Topic
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the Asean Declaration by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Its aims include accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development of its member states and the protection of regional peace and stability.
As the poorest member of Asean grapples with a 50% poverty rate, helping a regional nation in trouble is not foreign interference.
New survey shows Asean member states neither want China to threaten their security, nor the US to undermine their hard-won prosperity.
- Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Nigeria were first on the itinerary for Tokyo’s top diplomat this week, with Japan’s Indo-Pacific strategy front of mind
- Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa‘s 10-day tour is calling at Sri Lanka and Nepal last – where the China-India rivalry is sure to be high on the agenda
Silicon Valley giants including Microsoft, Amazon and Google, along with Chinese tech conglomerates such as Alibaba, are making a big push to grow in Southeast Asia.
The annual Leaders’ Retreat ‘formally introduces’ Lawrence Wong and Prabowo Subianto as their respective countries’ new leaders, in addition to deepening bilateral ties.
With the junkets of Asia’s gambling capital ‘decimated’ by an anti-corruption crackdown, money launderers have shifted focus to more loosely regulated casinos in Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Myanmar.
Readers discuss Beijing’s dealings with Manila over their dispute in the South China Sea, and Moscow’s changing attitude to the Belt and Road Initiative.
Wang Yi vows China will continue to invest more in Cambodian infrastructure and promote production capacity cooperation: foreign ministry.
Henry Van Thio, who served in elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and continued in position after she was ousted by military in 2021, is stepping down for unspecified health reasons, state media reported.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Chenda Sophea Sok tells Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that Phnom Penh opposes ‘troublemaking in the region by extraterritorial forces’.
Wang Yi makes several veiled swipes at the US in a press conference with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi, also hitting out at trade protectionism.
Delegation meets Hong Kong’s John Lee to discuss creating opportunities for Indonesian companies looking to tap into local, mainland Chinese markets.
Running from conscription, enraged by the military and boosted by the sudden, unexpected scent of victory, Myanmar’s youth have decided they have to either flee the country or join the fight.
The Philippine president said the cooperation agreement signed in Washington will change the dynamic in Asean and around the contested waterway.
The 30,000km (18,600 miles) trip from September 2 to 13 is the longest for the Pope since he became head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013.
Only 14.2 per cent of respondents were confident India would ‘do the right thing’ and contribute to global stability, while 30.5 per cent had ‘little confidence’.
Marcos said his government isn’t aware of any “gentleman’s agreement” with China, and were not briefed by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, about it when he came into office in 2022.
Chinese foreign ministry says China does not compete with other nations in military power and ‘firmly pursues a defensive national defence policy’.
Boao Forum for Asia told China could do more ‘for the public good’ in effort to build trust with Asean neighbours. Marine environmental protection, scientific research and search-and-rescue among areas seen as ripe for China-Asean cooperation.
It would be the first full-scale exercise involving the four countries aimed at enhancing interoperability among their forces, amid China’s continuing aggressive actions.
