https://www.scmp.com/rss/323046/feed Keep up to date with the latest developments in Asian politics, with news and analysis of the meaning behind the policies en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Maria Siow Maria Siow The Quad’s newly announced US$20 billion critical minerals framework aims to loosen China’s near-monopoly on the materials that power modern defence, technology and clean energy industries. But analysts say its success will depend on the ability of Australia, the United States, India and Japan – the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’s four members – to move beyond policy declarations and deliver measurable outcomes. The initiative, announced after a meeting of Quad foreign ministers on May 27, has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3356128/past-failures-haunt-quads-us20-billion-critical-minerals-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3356128/past-failures-haunt-quads-us20-billion-critical-minerals-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un’s recent display of nuclear-processing capabilities appears timed with reports of an impending visit by China’s leader and fuelled by insecurities about Seoul’s nuclear submarine talks with Washington. Analysts also say that mounting trilateral talks involving the United States, Japan and South Korea have galvanised Kim into doubling down on Pyongyang’s status as a nuclear-armed state. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced on Friday that Xi... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356181/why-north-koreas-kim-doubling-down-nuclear-might-xi-visit-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356181/why-north-koreas-kim-doubling-down-nuclear-might-xi-visit-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines’ landslide defeat to Kyrgyzstan for a UN Security Council seat has dealt a blow to Manila’s long-running campaign to raise its international diplomatic profile through the prestigious body, prompting questions about President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s foreign policy legacy. Analysts said the loss reflected the appeal of having under-represented Central Asia play a role in the council, Kyrgyzstan’s perceived neutrality and the geopolitical baggage attached to the Philippines as a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356150/why-philippines-political-circus-may-have-led-un-loss-kyrgyzstan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356150/why-philippines-political-circus-may-have-led-un-loss-kyrgyzstan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:23:25 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Pig farmers in the central state of Selangor have spent years trying to keep their business out of Malaysia’s culture wars. A royal decree has dragged them straight into one. The state’s decision to shut down pig farms, prompted by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, Selangor’s hereditary ruler, has transformed a long-standing local dispute over pollution and odour into a flashpoint touching on royal influence, the livelihoods of a minority community and the delicate balancing act facing Malaysia’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356127/how-pig-farm-dispute-exposed-fault-lines-malaysias-multiracial-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356127/how-pig-farm-dispute-exposed-fault-lines-malaysias-multiracial-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:11:29 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A proposal by the Quad to build a port in Fiji, seen by analysts as a move to counter China’s rising economic clout in the Pacific region, has fuelled doubts about whether the four-member security bloc is committed to completing the project amid differing policy priorities. At a meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, in New Delhi last week, the foreign ministers of Australia, India, Japan and the United States – Penny Wong, S. Jaishankar, Toshimitsu Motegi and US Secretary of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356101/another-empty-promise-quads-proposed-fiji-port-project-raises-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356101/another-empty-promise-quads-proposed-fiji-port-project-raises-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:58:33 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia is heading into a run of state elections, including two triggered by early assembly dissolutions, after Negeri Sembilan became the latest state to call a snap poll amid fraying ties inside Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling alliance. While the polls will not directly affect Anwar’s parliamentary majority, they will test whether his federal partners can keep their coalition functioning at the state level or whether local disputes will deepen the fractures between them. On Friday,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356084/malaysian-state-polls-loom-negeri-sembilan-snap-vote-tests-anwars-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356084/malaysian-state-polls-loom-negeri-sembilan-snap-vote-tests-anwars-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:51:09 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The threat by the US to impose additional tariffs on imports from India over forced labour supply-chain concerns is a “pressure” tactic deployed by Washington to drive a harder bargain in its trade talks with New Delhi, according to analysts. Following a Section 301 unfair trade practices investigation, the Trump administration proposed that products from India, China, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Switzerland would be subject to a 12.5 per cent levy, while a 10 per cent rate would apply to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356049/us-wielding-new-tariff-threat-secure-big-bargain-india-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356049/us-wielding-new-tariff-threat-secure-big-bargain-india-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 05:27:02 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s ruling party swept most of the country’s major local elections, but a narrow defeat in Seoul has given conservatives a foothold to challenge his reform agenda. The loss in the capital, South Korea’s political and property-market centre, has taken the shine off an otherwise dominant performance by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), dealing a blow to Lee’s plans for tougher real estate taxation, according to observers. Across the country, the DPK won... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355947/south-korean-ruling-partys-flawed-landslide-election-win-dents-lees-reform-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355947/south-korean-ruling-partys-flawed-landslide-election-win-dents-lees-reform-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Johannes Nugroho Johannes Nugroho Indonesia’s free meals programme has long been beset with governance problems, quality issues and mass food poisoning cases. Now, corruption allegations and the arrests of top former officials overseeing Prabowo Subianto’s flagship scheme risk turning it into a political hot potato for the president. Prabowo sacked former National Nutrition Agency chief Dadan Hindayana and his two ex-deputies, Sonny Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, on Tuesday. The trio were charged with corruption and taken into... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355916/will-prabowos-free-meals-scheme-survive-amid-indonesia-corruption-arrests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355916/will-prabowos-free-meals-scheme-survive-amid-indonesia-corruption-arrests?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:26:24 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Just over a year after consolidating its status as Singapore’s main opposition, the Workers’ Party (WP) is grappling with internal fissures as chief Pritam Singh’s role is being questioned by his own members. Singh, who has led the WP since 2018, is facing a special conference later this month called by 25 cadre members pushing for him to step down as secretary general for breaching the party constitution, according to local media. Sources say there is a generational divide in the party, with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355875/singapores-pritam-singh-facing-cracks-his-party-what-does-say-about-opposition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355875/singapores-pritam-singh-facing-cracks-his-party-what-does-say-about-opposition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A citizen watchdog has been launched in the Philippines to monitor Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, as turmoil inside the Senate threatens to deepen public doubts over whether the politically explosive proceedings can be handled fairly and constitutionally. Members of civil society launched the coalition, called Bantay Senado (Senate Watch), on Monday, saying it would “help ensure that the impeachment trial is conducted transparently, fairly and forthwith, in keeping with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355857/citizen-group-press-transparency-philippine-vp-sara-dutertes-impeachment-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355857/citizen-group-press-transparency-philippine-vp-sara-dutertes-impeachment-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:13:37 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Thailand’s divisive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was freed from parole on Wednesday after receiving a royal pardon from King Maha Vajiralongkorn, as the 76-year-old billionaire businessman’s plans remain unclear. Thaksin, who stood at the heart of a two-decade power struggle with rival sections of the Thai elite, served eight months of a one-year jail term for corruption and abuse of power. He was released from jail early last month due to his advancing age, with his term originally... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355807/thai-ex-pm-thaksin-granted-royal-pardon-mark-queens-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355807/thai-ex-pm-thaksin-granted-royal-pardon-mark-queens-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:51:40 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Britain’s Sikh community has rejected calls to strip them of the rights to carry a ceremonial knife – known as the kirpan – as outrage snowballs over the murder of an 18-year-old student by a Sikh man. Vickrum Singh Digwa, 23, was handed a life sentence by a judge on Tuesday for stabbing to death Henry Nowak, an accountancy student, in Southampton in December 2025. The murder case has reopened a debate over race, religion and identity in the UK. Far-right figureheads, populist political leaders... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355798/uk-sikhs-defend-right-carry-sacred-dagger-after-student-murder-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355798/uk-sikhs-defend-right-carry-sacred-dagger-after-student-murder-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:17:59 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow New Zealand’s defence minister was sitting in the front row at Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue when his US counterpart called his country a “freeloader”. “If I’m being honest, 2 per cent is not enough,” Pete Hegseth declared from the stage on Saturday, referring to Wellington’s plan to double its defence spending as a percentage of gross domestic product. “So 2 per cent is freeloading.” But analysts counter that this label ignores the Trump administration’s exploitative track record, from taking... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355774/new-zealand-rejects-us-freeloader-swipe-over-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355774/new-zealand-rejects-us-freeloader-swipe-over-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:09:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A Japanese lawmaker’s claim that China has its eyes on “a treasure trove” of resource wealth hidden beneath the Antarctic ice sheet has been dismissed by a polar law expert as a misreading of international obligations. But the claims made in parliament by Mitsuhiro Yokota, a member of the Japan Innovation Party, have also raised questions about what might happen to the world’s last great wilderness in future. “Beneath Antarctica lies a treasure trove of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, gold and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355693/japanese-mps-claim-china-eyes-antarctic-treasure-trove-dismissed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355693/japanese-mps-claim-china-eyes-antarctic-treasure-trove-dismissed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s deepening ties with France have given President Prabowo Subianto a chance to advance Jakarta’s defence modernisation, strengthen relations with Europe and expand its international footprint. But analysts say the Paris visit has also fuelled a debate at home on whether deals and diplomatic goodwill arising from Prabowo’s frequent foreign trips can translate into benefits for ordinary Indonesians. Prabowo, who has visited France four times as president, met his French counterpart... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355720/prabowos-overseas-visits-spark-debate-indonesia-over-benefits-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355720/prabowos-overseas-visits-spark-debate-indonesia-over-benefits-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:37:42 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof For decades, Umno was the party that defined power in Malaysia. Now, after years of scandal, defeat and uneasy coalition politics, it is turning to its birthplace of Johor to prove it can still win on its own terms. The southern state’s snap election will test whether the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) can still attract Malay voters, defend its strongest remaining state government and hold off both Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s allies and the Malay-Muslim opposition, analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355690/malaysias-umno-hedges-johor-state-election-lure-malay-votes-stronghold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355690/malaysias-umno-hedges-johor-state-election-lure-malay-votes-stronghold?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The arrest of Philippine Senator Jinggoy Estrada has deepened a stand-off in the Senate, leaving the chamber split between two 11-member blocs and raising the risk of a wider political crisis, analysts told This Week in Asia. They warned the stalemate could stall legislation, delay military appointments and complicate Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, leaving the Senate’s basic ability to do business hostage to a factional power struggle. Estrada, chairman of the Senate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355679/philippine-senate-deadlock-deepens-after-estrada-arrest-complicating-sara-dutertes-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355679/philippine-senate-deadlock-deepens-after-estrada-arrest-complicating-sara-dutertes-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:09:38 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s net satisfaction rating has hit an all-time low, with observers citing deep-seated economic anxieties as the main driver behind the slump – even as expanded media exposure has helped boost awareness of his foreign policy initiatives. The latest Social Weather Stations survey put Marcos’ net satisfaction rating at minus 15 in March: a 12-point drop from minus 3 in November 2025 and the worst figure of his presidency, eclipsing the previous nadir of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355665/philippine-president-marcos-ratings-hit-record-low-inflation-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355665/philippine-president-marcos-ratings-hit-record-low-inflation-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:55:44 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A top US general’s description of South Korea as a “dagger in the heart of Asia” aimed at China has laid bare the differences in how Washington and Seoul view their alliance and Beijing. US Forces Korea commander General Xavier Brunson made the blunt remarks in a podcast interview hosted by the US Army War College on May 22, drawing a backlash both from Beijing and from Seoul itself. South Korea’s presidential office said on Saturday that it was “aware” of Brunson’s remarks and that close... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 05:43:11 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Asia’s fuel needs may take priority over the strategic risks of relying on oil from heavily sanctioned Russia, according to experts. Currently, there is little political appetite to treat the surge of Moscow’s crude flowing eastward through a “dark fleet” of tankers as a potential security issue. The US-Israeli war on Iran has caused the price of Brent crude – the benchmark measure – to spike to above US$100 since March, although talks with Washington have seen the price soften in recent days to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355618/why-oil-hungry-asia-ignores-risks-linked-russias-dark-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355618/why-oil-hungry-asia-ignores-risks-linked-russias-dark-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 02:03:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s patience with Britain as a defence partner is being tested after reports that funding shortfalls in London could delay a next-generation fighter jet that both countries are developing with Italy. The Global Combat Air Programme, or GCAP, is intended to deliver a new fighter for the three countries by 2035, but The Telegraph reported on Saturday that the aircraft could be delayed by several years because of uncertainty over Britain’s defence spending plans. The report has raised concerns... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355617/reality-check-japan-britains-funding-shortfall-threatens-fighter-jet-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355617/reality-check-japan-britains-funding-shortfall-threatens-fighter-jet-project?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:06:19 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s southern state of Johor dissolved its legislature on Monday, setting up an election within 60 days that analysts said would test whether the once-dominant Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition can turn its state stronghold into a launch pad for a wider political comeback. The vote will also put Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) reformist alliance in an awkward contest against its federal partner BN, with both coalitions set to run against each other in Johor... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355587/snap-polls-malaysias-johor-tests-umno-comeback-bid-and-anwars-ruling-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355587/snap-polls-malaysias-johor-tests-umno-comeback-bid-and-anwars-ruling-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:29:25 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia is unlikely to come close to a US call for Asian partners to spend 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence, analysts have said, as Putrajaya tries to modernise an ageing military without overwhelming public finances or appearing to align with Washington’s China strategy. Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the US had “every right” to ask allies to raise defence expenditure, but stressed that Malaysia faced limits as a developing economy. “For a country like Malaysia,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355559/we-are-small-country-why-malaysia-resisting-us-defence-spending-call?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355559/we-are-small-country-why-malaysia-resisting-us-defence-spending-call?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:15:46 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing’s first trip to India since being sworn in as president signals New Delhi’s recognition of the strongman’s political status as it seeks to counter mounting Chinese influence, according to analysts. The five-day visit, which began on Saturday at the personal invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is aimed at strengthening ties with one of Myanmar’s key regional partners. Despite Western sanctions imposed after the February 2021 coup, India has maintained... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355552/india-rolls-out-welcome-mat-myanmars-min-aung-hlaing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355552/india-rolls-out-welcome-mat-myanmars-min-aung-hlaing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 08:55:31 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Deep in the forested highlands of northern Myanmar, where the Irrawaddy River rises from two tributaries in the hills of Kachin state, a contentious infrastructure project is stirring again – and threatening to reopen wounds that never fully healed. The Myitsone Dam, a US$3.6 billion Chinese-financed hydroelectric megaproject that was shelved more than a decade ago after igniting a storm of popular fury, is back on the table. Myanmar’s military rulers have begun holding public consultations on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355345/myanmars-china-backed-mega-dam-revival-risks-kachin-rebel-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355345/myanmars-china-backed-mega-dam-revival-risks-kachin-rebel-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Jean Iau,Kolette Lim As the Shangri-La Dialogue drew to a close on Sunday, two issues dominated discussions throughout the event: defence spending and the varying level of commitment of countries to maintain peace in the region after calls by Washington for its allies and others to pull their weight. Analysts said the 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product for defence spending proposed by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was not something that most Asean countries – aside from Singapore – could commit to. Hegseth... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355475/shangri-la-dialogue-can-asia-do-less-shangri-la-more-ships-more-subs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355475/shangri-la-dialogue-can-asia-do-less-shangri-la-more-ships-more-subs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 12:25:52 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Members of Asean might have conflicting claims in the South China Sea but mutual trust existed in the bloc, Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro Jnr said on Sunday, singling out Beijing as the biggest obstacle to a code of conduct in the disputed waterway. Teodoro delivered strong words for China in the final panel of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, taking aim at Manila’s long-time maritime rival for disregarding an international arbitral tribunal, which ruled in favour... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355456/philippines-says-beijing-main-hurdle-south-china-sea-code-conduct?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355456/philippines-says-beijing-main-hurdle-south-china-sea-code-conduct?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 08:02:02 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Malaysia’s Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin slammed the international community’s “muted” response on Sunday at a security forum over Norway’s decision to scrap a missile deal with Kuala Lumpur. In a charged speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Khaled said the “deafening silence” on Oslo’s cancellation of the agreement sent a message that certain countries were “simply above scrutiny”, questioning if global rules were subject to the will of bigger powers. Earlier this month, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355452/malaysia-blasts-conspicuously-muted-response-over-axed-norway-missile-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355452/malaysia-blasts-conspicuously-muted-response-over-axed-norway-missile-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 06:45:23 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea and the United States are heading into talks in Seoul next week with different priorities over the implementation of last year’s summit agreement, with President Lee Jae Myung pushing for the supply of nuclear-powered submarines and Washington seeking progress on a major investment pledge by the Lee administration. US approval on the use of nuclear fuel for South Korea’s submarines is a key goal for Lee, while Washington wants Seoul’s US$350 billion investment promise it previously... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355362/nuclear-submarines-trade-south-korea-and-us-remain-deadlocked-ahead-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355362/nuclear-submarines-trade-south-korea-and-us-remain-deadlocked-ahead-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 01:30:19 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau The world can learn diplomatic lessons from Asean, East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta has said in a strongly worded rebuke to existing global power structures. At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Ramos-Horta, who leads the newest and 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, argued that the bloc epitomised how dialogue could prevent conflict and yield dividends. He acknowledged that Asean was “not heaven on earth”, achieving consensus was “frustratingly slow”... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355429/sustained-security-cant-come-barrel-gun-east-timors-jose-ramos-horta?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355429/sustained-security-cant-come-barrel-gun-east-timors-jose-ramos-horta?