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WEEK IN REVIEW: China’s Lunar New Year Travel Splits Asia

China warned that a newly announced Indonesia–U.S. trade agreement should not target or harm “any third party.” The comment came after Indonesia and the United States unveiled new cooperation arrangements, prompting Beijing to weigh in publicly on the deal’s potential regional implications. (JAKARTA GLOBE)

With CGSP Staff

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Chinese New Year Travel: Southeast Asia Back in Focus

China’s Lunar New Year travel surge is once again reshaping tourism flows across the Global South, with Southeast Asia emerging as a key beneficiary, though not uniformly. Outbound trips have rebounded strongly, but geopolitics, visa policies, and safety perceptions are increasingly ...

China’s Belt and Road Roars Back, Defying Predictions of a Smaller, Quieter Era

Just a few of years ago, Chinese authorities signaled that the days of massive spending on Belt and Road Initiative projects were over and that a new, more austere era, known as "small yet beautiful" (小而美), would become the norm. New ...

From Silence to Deflection: How China’s Internet Framed Thailand’s Deadly Train Accident

When a crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in Thailand, killing dozens, the tragedy quickly became a major topic on Chinese social media. Discussion was not absent, but it followed a clear and defensive pattern, one that worked less to examine responsibility than to preempt ...

Thailand Train Accident Kills 28 at China-Backed Project

By Montira Rungjirajittranon and Pasika Khernamnuoy A crane at a China-backed high-speed rail project in Thailand collapsed onto a passenger train on Wednesday and caused it to derail, killing at least 28 people and injuring dozens more, authorities said.

China’s Clean Tech Charm Offensive Wins Global South Hearts and Minds

By Chris Aylett and Bernice Lee Air travellers making the descent into Islamabad, Nairobi, or São Paulo may be struck by the sight of solar panels scattered liberally over the rooftops. Regular visitors to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city, will probably have ...

Thailand-Cambodia Border Tensions Increase After Shooting

Thailand accused Cambodia of violating a ten-day truce, following the alleged firing of mortar rounds across the border. The incident left one Thai soldier injured. The Thai military later quoted Cambodian counterparts saying “the incident was caused by an operational ...

China Demand Slowdown Clouds Thailand’s 2026 Export Outlook

Thailand’s export outlook for 2026 is deteriorating as weaker demand from China collides with tighter U.S. trade conditions, raising the risk of stagnation or outright contraction, government forecasts show. Thailand's Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) projects exports next year ...

Vietnam’s China-Linked Growth Brings It Closer to Thailand’s GDP

Vietnam’s economy is expanding quickly enough to close on Thailand in nominal gross domestic product, driven by state-led investment and export growth. Thailand is facing slower growth. Vietnam could potentially overtake Thailand in nominal gross domestic product this year or next, ...

Cambodia, Thailand to Consolidate Ceasefire After China Talks

Cambodia and Thailand said they would focus on consolidating a ceasefire and restoring normal exchanges after talks in southwestern Yunnan on Sunday and Monday, according to a joint communiqué. China said it hosted senior Cambodian and Thai diplomats and military ...

China to Host Yunnan Talks After Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire

China said it will host talks in Yunnan after Cambodia and Thailand agreed to an immediate ceasefire along their disputed border, stepping in as the two neighbors sought to halt weeks of fighting under a joint statement that took effect at noon local time on Saturday. ...

China’s High-Speed Rail Network Passes 50,000 km With New Line

China’s high-speed rail network has crossed 50,000 kilometers of operating track, state media reported, with authorities opening a new line linking Xi’an and Yan’an in northwestern China on Friday. China marked the milestone by launching the Xi’an–Yan’an high-speed route in ...

China Repatriates 952 After Joint Scam Crackdown in Myanmar

China’s national police agency said Chinese officers, working with counterparts from Thailand and Myanmar, arrested suspects and repatriated 952 Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in telecommunication fraud during joint operations along Myanmar’s border. The operations targeted scam and gambling compounds, ...

China Leads Thailand’s EEC Projects as Japan Tops Nationwide

China investment in Thailand EEC led foreign business approvals in January–November 2025, according to Thailand’s Department of Business Development. Japan remained the largest source of projects nationwide, the agency said on Friday, Dec. 26.

Thailand, Cambodia Set Ceasefire Talks for Dec. 24; China Says It’s Mediating

Thailand and Cambodia will hold ceasefire talks on Wednesday, Dec. 24 under an existing joint border framework, following an ASEAN special foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur. In a chair’s statement, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations said ministers ...

