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This Week in Asia /
Politics
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Asean
South China Sea
the Asian angle
Japan
Mogami momentum: why Japan’s warship is winning over New Zealand
Japan’s Mogami and Britain’s Type 31 are the top two contenders, but Australia may have already tipped the scales.
53 minutes ago
Asean
Asean to step up push for South China Sea code, energy security
8 May 2026 - 10:28PM
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The Philippines
Philippines shifts defence strategy with Japan, eyes wider security focus
8 May 2026 - 8:25PM
Malaysia
New database tracks shifting outcomes of Malaysia’s political corruption cases
The Prosecutorial Accountability Watch database is an attempt to make sense of a justice system clouded by ‘double standards’.
8 May 2026 - 4:47PM
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Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak is escorted by prison guards at Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in December 2025. Photo: Reuters
Asean
Asean’s pivot to energy security leaves long-standing issues on summit sidelines
Southeast Asia is one of the worst affected by the global fuel crisis due to its high imports of oil and gas coming from the Gulf.
8 May 2026 - 1:17PM
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India-Pakistan tensions
Chinese J-35 stealth jets set to give Pakistan a strategic edge over India
India has a much larger fleet of 4.5-generation fighters but is lagging behind Pakistan in the acquisition of stealth warplanes.
8 May 2026 - 5:26PM
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Vietnam
Vietnam burns red tape but growth may be harder to rekindle
Vietnam’s drive to energise its economy may take time to materialise in the face of rising fuel costs and trade barriers, analysts say.
8 May 2026 - 10:43AM
A labourer works at a construction site in Hanoi in April. Vietnam’s President To Lam has set an annual growth target of 10 per cent until 2030. Photo: EPA
Myanmar
Myanmar’s military rulers hire Trump ally for US$50,000 a month to lobby Washington
Roger Stone has been commissioned to rebuild relations with the US, though analysts doubt Myanmar can escape its pariah status.
7 May 2026 - 4:13PM
Japan
Trump’s last diehard Japanese fans lose faith as Iran war chaos spreads
Concerns in Japan are also mounting over the security ties between Japan and the US as Trump seeks to withdraw more troops from Europe.
8 May 2026 - 10:20AM
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North Korea
North Korea drops reunification from constitution to formalise ‘two-state’ ties
Pyongyang has dropped references to ‘national reunification’ and redefined borders in its revised constitution.
7 May 2026 - 8:20PM
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India
Vietnam, India seek closer ties to hedge against dependence on superpowers
President To Lam’s agenda during his visit to New Delhi is expected to include a deal for Vietnam to buy India’s BrahMos missiles.
7 May 2026 - 4:35PM
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Vietnamese President To Lam before their talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photo: EPA
India
What the BJP’s historic West Bengal victory means for Modi’s India
Narendra Modi’s ruling coalition now controls roughly 70 per cent of India’s state legislatures, giving him a historic grip on power.
6 May 2026 - 7:00PM
Japan
Bound by anxiety: Japan and Australia deepen ties for an uneasy age
Shared concerns about trade coercion and energy shocks are driving the two middle powers to ‘institutionalise’ their partnership.
6 May 2026 - 12:25PM
The Philippines
Hiding from the ICC? Philippine senator’s 6-month paid absence draws fire
Ronald Dela Rosa has not appeared for work since reports of him being targeted by the ICC as a co-perpetrator in Duterte’s deadly drug war.
6 May 2026 - 11:13AM
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Japan
Why Japanese politician’s goal to reset ties with Russia is ‘a long shot’
A proposed meeting of foreign ministers from Tokyo and Moscow is unlikely for now due to objections from the Japanese public and allies.
6 May 2026 - 9:30AM
Honour guards hold the national flags of Japan and Russia before a welcome ceremony for then Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu in Tokyo in 2019. Photo: AFP
Singapore
Lawrence Wong warned of ‘storm clouds’ for Singapore. Was it an understatement?
Wong and his team have to prove they are ‘more than equal’ to the task of helping Singapore navigate coming headwinds, analysts say.
6 May 2026 - 11:50AM
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The Philippines
Philippine VP’s impeachment case heads to plenary vote amid coercion claims
Duterte-Carpio’s camp has accused administration allies of pressuring legislators to support the impeachment or risk withdrawal of funds.
5 May 2026 - 8:25PM
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South Korea
South Korea rebuffs Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ call after Hormuz ship fire
A UN mandate and a global coalition are required before Seoul joins Trump’s mission to reopen the strait, officials indicate.
6 May 2026 - 9:16AM
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South Koreans protest in Seoul last month against an earlier request by US President Donald Trump to dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: AFP
Japan
Japan offers Indonesia and the Philippines lethal muscle to counter China
Frigate and submarine sales are reportedly on the cards as Tokyo’s defence minister tours the region.
5 May 2026 - 12:29PM
Malaysia
Between hope and reality – Umno’s plan to go solo a test of political waters
The party says a solo bid can help it win up to 60 seats in the next election and give it leverage to decide on coalition partners.
4 May 2026 - 5:00PM
Malaysia
In Malaysia, Anwar’s former ally Rafizi Ramli grilled over Arm chip deal
The MACC is investigating power abuse claims and irregularities linked to the alliance between the economy ministry and the UK chip designer.
4 May 2026 - 11:23AM
Middle East
‘Structural shift’: new routes for Middle East freight to bypass Hormuz
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE lead a push for a new trade architecture with multiple nodes linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.
3 May 2026 - 10:30AM
The port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on April 17. Photo: EPA/The UAE Presidential Court
Saudi Arabia
UAE’s Opec exit signals aim to accelerate foreign policy diversification
Iran’s attacks on Gulf states have forced Abu Dhabi to rethink its place within the Saudi Arabia-led diplomatic architecture, analysts say.
2 May 2026 - 5:00PM
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Japan
Common threats help Japan, South Korea overlook historical rows
Both appear willing to put past differences aside as they confront an assertive China, North Korea and an unpredictable US.
2 May 2026 - 3:58PM
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India
Why India’s logistics pact with Russia signals its Arctic ‘footprint’ ambition
The pact allows up to ‘five warships, 10 aircraft and 3,000 troops’ to be stationed in each other’s territory for five years.
2 May 2026 - 1:00PM
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