This Week in Asia

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Lifestyle & Culture
Illustration: Huy Truong

Politics

From Bandung to Brics: Indonesia’s evolving quest for Global South autonomy

Seven decades after hosting a summit that birthed the Non-Aligned Movement, Indonesia prioritises pragmatic ties over grand gestures.

Will Manila’s second BrahMos missile system deter Beijing in South China Sea?

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Will red tape snarl Malaysia’s concert hub plans to emulate Singapore?

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Economics

Is Indonesia destined to be a footnote in Africa’s growth story?

Despite President Prabowo’s heartfelt words and promises of partnership, analysts question Indonesia’s commitment to the continent.

Workers use sewing machines at a textile factory in the small African kingdom of Lesotho. Photo: AFP
Workers use sewing machines at a textile factory in the small African kingdom of Lesotho. Photo: AFP

Politics

‘A more reliable partner’: how France’s Palestine push could isolate the US

France’s president is seizing a global leadership vacuum left by Washington to champion a two-state solution. The effects could be profound.

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Politics

‘Beauty of compromise’: Chinese scholars urge peace with Manila in South China Sea

Experts emphasise compromise and reject ‘megaphone diplomacy’ to avoid conflicts in the disputed waterway.

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Lifestyle & Culture

‘The law didn’t protect me’: South Korea’s losing battle against AI sex crimes

Victims lament a lack of police help to resolve their cases, while sex educators call for a change in gender attitudes to tackle the scourge.

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Activists wearing masks protest against deepfake porn in Seoul last year. The poster reads: “Repeated deepfake sex crimes, the state is an accomplice too”. Photo: AFP
Activists wearing masks protest against deepfake porn in Seoul last year. The poster reads: “Repeated deepfake sex crimes, the state is an accomplice too”. Photo: AFP

Politics

Will US tariffs sink Australia’s Aukus submarine delivery goals?

About one-third of the steel and aluminium used in US naval vessels, including the Aukus submarines, have been hit by Donald Trump’s tariffs.

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Economics

US tariff threats open door to a ‘make in India’ moment

From iPhones to automotive parts, India has seen some manufacturing successes, but can it now scale up as tariff clouds gather?

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Lifestyle & Culture

Amid ‘Jumbo’ success, can Indonesia become an animation powerhouse?

The Indonesian film has become Southeast Asia’s biggest ever animation release in terms of revenue, at US$10 million as of April 14.

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The Indonesian hit cartoon film “Jumbo” has become the highest-grossing Southeast Asian animation release in history. Photo: Visinema Group

Economics

Tokyo hotels face watchdog heat over data-sharing that may have inflated prices

A probe by the Japan Fair Trade Commission found pricing talks between hotel executives might have led to distorted market rates.

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A probe by the Japan Fair Trade Commission found pricing talks between hotel executives from some of Tokyo’s top luxury hotels might have led to distorted market rates. Photo: Shutterstock
A probe by the Japan Fair Trade Commission found pricing talks between hotel executives from some of Tokyo’s top luxury hotels might have led to distorted market rates. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle & Culture

‘It stinks’: Malaysian deodorant ad pulled over racial insensitivity claims

The ad featured a dark-skinned man with a religious marking and a light-skinned man with body odour, sparking accusations of racial insensitivity.

Economics

Indonesia to raise US imports by up to US$19 billion in move to avert tariff

Indonesia pledges to buy more US energy and agricultural products, and unveil other trade concessions amid a looming 32 per cent tariff.

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Lifestyle & Culture

Viral video of topless tourist’s brawl with guards in Pattaya sparks probe

A video showed a shirtless tourist being knocked down with a single punch by a bouncer after the foreigner allegedly behaved inappropriately towards female bar staff.

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A tourist who challenged a bouncer to a fight outside a bar in Thailand was taught a lesson when he was knocked to the ground. Photo: X/patrickallsyms

Economics

Can Asean withstand the flood of Chinese exports amid Trump’s tariff war?