Cambodia Says Chinese National Wounded by Thai Military Shelling

A Chinese national was wounded by Thai military shelling into Cambodia on Monday, Phnom Penh's interior ministry said, as the Southeast Asian neighbors waged deadly border clashes. Thai forces fired "artillery shells into civilian areas" of Cambodia's border province of Battambang, ...

China Says Cambodia, Thailand Ready to De-escalate After Wang Yi Calls

China says Cambodia and Thailand are prepared to de-escalate and move toward a cease-fire after separate phone calls with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Thailand has said any truce depends on Cambodian action, and Phnom Penh has yet to publicly confirm ...

China Mediates in Cambodia-Thailand Crisis

China’s Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that it is dispatching an envoy to mediate in the growing border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, as the peace deal for which U.S. President Donald Trump took credit threatens to fall apart.

Thailand’s Resumed Border Strikes on Cambodia Highlight Limits of U.S. Pressure, Chinese Scholars Say

Thailand and Cambodia signed a joint peace declaration at the ASEAN summit in late October, aimed at ending long-standing border disputes. Yet, less than two months later, Thai forces launched strikes on casinos and hotels in Cambodia, reportedly linked to cross-border online fraud. Experts in China

Chinese Detainees Riot in Thai Detention Center, 15 Charged

Hundreds of Chinese nationals accused of fleeing online scam hubs in Myanmar rioted inside a Thai immigration detention center Wednesday night. The Chinese detainees riot came as Thailand and China were stepping up deportation back to China. The disturbance involved ...

Chinese Weapons a Trigger in Thai-Cambodia Conflict: Report

Thai airstrikes against Cambodian military facilities on Monday reportedly targeted Chinese-made rockets. Reuters reported a Thai military official saying the strikes were preceded by surveillance showing the presence of Chinese rockets that could hit civilian targets. The Thai military calculated that the ...

China Exports Seen Pushing Thai Growth Below 2% in 2026

Thai business leaders on Wednesday said China's efforts to export their overproduction, combined with catastrophic flooding and the impact of U.S. tariffs, risk making the economy expand by only 1.6%–2.0% in 2026. The warning came from the Joint Standing Committee ...

Chinese Cross-Border Payments Expand in Southeast Asia

Cross-border payments using QR codes between China and several Southeast Asian countries took a leap forward this week. Chinese travelers to Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia can now use cashless QR code-based payments, eliminating the need for currency conversion. The initiative ...

Thailand Revamps EV Incentives as Chinese Brands Surge

Thailand has rewritten its electric-vehicle incentive rules, revamping Thailand EV incentives by shifting deadlines and tightening subsidy conditions. The National Electric Vehicle Policy Board approved the changes at its first meeting under the new administration, ...

Thailand Turns to China to Lift Tourism With 1,000 Charter Flights

Thailand is turning to China to drive a recovery in foreign tourism, leaning on a surge of planned chartered flights. The Tourism and Sports Ministry said Thailand expects more than 1,000 charter flights from China, Macau and Taiwan through mid-2026 as authorities target a return to ...

Thailand Suspends Prison Boss Over Alleged Privileges for Chinese Inmates

Thai authorities have suspended a prison chief in Bangkok over allegations that high-profile Chinese inmates were granted access to women in a private cell and other privileges, the justice ministry said. The scandal erupted last week after local media reported two ...

China Showcases Stability as Thailand’s King Visits Amid U.S. Trade Rift

Thailand's travel-averse King Maha Vajiralongkorn made his first official visit to China since ascending to the throne nine years ago. On Friday, the king, accompanied by his wife Queen Suthida, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sought to portray his government as a more stable, predictable partner than ...

China’s Xi Vows Closer Ties as Thai King Makes First Official Visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping promised closer ties with Thailand on Friday during talks with the first reigning Thai monarch to visit the country since diplomatic ties were established 50 years ago. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who has rarely made overseas state visits ...

Alleged Chinese Scam Kingpin Extradited From Thailand: Police

An alleged Chinese racketeer linked to a hugely lucrative scam hub in Myanmar was extradited from Thailand to China on Wednesday, a police official in Bangkok told AFP. She Zhijiang had been in Thai custody since 2022 after spending more than ...

