Category: Southeast Asia
Cambodia, China Begin Largest-Ever Military Drills
Cambodia and China on Wednesday began their largest-ever joint military exercises, involving advanced Chinese military hardware including artillery, warships and robot battle dogs. Cambodia has long been a staunch ally of China, receiving billions of dollars in investments, and Washington has ...
ASEAN Faces a Tougher Balancing Act in U.S. and China Trade Relations
By Kristina Fong Siew Leng The first 100 days of the Trump 2.0 presidency has been a rocky ride. On the trade front, countries continue to navigate trade negotiations with the U.S. in the current 90-day pause granted on the imposition ...
Myanmar Junta Chief Meets China’s Xi for First Time
Myanmar's junta chief met China's president for the first time since seizing power, state media reported Saturday, the highest-level meeting with a key ally for the internationally sanctioned military leader. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing led a military coup in 2021, ...
Philippines Slams ‘High-Risk’ Chinese Naval Actions Near Contested Reef
The Philippines criticized on Thursday a "high-risk" manoeuvre by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal -- a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested ...
Vanishing Brides, Troubled Desire: The Legal Grey Zone of China-Vietnam Wife Tours
A rural Chinese farmer paid over 200,000 yuan (around $28,000) to join a marriage tour in Vietnam—three months later, his new wife vanished. This is not a rare case: stories like his have circulated on Chinese social media for over a ...
Vietnam Protests China, Philippines Claims on South China Sea Reef
Vietnam on Saturday protested claims by China and the Philippines over a disputed reef in the South China Sea, which it considers its own territory. Manila and Beijing traded barbs last week over Sandy Cay, a group of small sandbanks in ...
Silence on AUKUS: A Missed Opportunity in the Indonesia–China Strategic Dialogue
What wasn’t said in Beijing last week may prove far more consequential than what was. At their first-ever 2+2 ministerial-level dialogue, China and Indonesia marked 75 years of diplomatic ties with warm words and ceremonial handshakes at the prestigious Diaoyutai Guesthouse. ...
Silence on AUKUS: A Missed Opportunity in the Indonesia–China Strategic Dialogue
What wasn’t said in Beijing last week may prove far more consequential than what was. At their first-ever 2+2 ministerial-level dialogue, China and Indonesia marked 75 years of diplomatic ties with warm words and ceremonial handshakes at the prestigious Diaoyutai Guesthouse and missed discussing Aukus.
With BRICS Platform, Indonesia Seeks Global South Solidarity
In Rio de Janeiro this week, Indonesia made its debut on the BRICS stage—not as an invited guest, but as a full member. Foreign Minister Sugiono’s presence at the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting marked a milestone in Jakarta’s evolving approach to multilateral diplomacy, reflecting a growing confidence ...
New Zealand, Phillippines Sign Troops Deal in ‘Deteriorating’ Strategic Environment
By Pam Castro The Philippines and New Zealand signed an agreement on Wednesday allowing the deployment of troops on each other's territory, a move aimed at bolstering security in a "deteriorating" strategic environment. The visiting ...
With BRICS Platform, Indonesia Seeks Global South Solidarity
In Rio de Janeiro this week, Indonesia made its debut on the BRICS stage—not as an invited guest, but as a full member. Foreign Minister Sugiono’s presence at the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting marked a milestone in Jakarta’s evolving approach to multilateral diplomacy, reflecting a growing confidence ...
Chinese National Arrested With Surveillance Device Near Philippine Election Commission
A Chinese national was arrested while operating a surveillance device near the offices of the Philippine election commission, authorities said Wednesday, less than two weeks before the country's mid-term polls. The man was allegedly using an "IMSI catcher", a device capable ...