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 14:25:40 +0000 Kolette Lim,Jean Iau Kolette Lim,Jean Iau Seventeen countries have agreed to collaborate on defence strategies for critical marine infrastructure such as undersea cables, an effort that analysts warn may be undermined by the absence of superpower involvement. At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, defence ministers and representatives from these countries attended the launch of the Guiding Principles for Underwater Infrastructure Defence Exchanges (Guide), which aims to bring countries together to explore potential areas... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355411/17-nations-launch-pact-protect-vital-undersea-cables-amid-us-china-absence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355411/17-nations-launch-pact-protect-vital-undersea-cables-amid-us-china-absence?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 09:55:59 +0000 Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Jean Iau,Kolette Lim America’s latest defence strategy worryingly downgraded the importance of the Indo-Pacific, a US senator warned on Saturday, even as the Pentagon chief delivered a speech reassuring allies of commitment at a defence forum in Singapore. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a staunch critic of the US-Israeli war on Iran, told a media round table at the Shangri-La Dialogue that she was concerned the Trump administration was being distracted by conflict in other theatres that would dent commitment to the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355408/us-senator-warns-indo-pacific-risks-hegseth-stresses-quiet-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355408/us-senator-warns-indo-pacific-risks-hegseth-stresses-quiet-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 08:09:57 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The upgrading of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan underscores how the allies are future-proofing their ties amid growing uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific, analysts say. “This milestone reflects the strength, depth and breadth of our ties as we respond to the evolving challenges and opportunities of our time,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said on Thursday at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo. The talks also... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355392/how-philippines-and-japan-future-proofed-ties-amid-china-tensions-us-wavering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355392/how-philippines-and-japan-future-proofed-ties-amid-china-tensions-us-wavering?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 03:21:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The goodbye emails started arriving on a Monday. By Friday, Sheila’s inbox told the story of an organisation coming apart at the seams, one farewell at a time. Sheila* had spent nearly a decade helping run US-funded development projects in the Philippines. She had watched them grow, hire staff and take root in local communities. When Washington ordered a freeze on foreign aid in January 2025, she told herself it was just a pause – a bureaucratic blip pending a review by the new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355344/tariffs-war-and-broken-trust-southeast-asias-trump-problem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355344/tariffs-war-and-broken-trust-southeast-asias-trump-problem?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 23:30:06 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Vietnam’s leader To Lam on Friday struck a sombre tone at a summit when he warned of three foundational crises converging to cause global instabilities – those of international order, development models and strategic trust. He was delivering the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s premier defence forum, in his first speech on Vietnam’s foreign policy to an international audience since being elected president in April. Speaking to defence ministers, military chiefs,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355374/shangri-la-dialogue-vietnams-lam-warns-3-crises-converging-asia-pacific-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355374/shangri-la-dialogue-vietnams-lam-warns-3-crises-converging-asia-pacific-security?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 14:56:17 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Vietnam and the Philippines have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, but as Vietnamese President and Communist Party leader To Lam heads to Manila next week, analysts say the two neighbours are increasingly focused on what they can do together rather than what divides them. Lam’s two-day state visit on Sunday and Monday comes as both countries mark 50 years of diplomatic relations and a decade of strategic partnership, with Manila and Hanoi seeking to deepen cooperation on trade, food... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355332/vietnam-philippines-deepen-strategic-alignment-50th-anniversary-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355332/vietnam-philippines-deepen-strategic-alignment-50th-anniversary-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 10:53:39 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s religious authorities can ban teachings they consider deviant, send followers to rehabilitation classes and take group leaders to court. But they have not stopped banned or fringe Islamic movements from finding new followers online, according to officials, as some groups move abroad, rebrand or use social media to keep reaching Malaysians beyond the immediate reach of state enforcement. The concern has been raised most recently in Selangor, Malaysia’s richest and most populous state,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355304/beyond-bans-why-fringe-islamic-movements-still-find-followers-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355304/beyond-bans-why-fringe-islamic-movements-still-find-followers-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 08:24:19 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is banking on its Asean chairmanship to elevate the country’s tourism through “warmth and authenticity”, despite facing accessibility hurdles and stiff competition from holiday heavyweights such as Thailand and Indonesia. Famous for its white-sand beaches, the archipelagic state drew just 2.1 million of the 48.5 million tourist arrivals recorded by countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the first four months of this year. The Philippines received 5.9 million... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355279/can-asean-chairmanship-and-authenticity-lift-philippines-tourism-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355279/can-asean-chairmanship-and-authenticity-lift-philippines-tourism-game?