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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.
Analysts say the months-long presence of two Chinese warships at Cambodia’s recently expanded Ream Naval Base points to a new transit point for China’s military ‘to stop, rest, refuel, and resupply’.
This is the group’s second attempt at resupplying the fishermen after a failed try in December when Chinese vessels tailed the group’s main ship.
Distracted by conflicts elsewhere, the international community has shown a distinct ‘lack of imagination’ and unwillingness to act more decisively in Myanmar for fear of sparking a US-China proxy war, researchers say.
Atin Ito civilian-led supply mission to assert Philippine rights expected to be met by China’s ‘huge force to blockade Scarborough Shoal’: former US Air Force official.
China told Asean officials that the weapons system, which can fire Tomahawk cruise missiles, is a serious threat to regional security and stability,
Betty Yuen of the city’s General Chamber of Commerce says the sector can explore new markets in Asean and the Middle East.
Singapore’s unwavering stance that is neither “pro-China” nor “pro-US” is a way of insulating itself from internal and external pressures, analysts say.
European firms have been revising expectations for the Chinese market while planning for a projected economic slowdown, further adding to China’s challenges and ‘setting a negative cycle in motion’.
Emerging alliance expected to undertake more maritime exercises and provide greater security help to the Philippines in its South China Sea claims.
The outlay, to be done over the next four years, doubles the investment of subsidiary Amazon Web Services in the city state.
The Philippines has played its cards right by signalling that it’s ‘willing to work with anyone’ for strategic advantage, analysts say.
Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Nigeria were first on the itinerary for Tokyo’s top diplomat this week, as she also sought to push Japan’s Indo-Pacific strategy in Sri Lanka and Nepal.
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.