moscow’s desperate need for manpower fuels a global marketplace of fighters.

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A captured soldier presented as Chinese is seen in an image released by the Security Service of Ukraine on April 9. Photo: Ukrainian Security Service/XGTY/AFP
Diplomacy

Opinion | Will Trump’s chaos galvanise the Global South?

With trust in Western-dominated institutions waning, the Global South is rallying for a new order that reflects its diverse voices.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a speech during the opening ceremony of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey on April 11. Photo: DIA/AP
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a speech during the opening ceremony of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey on April 11. Photo: DIA/AP
Donald Trump

Opinion | Decoding Trump’s tariffs and the world’s multipolar future

The US president’s trade wars, while ostensibly about economic fairness, are part of a larger narrative of a hegemon’s diminishing dominance.

Vietnam

Asian Angle | The ‘Tariff Man’ cometh: Vietnam’s misplaced faith in Trump 2.0

Hanoi was once confident in navigating a second Trump term. Now it faces the harsh reality of his trade policies eating into economic growth.

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Asean

My Take | Is Trump’s tariff reprieve a false dawn for small Asian nations?

Trump’s tariff pause offers Asian nations a glimmer of hope, but uncertainty looms, as trade talks could squeeze low-income economies further.

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Vietnamese garment factory workers stitch apparel at a factory in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: AFP
Vietnamese garment factory workers stitch apparel at a factory in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: AFP
Human rights

Opinion | Whose lives matter? Navigating aid and ethics in a divided world

As the West and Global South clash over Gaza and beyond, the question of whose lives are deemed worthy of protection exposes deep fractures.

Indonesia

Asian Angle | Can Indonesia’s Batam hold its own against Johor-Singapore SEZ?

Batam has struggled to attract investment, stymied by local-level dysfunctions and a lack of connections to major Indonesian cities.

Japan

My Take | Will Trump’s tariffs push Japan and South Korea closer to China?

Despite recent US efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific alliances, Washington’s tariffs may drive Tokyo and Seoul towards closer economic ties with China.

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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order on the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” on trading partners. Photo: Xinhua
Vietnam

Asian Angle | Will Vietnam’s trade charm offensive be enough to placate Trump?

With a hefty US trade deficit, Vietnam’s leadership is betting on diplomacy and substantial investments to keep American tariffs at bay.

US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on Wednesday. Photo: Abaca Press/TNS
US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on Wednesday. Photo: Abaca Press/TNS
Malaysia

Asian Angle | Data centres are booming in Johor. Now comes the hard part – job creation

Talent creation, retention and lucrative pay offered by firms in neighbouring Singapore pose challenges to the state’s thriving sector.

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Malaysia

My Take | Flags on Malaysian school uniforms a badge of honour or a burden to parents?

The onus to keep flags ‘clean and not faded’ falls on the parents, some of whom are already struggling with day-to-day expenses.

Hong Kong

Opinion | The gravity of ‘space oil’: understanding Hong Kong teens’ new drug of choice

We need to think beyond bans and crackdowns. With creativity, empathy and urgency, young people can be guided towards a healthier future.

Displays warning about the dangers of “space oil” are seen at an MTR Station in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, last month. Photo: Jelly Tse
Open Questions series

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

China’s rise, potential recession, no WWIII yet: 11 key interviews from 2024

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Why eco-warrior Ma Jun sees hope for China’s role in Cop29 amid US uncertainty

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Historian on why we aren’t heading towards WWIII yet and how wars have changed

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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29
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

China’s rise, potential recession, no WWIII yet: 11 key interviews from 2024

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Why eco-warrior Ma Jun sees hope for China’s role in Cop29 amid US uncertainty

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4
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Historian on why we aren’t heading towards WWIII yet and how wars have changed

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31
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
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