ASEAN News

China has raised concerns about US’s divisive politics in Southeast Asia, attempting to polarize the region with power play. At the ASEAN summit in Jakarta, Chinese Premier Li Qiang sounded the alarm that a “new Cold war” is in the making, if bilateral conflicts and prejudice is made to sneak into multilateral forums.  Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi …

The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres sounded alarm at the ASEAN summit in Jakarta that the world is facing a real risk of fragmentation as countries butt heads. He warned of a “great fracture” in world economic and financial systems with diverging strategies on technology and artificial intelligence, and conflicting security frameworks.  “Our world is stretched to the breaking point …

Indonesia is currently a hub of enhanced activity as the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hold separate summits with big powers, including China, Japan, India, South Korea and the US – with an 18-member East Asia Summit commencing Thursday. The string of meetings is expected to introduce regional issues and prominent rivalries such as the South China Sea, …

For Vice President Kamala Harris, it’s all about saving the US’ image and commitment to Southeast Asia as President Joe Biden’s absence sets in. Despite Washington arguing that the President’s absence is to do with scheduling, ASEAN members see it as a “diplomatic snub” as he is set to travel to India for the G20 Summit and later to Vietnam.  …

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is likely to be in Russia this month to meet President Vladimir Putin. Discussion is likely to focus on the Kremlin acquiring military hardware from North Korea to bolster the Russian forces with weapons for the ongoing Ukraine war.  The White House has been closely monitoring talks between the two countries as arms negotiations …

The most recent ASEAN Summit is being hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and is rife with contentious issues that reflect the difficulties Southeast Asian leaders face. This article explores the summit’s main themes, the absence of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, the effects of these developments on the geopolitics of the area, and the significance of ASEAN. Myanmar Crisis …

Srettha Thavisin, Thailand’s newly appointed prime minister, has made a bold move to revive the nation’s economy. Real estate magnate Srettha was appointed finance minister on Saturday to address economic issues that have been made worse by sluggish exports and investments. This King Maha Vajiralongkorn-approved Cabinet reorganization marks a turning point in Thailand’s political history. The country’s economic problems have …

Following a plea for pardon made by the wealthy politician, King Maha Vajiralongkorn declared today that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra‘s eight-year prison sentence had been reduced to just one year. After 15 years of self-imposed exile overseas, Thaksin, 74, recently made a spectacular return to Thailand to avoid being imprisoned on charges of abuse of authority and conflicts of …

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida‘s plan to increase military spending by 43 trillion yen over five years has taken an important step forward with the defense ministry of Japan submitting an unprecedented budget request of 7.7 trillion yen (about US$52.67 billion) for the fiscal year 2024. By 2027, the ambitious plan, which was unveiled last year, seeks to raise Japan’s defense …

Recently, India’s Ministry of External Affairs made a crucial decision to allow rice shipments to Singapore, citing the strong economic, diplomatic, and human ties between the two nations. The decision raises concerns about India’s objectives, the effect on its internal market, and the ramifications for the international rice trade. It also comes in the wake of India’s prohibition on exports …