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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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Asean
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the Asian angle
About 10,000 personnel are taking part in Valiant Shield 2026 across Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and surrounding waters. Photo: X/US Navy
Defence

US and allies flex military muscle on China’s doorstep with multi-front drills

Analysts say the near-simultaneous exercises reflect a shift in US strategy that enables allies to play a greater role in regional security.

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Malaysia

Malaysia demands US$257 million from Norwegian firm over axed missile deal

Malaysia

Malaysia’s Umno pulled into royal row ahead of Johor vote

South Korea

North Korea’s border build-up opens a Seoul-UN Command rift

South Korea views its the North’s border fortifications as an armistice violation. The UN body disagrees.

North Korean soldiers move along a fence line near Yujeong-dong village in North Korea, as seen from the Ganghwa Peace Observatory in Incheon in 2024. Photo: The Korea Times
North Korean soldiers move along a fence line near Yujeong-dong village in North Korea, as seen from the Ganghwa Peace Observatory in Incheon in 2024. Photo: The Korea Times
Malaysia

‘No DAP’: could Johor state election disrupt Malaysia’s unity coalition?

The refusal to work with DAP could be a defensive move to shore up BN’s Malay base in Johor ahead of the July 11 polls, analysts say.

Thailand

Thai officials caught altering exam scores for bribes of up to US$24,000

Thousands of applicants allegedly paid bribes to secure civil service positions in the multimillion-dollar fraud.

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India

‘Senseless’: US military command rebrand risks damaging India ties

Eight years after ‘Indo’ was added to signal India’s importance, analysts say its removal points to a shift in Washington’s priorities.

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US President Donald Trump shakes hands with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of a G7 summit in France on June 17. Photo: AFP
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of a G7 summit in France on June 17. Photo: AFP
India

India wants a self-reliant military, but can its private defence firms deliver?

Private firms now drive nearly a quarter of domestic production, but analysts warn a lack of R&D leaves New Delhi tethered to foreign tech.

South Korea

Why North Korea prefers a ‘hostile’ neighbour to Seoul’s peace efforts

One way to break the deadlock is to revive talks between the two Koreas, China and the US to end the Korean war, an analyst suggests.

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Malaysia

Royal succession crisis strains Malaysia’s governing alliance ahead of polls

Analysts say the dispute has become harder to contain, with Umno and Pakatan Harapan taking different stances amid other political grievances.

Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir during Negeri Sembilan’s state assembly in Seremban, Malaysia. Photo: YouTube
Japan

How Japan seeks to win over allies by refuting China’s claims of militarism

Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi questions the accuracy of China’s military spending data, contrasting it with Japan’s transparent approach.

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A sailor raises the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force ensign on board the JS Ise, a helicopter destroyer, as it docks at the international port in Manila in June last year. Photo: AFP
A sailor raises the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force ensign on board the JS Ise, a helicopter destroyer, as it docks at the international port in Manila in June last year. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Will Philippines’ new bill entrench the political dynasties it aims to curb?

Critics say the bill does not address political power concentration in government or the conditions that allow dynasties to flourish.

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Singapore

Why Wong-Putin meeting doesn’t mean Singapore’s going soft on Russia

Singapore needs to balance its tough stance on the Ukraine war with its responsibilities towards other Asean nations, experts say.

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Myanmar

Did Myanmar-China talks spawn a more emboldened junta?

China and India have been jostling for influence in Myanmar as the Asean member remains embroiled in civil war.

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 16. Photo: Xinhua
Canada

Trump called Canada a freerider. This Pacific naval push is Ottawa’s reply

Ottawa is fielding its largest military contingent in years at the Rimpac drills. Whether it can sustain the commitment is another matter.

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Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney meets US President Donald Trump at the White House in October last year. Photo: Reuters
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney meets US President Donald Trump at the White House in October last year. Photo: Reuters
Asean

Can Russia secure ‘third power’ status in Southeast Asia with energy push?

While energy may be ‘a good opening’ for Russia to boost Asean ties, analysts say its relevance in the region is unlikely to grow.

The Philippines

Inside Germany’s plan to transform a Philippine Cold War relic

A multimillion-dollar aviation deal at Clark highlights European economic investment as a tool of strategic power.

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The Philippines

Philippines taps ‘smarter, cheaper’ Australian drones to deter China

The underwater drones could enhance Manila’s capability to record Beijing’s intrusion in its waters, analysts say.

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Australia has provided the Philippine coastguard with additional aerial and undersea drones to support its modernisation. Photo: Facebook/Australia in the Philippines
Australia has provided the Philippine coastguard with additional aerial and undersea drones to support its modernisation. Photo: Facebook/Australia in the Philippines
US, Israel war on Iran

2 wars later, US-Iran nuclear diplomacy returns to square one

Analysts say the new agreement returns to a familiar trade-off: nuclear curbs in exchange for sanctions relief and oil waivers.

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The Philippines

Filipinos don’t trust the news. Are they sick of divisive politics?

Only 28 per cent of Filipinos said they trusted news most of the time, according to a global survey.

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South Korea

Will Lee Jae Myung’s G7 gamble preserve future diplomacy with North Korea?

Analysts say Lee’s outreach could help preserve prospects for future diplomacy, but Pyongyang has ‘little incentive’ to pursue dialogue.

South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung (right) with US leader Donald Trump and CEO of Google DeepMind Demis Hassabis (centre) during the G7 summit on Wednesday in Evian-les-Bains, France. Photo: Pool AP via AP
Malaysia

Malaysia deports 2 suspected Indian separatists over rail explosion in Punjab

The two were allegedly involved in the detonation of an improvised explosive device on a railway line in April, which killed another suspect.

The Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, India. The Khalistan separatist movement is seeking an independent Sikh homeland including Punjab and other areas. Photo: Shutterstock
The Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, India. The Khalistan separatist movement is seeking an independent Sikh homeland including Punjab and other areas. Photo: Shutterstock
Asean

Aid and diplomacy: US Navy’s renewed bid for Southeast Asian influence

Pacific Partnership 2026 aims to counter China’s rising influence in the region, amid growing doubts about US leadership, analysts say.

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India

3 killed, no apology: the strike straining India-US relations

Instead of showing remorse, Washington ordered New Delhi to obey its blockade, stoking public outrage.

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South Korea

Why Hormuz reopening hands South Korea a diplomatic problem at G7 summit

The G7 summit could revive pressure on Seoul to join international efforts to safeguard freedom of navigation through the strait.

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Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters
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