China’s BYD Targets 1.6 Million Overseas Sales in 2026

China's BYD 2026 target aims to sell 1.5 million to 1.6 million vehicles outside China in 2026. The number is up from a projected 900,000 to 1 million in 2025, Citi said Tuesday after meetings with company management. Citi ...

Thai Court Rules Chinese Scam Hub Tycoon to Be Extradited

A tycoon linked to illegal scam hub operations on the Thai-Myanmar border will be extradited to face criminal charges in China, a court in Bangkok ordered on Monday. Chinese businessman She Zhijiang, 43, has been in detention in Thailand since 2022, ...

China Bans All Thai Syrups and Premixed Sugar After Safety Failures

China’s Customs Authority GACC has expanded its suspension on Thai syrups and premixed sugar into a full import ban, effective for shipments from Oct. 27. The move follows July–September audits that found none of 10 Thai export-oriented factories compliant ...

Thailand Seeks Joint Ventures to Boost Exports, Aligning with China’s 5-Year Plan

Thailand’s Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun instructed all nine Thai trade offices in China to shift from basic trade matchmaking to pursue joint ventures with Chinese partners. The move, as Suphajee said, is to align their work with Beijing’s newly ...

China Drops EVs From 2026–2030 Strategic Industry List

China has published its economic and industrial priorities for 2026–2030 without explicitly naming new energy vehicles (NEVs) or electric vehicles (EVs) among the “strategic emerging fields” it wants to accelerate. This signals that carmakers will have to compete under tighter national ...

China Among Top Investors as Thailand Logs $42.6 Billion in 2025 Projects

Chinese and regional investors are backing Thailand’s push to become a high-end production and data hub for Southeast Asia. The country’s Board of Investment said investors filed about $42.6 billion worth of new projects this year to build EV battery plants, semiconductor production and large data ...

Thailand Faces Backlash Over U.S. Rare Earth Deal Aimed at China

The U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Sunday signed a rare earths and critical minerals memorandum on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur. The deal is drawing immediate backlash in Bangkok from opposition lawmakers. ...

Vietnam Now Second in Southeast Asia’s China-Led EV Market

China’s low-priced electric cars are powering Southeast Asia’s EV surge, and Vietnam has emerged as the region’s No. 2 market year-to-date on company-reported figures, closing on Thailand’s lead. The comparison is based on Vietnam’s total, which reflects VinFast deliveries, ...

Chinese Carmakers Dominate Thailand’s EV Market as Safety and Warranty Gaps Raise Concerns

Chinese carmakers account for more than 70% of Thailand’s electric-vehicle sales this year, but a new Thailand Consumer Council study says gaps in safety, warranty, and after-sales rules leave buyers exposed. Thailand sold 54,084 passenger battery-electric cars in the first ...

China Exiles in Thailand Lose Hope, Fearing Beijing’s Long Reach

With tears rolling down his cheeks, detained Chinese political exile Zhou Junyi struggles to make his voice heard over dozens of families visiting Bangkok's main immigration detention center. Zhou's China Democracy Party, an exile group, organized a commemoration on June 4 ...

Thailand FDI Jumps 125% in 2025; China & Hong Kong Commit $922 Million

Investors from China and Hong Kong committed nearly $922 million to Thailand from January to August 2025, the Ministry of Commerce said. Total foreign projects approved reached about $6.27 billion, up 125% from a year earlier. ...

Thailand Asks China to Complete the 280,000-ton Rice Import

Thailand asked China to complete a 280,000-metric-ton government rice purchase and floated a separate 500,000-metric-ton buy for 2025, Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said on Saturday. The remaining 280,000 tons are believed to be part of an earlier 1-million-ton purchase under a ...

China–ASEAN Trade Nears $1,05 Trillion as Surplus Hits $278 Billion

China and ASEAN are set to pass the trade threshold in 2025, with nearly $1.05 trillion in goods. That would leave China with a surplus that swells past $278 billion, a big step up from 2024. Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the ...

CAEXPO Wrap: China Pitches an Operating System for ASEAN Trade

China wrapped CAEXPO in Nanning with a pitch that goes beyond product sales. The expo presented AI-ready factory “cells,” a low-speed autonomous shuttle, and a Beibu Gulf satellite. It also showcases vocational pipelines and an ACFTA 3.0 upgrade. The offer ...

China–ASEAN to Align AI Data, Launch Safety Network in 2026

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pledged to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence AI. The commitment was announced at a ministerial roundtable held during the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo last Friday. They proposed an “AI+” action plan and a ...

