ASEAN News

South Korea – As worry about a North Korean nuclear test rises, US President Joe Biden landed in South Korea on May 20 for his first Asia tour as US leader, with the goal of strengthening relations with regional security partners. Biden wants the visit to draw on recent actions that have accelerated the US‘s years-long pivot to Asia, where …

Asean – On Friday, Nobel laureate and East Timorese independence figure Jose Ramos-Horta was sworn in as the country’s fifth president, promising to use his time in office to promote national unity and create stronger ties with China. Ramos-Horta previously served as president from 2007 to 2012, as well as prime minister and foreign minister before that. He spent decades …

Asean – Through the Industry Skills Training Programme, Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) and China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) are giving 5,000 work opportunities, mostly to residents on the East Coast of the peninsula (PLKI-ECRL). Zaidi Sharif, the director of MRL’s Strategies Division, stated that 500 people out of a total of 1,800 had participated in the first phase of …

Asean – According to Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob should explain why he appointed controversial Umno leader Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman as Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia. Sim, who is also a member of Parliament’s Special Select Committee on International Affairs, said Malaysia’s ties with Indonesia were a top priority and could …

Korea – Korea has rebounded successfully from the pandemic, owing to solid economic foundations and timely governmental actions. Despite repeated rounds of infections, economic production has reached pre-crisis levels. The recovery was aided by excellent pandemic containment, which included quick vaccination last year, as well as aggressive economic policy assistance, which helped to reduce economic scarring, preserve income growth, and …

China – Officials in the sport of football said on Saturday that China has withdrawn from bidding to host the 2023 Asian Cup owing to the coronavirus. Beijing’s strict zero-COVID approach has dealt another blow to the country’s athletic goals. Millions of people in Shanghai have been subjected to stringent regulations for more than a month now as part of …

Malaysia – Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today encouraged the US to pursue a more aggressive trade and investment strategy with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), claiming that doing so would benefit Washington both economically and diplomatically. Ismail Sabri expressed some of the displeasure felt in Asia after former President Donald Trump exited a regional …

China – Following reports about the Russian soldiers who are encountering stiff opposition in Ukraine, the chief of the United States’ intelligence community has given a hint that China is now growing more apprehensive about taking a military action against Taiwan. Avril Haines, who is the Director of National Intelligence, said on Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee that …

ASEAN – What can we actually expect from the Chinese youth of today? The conclusion reached in the country’s first white paper on the subject, titled “Youth of China in the New Era,” which was published a month ago, is that young people in China are self-assured, optimistic, and responsible. Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a call to action to …

Korea – Following President Yoon Suk-yeol’s inauguration on Tuesday, President Halimah Yacob of Singapore and President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea have reached an agreement to boost the level of bilateral cooperation between their respective countries (May 10). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Singapore released a statement on Tuesday evening saying that the leaders of the two nations …