Category: Diplomacy>Southeast Asia
Why the China–ASEAN–GCC Summit Matters and What Comes Next
The recent China–ASEAN–GCC summit, held for the first time this May, was more than a symbolic gathering. It marked a formalization of growing and increasingly institutionalized cooperation among the three regions. Bringing together China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), ...
China, Indonesia Sign Broad Cooperation Agreements
Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto signed memoranda of understanding this weekend, which could result in broad-based cooperation. They pledged to work together on boosting tourism, agricultural exports, traditional and contemporary medicine, investment, and media collaboration. This cooperation ...
Macron Gives Vietnamese Students a Lesson in ‘Impulsive’ Superpowers
By Francesco Fontemaggi Between jabs at Donald Trump's U.S. trade tariffs and criticism of Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea, French President Emmanuel Macron warned Vietnamese students Tuesday that "on the impulse of a superpower, everything can change".
SE Asian Leaders Meet China’s Li and Gulf States to Bolster Ties
By Rebecca Bailey and Isabelle Leong Southeast Asian leaders are looking to insulate their trade-dependent economies from geopolitical uncertainty, in particular US tariffs, as they hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Gulf state dignitaries in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
Macron Arrives in Vietnam, Offers French Partnership Amid U.S.-China Rivalry
By Tran Thi Minh Ha French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Vietnam on Sunday for the first leg of a tour of Southeast Asia, where he will pitch his country as a reliable alternative partner to the United States and China. ...
Indonesia, China Agree to Bolster Ties Ahead of ASEAN Summit
Chinese Premier Li Qiang warned on Sunday that the rise of "unilateralism and protectionism" could threaten the global economic and trade order, as he reaffirmed Beijing's ties with Jakarta on Sunday during his visit to Indonesia ahead of a regional summit in Kuala Lumpur. ...
U.S. Tariff Tensions Test Southeast Asian Leaders at Regional Summit
By Jan Hennop in Kuala Lumpur and Martin Abbugao in Singapore Southeast Asian leaders will express deep concern over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff blitz when they meet at a summit Monday, warning that the unilateral move poses huge challenges to ...
The Inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit: Economic Aspirations Amid Strategic Ambiguity
BY Sufian Jusoh and Joanne Lin The ASEAN-GCC-China Economic Summit, set to take place in Kuala Lumpur on 27 May, under the Malaysian Chairmanship of ASEAN, marks a significant diplomatic first. It will bring together leaders from ASEAN, ...
Why Chinese Netizens Are Celebrating the Philippines Midterm Elections
After the Philippines’ midterm election results signaled a setback for President Marcos Jr. and a boost for allies of the Duterte family, Chinese social media lit up with cheers. Many netizens hailed it as a long-awaited “turning point” in China-Philippines relations.
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, ...