Thailand, China Seal Amended Submarine Deal, 2028 Delivery

China’s state shipbuilder CSOC and the Royal Thai Navy signed an amended contract in Beijing to restart Thailand’s long-delayed S26T submarine program. The deal replaces the originally specified German engine with a Chinese diesel and sets delivery for the end ...

China–Malaysia ‘ASEAN Express’ Rail Cuts Transit to 9 Days

China’s inland metropolis of Chongqing is now physically connected with Malaysia through a rail corridor branded the “ASEAN Express,” routed via Laos and Thailand. According to the latest media report on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, operators told the route ...

China Leads Thailand EV Export Push as Rules Ease

Chinese brands now dominate the Thailand EV market. New industry data show battery electrics at 18 percent of domestic sales through July, a sign that Thai buyers are embracing EVs even as the broader car market stays flat because credit remains tight.

China Gets Second 0% Tariff Path to Chile EV Market via Indonesia

China now has two ways to sell electric cars in the Chile EV market without an import tax. Besides the China–Chile trade deal, Chile said EVs (electric vehicles) made in Indonesia can also enter at 0% under IC-CEPA (Indonesia–Chile ...

Beijing Drives New Rail Bridge Linking Thailand – Laos with China

China, Thailand, and Laos have agreed to accelerate the construction of a second Nong Khai–Vientiane rail bridge. This move underscores Beijing’s central role in reshaping Southeast Asia’s transport and trade routes. It is designed to carry trains directly from Thailand ...

Malaysia Opens First EV Plant with Backing from China’s Geely

Malaysia’s Proton launched its first electric vehicle assembly plant on Thursday with backing from China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. The country aims to position itself as a regional hub for EV production. The facility is located in the Automotive High-Tech ...

Q&A: China’s EV in Southeast Asia: Growth or Dependency Trap?

A few weeks ago at the Indonesian auto show, I stood near a cluster of visitors crowding around new electric cars EVs. I noticed three questions that came up repeatedly as people leaned in to quiz the sales reps: How far can it go? Will it last? ...

China’s Battery Supremacy Tests Southeast Asia’s EV Ambitions

At a recent auto show in Jakarta, a curious pattern emerged. The most common questions from potential buyers of products from the EV industry were simple: How far will it go? Will it last? How is the safety? The answers to all three lie deep within the ...

China Redirects Exports to Thailand as U.S. Tariffs Bite

China is redirecting billions of dollars’ worth of exports into Thailand as new U.S. tariffs make access to the American market more difficult, raising concerns about widening trade deficits and the future of Thai industries. Thailand could face the highest ...

Chinese EV Investment Shifts Abroad, Tech Stay Home: Report

Chinese EV makers invested more abroad than at home in 2024 for the first time, Rhodium Group data show, but real production capacity and completion rates remain overwhelmingly domestic, revealing early-stage globalization with high foreign execution risk. About 15% of ...

China Offers Help in Thai-Cambodia Row as Ministers Meet

Beijing offered to help Thailand and Cambodia patch up relations on Thursday after their deadliest border clashes in decades, as their foreign ministers met for talks in China. A long-running border row between the Southeast Asian neighbors boiled over into conflict ...

China Backs Thailand-Cambodia Reconciliation, Eyes Investment

China fully backs Thailand and Cambodia in resolving their longstanding border dispute, offering assistance at the request of both nations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday. Speaking at the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Yunnan province,

BYD Readies Thai Exports as Chinese EVs Lead in Southeast Asia

Government electric vehicle EV incentives in Thailand and Indonesia are significantly influencing the region’s auto market, lifting Chinese brands while slumping Japanese incumbents. BYD will start shipping Thai-built plug-in hybrids to Europe in late August, while in Indonesia, EV ...

China E-Mobility Weekly Digest: BasiGo Partnership For CATL Battery Systems Maintenance as E-Motorcycles Numbers Grow

This is a free preview of the upcoming Africa EVs Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service launching in Summer 2025. Chinese automakers are reshaping the electric vehicle (EV) market with a tech-first strategy and competitive pricing. This is, ...

Thai Police Arrest 26 Chinese Nationals Suspected of Illegal Loans

Thai police said they arrested 26 Chinese nationals on Saturday on suspicion they were running an illegal online loan operation. Officers raided a "luxury pool villa" in the resort town of Pattaya, about 100 kiolmetres (60 miles) south of Bangkok, and ...

