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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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Asean
South China Sea
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Troops from New Zealand, Philippines, the US and Australia pose with their national flags after taking part in live-fire exercises in the Philippines. Photo: Reuters
Asean

US swaps ideology for ‘flexible realism’ and deterrence in Southeast Asia

Pentagon’s Colby urges allies to invest more in defence as Washington prioritises pragmatic Indo-Pacific partnerships over moral values.

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South Korea

South Korea faces quandary over Ukraine’s air defence system request

The Philippines

As US marks 75 years of defence pact with Philippines, can it stay the course?

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Saudi Arabia

How Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan pact acts as ‘insurance’ over US disengagement

The Mecca deal may emerge as a third geopolitical ‘centre of gravity’ in the Middle East, with more members joining, analysts say.

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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (centre), flanked by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca on Friday. Photo: Turkish Presidency Press Office/AFP
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (centre), flanked by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca on Friday. Photo: Turkish Presidency Press Office/AFP
India-Pakistan tensions

Maldives’ plea to restart South Asian bloc hits India-Pakistan brick wall

Calls for reviving Saarc are likely to fall on deaf ears as long as the two neighbours are at loggerheads, analysts say.

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India

India’s Kusha missile test signals step closer to self-reliance for air defence

The locally made missile system is set to be a key part of India’s goal to create a multilayered national defence umbrella by 2035.

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Thailand

Thailand looks to Siam Silica to propel it to top Asean semiconductor player

As Thailand is coming late into the game, it will have to look for ways to make itself indispensable in the industry, analysts say.

Robots assemble chips during Semicon Southeast Asia 2026 in Kuala Lumpur on May 5. Photo: Reuters
Robots assemble chips during Semicon Southeast Asia 2026 in Kuala Lumpur on May 5. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

Malaysia’s royals rise to the fore in a changing nation

Unstable coalitions have created greater room for the country’s royal institutions to influence government formation, observers say.

The Philippines

Philippines’ South China Sea education push blurs ‘teaching the truth’ lines

The push by several Philippine lawmakers is to counter what they say are efforts to support pro-Beijing positions over the maritime row.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, Nurul Izzah’s PKR exit deepens questions over Anwar’s leadership

Having his daughter quit as deputy president of the party he founded is going to be a huge political setback for the prime minister, analysts say.

PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar poses with her father, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Photo: Instagram/n_izzah
Malaysia

Malaysian ex-PM Ismail Sabri’s corruption charges delayed by health woes

The 66-year-old is the latest senior politician swept up in the government’s anti-corruption crackdown under PM Anwar Ibrahim.

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Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Photo: Bernama/dpa
Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Photo: Bernama/dpa
Malaysia

How crime syndicates are exploiting Malaysia’s connectivity to move drugs

The country’s proximity to major drug-producing areas and porous borders make it an attractive transit point for traffickers, analysts say.

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Asean

Why the UK is doubling down on Asean ties amid European reset

Observers say the move to engage Asean is less a policy reset than continuity in Britain’s post-Brexit engagement with the bloc.

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Indonesia

Indonesia warns against users spreading fake news ahead of its Independence Day

The move by some shopping centres and office complexes in Jakarta to erect barricades has fuelled speculation about potential unrest.

A view of central Jakarta in Indonesia. Authorities have warned online users against spreading misinformation ahead of the country’s Independence Day celebrations. Photo: Shutterstock
US, Israel war on Iran

How US became trapped in ‘dreadful situation’ of its own making over Iran war

With Iran holding firm to its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, Trump faces one of two choices: capitulate or risk a ‘forever war’, experts say.

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US President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16. Photo: Getty Images
US President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16. Photo: Getty Images
Indonesia

Reality bites for Indonesia’s Prabowo as approval rating falls

The decline reflects a disconnect between Indonesia’s still-respectable headline growth and how voters experience the economy, analysts say.

Indonesia

Indonesia’s Prabowo eyes North Korea trip. But no one’s invited him

While a visit could boost Indonesia’s diplomatic clout, it also threatens to raise another outcry about Prabowo’s frequent flights.

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Malaysia

Malay nationalism surge threatens to end Malaysia’s reform experiment

Since becoming prime minister in 2022, Anwar has struggled to win over support from Malaysia’s Malay-Muslim majority.

Umno members pray after the Negeri Sembilan election results on Saturday. Photo: Facebook/mediaumnomalaysia
Umno members pray after the Negeri Sembilan election results on Saturday. Photo: Facebook/mediaumnomalaysia
Myanmar

Myanmar president heads to Thailand amid civil war at home

Thailand’s acknowledgement of Min Aung Hlaing’s legitimacy stems from a ‘straight up pragmatism’, analysts say.

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The Philippines

Can France help the Philippines overcome its nuclear power baggage?

Paris is ready to share its nuclear energy expertise with Manila as part of efforts to deepen defence cooperation, outgoing envoy says.

Indonesia

Are Indonesia’s Prabowo and ultra rich ‘9 Dragons’ on a collision course?

Analysts say the pressure on Indonesia’s older business elite forms part of a broader two-pronged strategy of state capitalism.

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Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto. Photo: Reuters
Pacific nations

Solomon port plans mark US reset of ‘anaemic’ Pacific ties

The move aims to ensure Honiara partners with Western allies in sectors with security implications, analysts say.

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The port in Honiara, capital city of Solomon Islands in April 2024. Photo: AFP
The port in Honiara, capital city of Solomon Islands in April 2024. Photo: AFP
India

Can a tech titan ace a test to fix India’s crisis-hit education system?

Nandan Nilekani’s efforts to reform the nation’s education sector face employability and AI challenges amid anger over exam scandals.

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The Philippines

Will Philippines’ push for seabed rights derail South China Sea code talks?

Analysts say Manila’s move could make it harder for Asean to agree on a common position regarding the code of conduct.

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Thailand

Thailand hits back at ‘inaccuracies’ in UN expert’s Cambodia findings

Bangkok says no efforts were made to verify the claims of UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews with Thai authorities.

A concrete sign bearing the word “SIAM” is displayed at the base of a gate along a section of the border fence between Thailand and Cambodia in Pong Nam Ron district, Chanthaburi province, in Thailand on July. Photo: Reuters
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