China’s building and military of man-made islands in the South China Sea has changed the strategic scenario of the region. Beijing has transformed the reefs and shoals into permanent military outposts that could be used to host aircraft or naval vessels as well as radar installations well away from the Chinese mainland. This has more to do than just a …

For more than five years, the ASEAN has been working on a political roadmap, the Five Point Consensus (5PC), to solve the political situation in Myanmar, but the region is still facing a lack of tangible results. It took 29 years for Myanmar’s ASEAN accession in July 2026, but tensions between ASEAN and Myanmar over implementation, and the impact of …

North Korea is paying lip service to the rule of centrality in ASEAN, while objecting to the growing security alliance buildup in the Indo-Pacific led by the United States. The assertion was made by the Korean Central News Agency after the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers‘ Meeting (ASEAN MIM) and 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, …

For years China has been known as the “factory of the world” and manufactured any possible item, from smartphones to cars, clothing to consumer electronics. But the world of manufacturing is getting a new lease on life. Multinational organizations are looking at altering how they invest and where they manufacture their goods as geopolitical, supply chain and investment dynamics begin …

The 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings are currently taking place in Manila, Philippines, where the foreign ministers of the ASEAN along with their heads of delegates from the key international partners are meeting each other to engage in a series of high-level diplomatic discussions.  The summit wraps up the Post-Ministerial Conferences, bilateral talks and the 33rd ASEAN …

During the 59th Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Manila, Philippines both ASEAN and US have signed a new Post-Ministerial Conference Comprehensive Work Plan to implement the ASEAN-US Leaders’ Joint Vision Statement for five years.  The roadmap will shape the cooperation to 2031 and will be centered on regional security, economic integration, resilience of the supply chains, clean energy …

Indonesia and Vietnam have completed their long-negotiated and pending ratification of their maritime boundaries. While this will probably improve maritime security and help prevent illegal fishing, the agreement will likely cause rifts with China because of the latter’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. President Prabowo Subianto said he was mulling ratifying the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) treaty with …

ASEAN has been a long-standing anchor for stability in Southeast Asia, laying the groundwork for economic and political cooperation, establishing dialogue, and promoting a security architecture based on rules and mutual respect. Today, with several complex challenges facing the region, it is as vital as ever that ASEAN continues to be part of the management of these challenges. Founding Principles: …

In a surprising development this month, passionate activists have called upon Indonesian authorities to launch an investigation into the alleged arms sales by state-owned arms manufacturers to Myanmar through a seemingly obscure shell company owned by the son of a junta minister.  This revelation exposes yet another layer of a hidden regional trade network that continues to funnel vital resources …

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 …