A Rosy Road Ahead? Chinese Documentary on EVs in Thailand Arrives as Doubts Mount

Framed like a hopeful road trip into Thailand’s EV future, Auto Roam is a glossy branded documentary by Chinese automotive media Autohome, following a diverse cast of local EV adopters to portray how Chinese electric vehicles are reshaping everyday life in Thailand. Slick, upbeat, and unmistakably ...

China Hosts Informal Thailand-Cambodia Peace Talks in Shanghai

China hosted informal trilateral talks in Shanghai on Wednesday involving Cambodian and Thai representatives, aiming to reinforce the fragile ceasefire agreed upon earlier this week following deadly clashes along their disputed border. The discussions were facilitated by China's Vice-Minister for ...

“Civil War of Chinese Weapons?” Thai-Cambodian Clash Exposes a Regional Divide in Military Modernization

A military-focused WeChat public account recently published a detailed post analyzing the border skirmish between Thailand and Cambodia, which has since reportedly ended with a ceasefire agreement. But the post drew attention as it struck a nerve by asking: “Has the Thailand-Cambodia conflict turned into a ...

China Backs ASEAN-Mediated Cambodia and Thailand Ceasefire

Cambodia and Thailand agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire on Monday following a special meeting hosted by Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim, as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The meeting was attended by leaders from both countries, as well as ...

Thailand-Cambodia Clash Draws China, U.S. Into Mediation Push

A 24-hour burst of rockets and artillery on the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict has done more than kill civilians and send 100,000 people fleeing; it has set off a diplomatic sprint that pits China’s offer of “impartial” mediation against a U.S. treaty ally’s insistence on going it alone. ...

China Says ‘Deeply Concerned’ Over Deadly Cambodia-Thailand Border Clashes

China said Thursday it was "deeply concerned" over deadly clashes between Cambodia and Thailand, which mark a dramatic escalation of a long-running border row between the two neighbors. "We are deeply concerned over the current developments (and) hope both sides can ...

Thousands of Chinese Fraud Suspects Repatriated from Myanmar

Around 5,400 Chinese nationals have been apprehended and repatriated to China following a cross-border crackdown on telecom scamming operations in the Myanmarese region of Myawaddy. The operation was jointly conducted by Chinese, Myanmarese, and Thai forces and follows growing cross-border coordination ...

China Threatens Myanmar Militias on Rare Earths

China has reportedly threatened to stop buying rare earth minerals from areas in Myanmar held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) an ethnic militia battling Myanmar’s ruling military junta. The threat comes as KIA and junta forces have been fighting for control of the town of Bhamo, ...

Asia Number One Target of Trump’s Tariff Letters

Donald Trump sent letters to 14 countries, mainly in Asia, informing them that higher import tariffs will come into effect on August 1 unless they reach a deal with the United States. It is the second time the U.S. president has ...

South American Bloc Looks to Asia, Europe in Face of Trump Trade War

By Martin Raschinsky and Tomas Viola South America's Mercosur bloc sought Thursday to expand its markets in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's global trade war, with Brazil calling for closer ties with dynamic Asian economies.

China’s Copper Smelting Boom Backfires Amid Global Supply Strains

Over the past decade, China positioned itself as a leader in copper refining, accounting for more than half of global capacity. Its strategy designed to secure control over key critical minerals meant to power everything from clean energy grids to electric vehicles, defense equipment, and construction ...

Lithium Prices Are Crashing, But Some Producers Are Doubling Down. Why?

There is a puzzling shift unfolding in the global lithium market. Prices have collapsed by over 70% from their 2022 highs to around $12,000 per tonne, and yet, against all market logic, some Chinese lithium giants are not retreating.  Instead, ...

Thailand in Last-Minute U.S. Talks as 36% Tariff Looms

With just days left before the deadline, Thailand is urging the United States to cap new reciprocal tariffs on Thai goods at 10%, as Bangkok races to avoid steep increases that could climb as high as 36%. Thailand’s Finance Minister ...

Thailand’s Political Crisis Poses Risk to China’s BRI, Warns Scholar

In a recent analysis published by Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper, Yu Haiqiu, a prominent Chinese scholar of Southeast Asian politics, offers a deeper look at the roots and implications of Thailand’s escalating political crisis, focusing on its historical tensions with Cambodia and the fallout for ...

