ASEAN News

The prime minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi, is likely to attend the Manila event, as India aims to further bolster its diplomatic, economic and strategic cooperation with Southeast Asia.  The chance to chair the ASEAN will be a significant one for New Delhi to promote its Act East Policy in 2026. The planned trip underscores India’s increasing focus on …

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is gearing up for a coordinated oil stockpiling plan which may be launched as early as 2027, enhancing energy security in the region. The ASEAN Oil Reserve system would enable the participating countries to utilize stored petroleum products in times of oil supply emergency. A November 12 Reuters report quoted Nikkei as saying …

Despite the progress in diplomacy, the Code of Conduct (COC) of the South China Sea Talks between China and ASEAN has yet to be achieved within the agreed timeline of 2026. Some 80% of the proposed agreement’s paragraphs have been provisionally agreed to, but there are still deep disagreements. The development has added to the worries of maritime safety in …

Southeast Asia is experiencing a critical financing jam with its infrastructure needs continuing to grow. The Asian Development Bank has recently released a report stating that from 2026 to 2040, the ASEAN economies would require about USD7.1 trillion in investment in infrastructure. At present government spending, however, the region will be short of the target and concerns are raised on …

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is increasingly under attack from human rights activists, member nations, and international watchdog organizations for their involvement in Myanmar’s military junta.  The ongoing crisis has not yet been resolved under the five-point consensus agreed in 2021, and there are concerns that ASEAN has failed to hold any accountable and has not helped to …

Panasonic’s survey found that 61% of respondents who owned air conditioners had used continuous cooling for 24 hours on at least some days during summer 2026. It does not mean that 60% of all Japanese households ran their air conditioners nonstop throughout the entire summer. More than six in 10 air-conditioner owners in Japan say they kept their cooling on …

Young Chinese are increasingly talking openly about what respect for parents should mean. The debate over healthy parent-child relationships in China has gained attention after Olympic diving champion Zhang Jiaqi appeared with her mother, Xiao Yingjie, on Hunan TV’s reality show My Little One. The programme showed a strained bond shaped by years of criticism, and the response from young …

In a move that poses a fresh hurdle to the India ASEAN Trade Deal, New Delhi and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are trying to draw up new changes to their longstanding free trade pact ahead of the Manila ASEAN Summit. However, talks are centered on market access, rules of origin and unremoved trade barriers. The …

Transboundary haze pollution from forest fires, peatland burning and agriculture remains a problem in Southeast Asia. The recurring environmental crisis has an impact on neighbouring countries public health, economic activity and air quality. As Singapore goes through its ASEAN chairmanship in 2027, there is hope for greater cooperation among ASEAN members in the environment. The ASEAN Haze Cooperation is moving …

As governments in Southeast Asia promote cross-border electricity cooperation, the region is advancing in a pivotal step towards going green. But investing in infrastructure is not enough to ensure a successful regional energy transition. As neighbouring countries work out electricity trading deals, investments in renewable energy and shared power infrastructure, ASEAN Clean Energy Trust is becoming a necessity. At the …