Facing reduced domestic demand and increasing trade barriers, Chinese manufacturers are turning to Southeast Asia to export their surplus goods.

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Cheap Chinese imports are flooding Southeast Asia, testing industrial resilience following Trump’s tariffs. Photo: Shutterstock
Cheap Chinese imports are flooding Southeast Asia, testing industrial resilience following Trump’s tariffs. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle & Culture

Korea part of Southeast Asia? Seoul flags embassies over foreign textbook errors

A government audit found that embassies failed to correct foreign textbook claims such as Korea once being part of Genghis Khan’s empire.

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Politics

Malaysia’s Anwar meets Myanmar junta leader in week of tricky diplomacy

Critics warn the engagement in Anwar’s capacity as Asean chair risks handing a rare legitimacy win to Min Aung Hlaing’s regime.

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Politics

From Bandung to Brics: Indonesia’s evolving quest for Global South autonomy

Seven decades after hosting a summit that birthed the Non-Aligned Movement, Indonesia prioritises pragmatic ties over grand gestures.

Illustration: Huy Truong
Illustration: Huy Truong

Economics

Asean’s ‘illusion of solidarity’ splinters amid Trump’s tariff threats

While Malaysia calls for a united front, the reality is a race for bilateral deals, with Vietnam leading the charge – as China watches on.

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Politics

Myanmar’s double disaster: an earthquake and a heartless junta

As quake survivors dig through the rubble for loved ones with their bare hands, the military bombs villages and seeks diplomatic openings.

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Politics

What Duterte’s downfall means for Sara, Marcos and the Philippines

Ex-president Duterte is behind bars in The Hague and his daughter is fighting for political survival. But don’t discount a comeback in 2028.

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Rodrigo Duterte pictured at an Asean summit in 2019 while still president of the Philippines. Photo: Reuters
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LATEST Asia NEWS

Southeast Asia

Philippines, US launch ‘full battle’ Balikatan drills, some near Taiwan

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US and Philippine soldiers salute on Monday during the opening ceremony of the Balikatan joint military drills. Photo: AFP

Politics

Will Manila’s second BrahMos missile system deter Beijing in South China Sea?

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An Indian naval officer walks past the army’s BrahMos weapon systems during a rehearsal for the Republic Day parade in January 20. Photo: Reuters

Lifestyle & Culture

Will red tape snarl Malaysia’s concert hub plans to emulate Singapore?

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Taylor Swift performs in the US. Singapore was estimated to have earned up to US$500 million in tourism receipts from hosting six of her shows. Photo: Getty Images/TNS/AFP

Southeast Asia

Vietnam tycoon on death row has life sentence cut to 30 years in laundering case

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Vietnamese property tycoon Truong My Lan (centre) appears at a court in Ho Chi Minh city on March 25. Photo: AFP

Economics

Is Indonesia destined to be a footnote in Africa’s growth story?

Workers use sewing machines at a textile factory in the small African kingdom of Lesotho. Photo: AFP
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OPINION
Alessandro Arduino

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

Alessandro Arduino
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Zuraidah Ibrahim

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

Zuraidah Ibrahim
Ooi Kee Beng

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

Ooi Kee Beng
Hoang Thi Ha

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

Hoang Thi Ha
12
Biman Mukherji

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

Biman Mukherji
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MULTIMEDIA
Video

Vintage Vespas go electric in Indonesia

Vespa love affair: Indonesians turning vintage scooters electric
Video

Xi ends Southeast Asia tour in Cambodia

Xi wraps up Southeast Asia charm offensive tour, as Beijing calls for talks with Washington
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Video

Annual Balikatan drills with US to test Manila’s defence plans

Philippines vows major exercises in coming Balikatan military drills with US
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Manila says ‘underwater warfare’ drones may be Chinese

Philippines says 5 aquatic drones with ‘Chinese markings’ found in its territorial waters
01:35
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