China-Linked Mines in Myanmar Blamed for Toxic Pollution Flowing Into Thailand

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee and Sally Jensen A sprawling new mine is gouged into the lush rolling hills of northeast Myanmar, where civil war has weakened the government's already feeble writ, and pollution levels are rising downstream in Thailand. ...

Troubled Chinese EV Maker Casts Shadow Over Africa’s Affordable Electric Car Market

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers are increasingly shipping their products to African countries, where first-time car owners are turning to more affordable models from lesser-known Chinese manufacturers, such as Neta and Xiaohu. While the small manufacturers have struck a ...

Thailand 2025 Growth Slashed Amid China Slowdown, U.S. Tariffs

Thailand’s economic planning agency sharply lowered its 2025 GDP growth forecast amid global trade tensions, weak domestic demand, and a slowdown in Chinese tourism.  The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) on Monday revised Thailand’s 2025 growth forecast to ...

Chinese Executive Linked to Bangkok Building Collapse Arrested

Thai authorities said they have arrested a Chinese executive at a company that was building a Bangkok skyscraper which collapsed in a major earthquake, leaving dozens dead. The 30-storey tower was reduced to an immense pile of rubble when a 7.7-magnitude ...

Gunmen Attack Chinese-Owned Power Plant Site in Chile

Gunmen attacked a Chinese-owned hydroelectric plant under construction in Chile Sunday, setting fire to dozens of trucks and heavy earth-moving equipment, police said. The Rucalhue power plant is being built by Rucalhue Energia Spa, a unit of China International Water and ...

Chinese Developer Under Scrutiny Over Bangkok Tower Quake Collapse

By Sally Jensen and Chayanit Itthipongmaetee A Chinese construction company is facing questions over the deadly collapse of a Bangkok skyscraper -- the only major building in the capital to fall in a catastrophic earthquake that has killed more than 2,000 ...

Chinese Firm Faces Investigation After Thai Building Collapse

A Chinese construction firm is under investigation following the collapse of a 30-floor skyscraper under construction in Bangkok during the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Thailand and Myanmar late last week. The building was the only one to sustain damage among several skyscrapers in the district. The collapse ...

China’s Durian Market Heats Up as Indonesia Challenges Thailand and Vietnam

China’s insatiable appetite for durian fuels a high-stakes competition among Southeast Asian suppliers, with Indonesia now pushing to enter the lucrative market. Long dominated by Thailand, with Vietnam rapidly expanding its footprint, the sector is poised for further disruption ...

Thai Ministers Travel to Xinjiang to Visit Deported Uyghurs

Two senior Thai government ministers traveled to China's northwestern Xinjiang region on Wednesday to assess the conditions of dozens of Uyghurs deported from the kingdom last month. Thailand last month sent at least 40 Uyghurs back after they had spent years ...

Chile Reviews Chinese Observatory Plans Slammed by U.S.

Chile said Wednesday it was reviewing an agreement for the construction of a Chinese astronomical observatory on its soil, a project that has drawn criticism from Washington as it jostles with Beijing for influence in Latin America. Under an agreement signed ...

Thai Ministers to Visit China to Meet Uyghur Deportees as West Condemns and Imposes Visa Sanctions

A high-level Thai delegation is set to travel to China on Tuesday to check on the condition of 40 Uyghurs deported in late February, following criticism from the United States, the European Union, and other Western nations over the repatriation. ...

Thailand Says Assured of Uyghurs’ Safety After U.S. Visa Bans

Thailand on Saturday responded to a United States visa ban on officials from the kingdom involved in deporting dozens of Uyghurs back to China, saying it had "received assurances" of their safety. The Thai government has suffered intense criticism from around ...

U.S. Bars Thai Officials Over Uyghur Deportations

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday announced visa bans on officials from ally Thailand after the kingdom deported dozens of Uyghurs back to China. "In light of China's longstanding acts of genocide and crimes against humanity committed against Uyghurs, ...

China’s Sunwoda Invests $1 Billion in Thailand’s EV Battery Industry Amid Rising Chinese EV Presence

China’s Sunwoda Electronic is expanding its footprint in Southeast Asia’s electric vehicle EV industry with a $1 billion investment in Thailand. The country is accelerating efforts to establish itself as a regional EV manufacturing hub. Thailand’s Commission on the National ...

Thailand’s Fruit Exports Hit $6.51 Billion in 2024, Durian Leads as China Remains Top Market

Thailand’s fruit exports soared to $6.51 billion in 2024, with the overwhelming majority, 97.4%, heading straight to China, according to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office TPSO. Fruit was the most valuable agricultural export last year, with durian, longan, mangosteen, ...

Thailand Defends BRICS Membership as China Expands Influence Amid Geopolitical Shifts

Thailand’s Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa defended the country’s decision to join BRICS on Monday, stating that membership is in the national interest and will enhance economic growth, technological cooperation, and Thailand’s role in global governance. Addressing Senate questions on ...

Thailand Repatriates Hundreds More Chinese Scam Center Workers

Hundreds of Chinese nationals freed from Myanmar online scam centres flew home through Thailand on Thursday, as the kingdom said it aimed to repatriate 1,500 such workers a week. Thailand, Myanmar and China have been making efforts in recent weeks to ...

Thailand Maintains Neutral Stance Amid China-U.S. Rivalry, Urges Stronger ASEAN Ties

As China’s influence grows across Southeast Asia, Thailand is carefully treading a fine line, choosing not to side with either Beijing or Washington. At an event on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai explained that Thailand's foreign policy needs ...

Why Indonesia Remains Silent on Thailand’s Uyghur Repatriation

When Thailand deported 40 Uyghurs to China, the move sparked strong condemnation from Japan and various Western nations, citing human rights concerns. Indonesia, a country with the world’s largest Muslim population, however, stayed silent. This was no accident. Jakarta’s response, ...

U.S. Issues Thailand Security Alert After Uyghur Deportations

The United States issued a security alert to its citizens in Thailand on Friday, warning of the possible risk of reprisal attacks after the kingdom deported dozens of Uyghurs to China. The Thai government has suffered intense criticism from around the ...

TikTok to Invest $8.8 Billion in Thailand Over Five Years

TikTok plans to invest $8.8 billion in Thailand over the next five years, focusing on digital infrastructure, workforce development and online safety initiatives, a senior executive said Friday after talks with the government. The social media platform owned by China's ByteDance ...

China’s Role in Southeast Asia’s Latest Scam Center Crackdown

China, Thailand, and Myanmar last week ramped up efforts to curb cyber scams on the Thai-Myanmar border, working to free the foreign workers inside. AFP examines why the crackdown is occurring now and its broader implications for relations between the three ...

China Appears to Confirm Uyghur Deportations From Thailand

By Matthew Walsh China appeared to confirm on Thursday that dozens of Uyghurs had been deported from Thailand, despite warnings from human rights groups that they face persecution on their return. Beijing is accused of ...

Thailand Deports Dozens of Uyghurs to China

By Thanaporn Promyamyai with Matthew Walsh in Beijing Thailand deported dozens of Uyghurs to China on Thursday despite warnings from human rights groups that they would face persecution on their return, drawing swift condemnation from the United Nations. ...

Chinese Scammers Jailed for Life as Border Crisis Intensifies

A Chinese court sentenced four people to life imprisonment for their role in running cross-border scam operations in Southeast Asia. The sentences come as ongoing crackdowns in collaboration with Thai and Myanmarese authorities free hundreds of trafficking victims forced into working at scam centers in Myanmar.

Battered Myanmar Scam Center Workers Wait for Deportation to China

Battered and bruised Chinese workers from online scam centers in Myanmar faced an anxious wait with returning home as China and Thailand finalized plans on Wednesday for their repatriation. Scam compounds have flourished in Myanmar's lawless borderlands, staffed by foreigners, many ...

Chinese Minister Meets Myanmar Scam Centre Workers

A Chinese government minister met more than 1,000 alleged scam center workers on the Thailand-Myanmar border on Monday, Thai media said, as the three countries vowed to crack down on the illicit compounds. Public Security Assistant Minister Liu Zhongyi did not ...
With Pakistan and Afghanistan at War, China Confronts a Strategic Moment on Its Frontier
A Taliban security personnel operating an anti-aircraft gun keeps watch for Pakistani airstrikes near the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Nangarhar province on February 27, 2026 following overnight cross-border fighting between the two countries. Photo by AIMAL ZAHIR / AFP
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared "open war" against Afghanistan on Friday amid a surge of fighting between the two South Asian neighbors. Pakistan said it's retaliating against Afghanistan for a series of attacks, including a suicide bombing in early February that killed at least 36 people ...
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