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 06:32:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is often seen as one of Asia’s most stable democracies, with a sophisticated media industry and constitutional protections for free expression, yet one of the world’s leading press freedom indexes has once again rated the country’s media environment as “problematic”. Analysts and journalists say the label points to a contradiction at the heart of Japan’s press system – reporters are rarely subject to the overt repression seen in authoritarian states, but political pressure, access... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355198/self-censorship-behind-japans-problematic-press-freedom-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355198/self-censorship-behind-japans-problematic-press-freedom-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji For many years, India was a key training ground for many of Bangladesh’s senior officials, as well as a source of support and regional guidance. Now, some are being trained in Pakistan, a symbolic shift that has unsettled New Delhi and offered an early clue to how Dhaka’s new government wants to deal with its neighbours. A delegation of 12 senior Bangladeshi bureaucrats attended an executive training programme at the Civil Services Academy in Lahore from May 4 to May 21, a move analysts said... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355203/bangladesh-seeks-more-diplomatic-room-pakistan-outreach-amid-india-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355203/bangladesh-seeks-more-diplomatic-room-pakistan-outreach-amid-india-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 12:13:48 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, the daughter of former leader Rodrigo Duterte, has long looked like the politician to beat in the Philippines’ 2028 presidential race, with one of the country’s most powerful political brands behind her, a loyal base in Mindanao and early polls showing her ahead of potential rivals. But two prominent pollsters say her lead is not impregnable. According to Dr Ranjit Rye, founding president of OCTA Research, and Ronnie Holmes, president of Pulse Asia Research... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355181/sara-dutertes-lead-philippines-2028-presidential-race-danger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355181/sara-dutertes-lead-philippines-2028-presidential-race-danger?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 10:40:49 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Oslo’s ban on a missile system for Malaysian warships may lead to further bottlenecks in the country’s crucial naval modernisation project due to a scramble for a replacement and hamper its capability to counter vessels encroaching on its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, according to analysts. The Malaysian navy has spent more than a decade waiting for its new littoral combat ships (LCS), a flagship upgrade meant to enhance its presence in the contested waters. A dispute over... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355173/malaysias-navy-faces-rough-waters-south-china-sea-without-norways-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355173/malaysias-navy-faces-rough-waters-south-china-sea-without-norways-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 09:48:06 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Vietnam’s globetrotting leader To Lam began his first trip to Thailand with trade and security talks dominating the agenda, as well as a symbolic visit to the former home of Ho Chi Minh, the founder of modern Vietnam who once lived in the northeast of the kingdom. To Lam, the president and general secretary of Vietnam’s Communist Party, is seen by many as the country’s most powerful leader since the era of Ho Chi Minh. The former secret policeman has been zipping across global capitals as he... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355121/vietnams-lam-seeks-re-energise-thai-ties-trade-ho-chi-minhs-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355121/vietnams-lam-seeks-re-energise-thai-ties-trade-ho-chi-minhs-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 04:16:49 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Israel’s intensified military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon is unlikely to derail US-Iran peace talks and will continue until the group is substantially weakened, according to analysts. A simultaneous end to hostilities in the Gulf and Lebanon is a core demand of Tehran, but the strikes launched on Tuesday show Israel’s lack of intention to honour any such agreement. The US also backed the latest attack, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing it as Israel’s “right to self-defence”... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355105/israels-lebanon-strikes-challenge-trumps-iran-talks-amid-hezbollahs-defiance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355105/israels-lebanon-strikes-challenge-trumps-iran-talks-amid-hezbollahs-defiance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 02:45:24 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju As India and China work to steady their relationship after years of border tension, Indian filmmakers say projects inspired by the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes are being reworked, delayed or shelved following official warnings against “China-bashing”. Bollywood heavyweight Salman Khan’s war drama, initially titled Battle of Galwan, was reportedly asked to change its name to Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace, with several scenes requiring reshoots. A separate film, The Lion of Galwan, has been... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355053/india-tells-filmmakers-drop-china-bashing-ties-warm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355053/india-tells-filmmakers-drop-china-bashing-ties-warm?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 10:53:14 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s recently retired anti-corruption chief, Azam Baki, is under police investigation for allegedly threatening a whistle-blower linked to a mineral licence scandal involving politicians in Sabah. Azam accused Albert Tei of “playing games” and spreading misinformation after the businessman lodged a report earlier this month, which prompted the police to pursue the case under criminal intimidation provisions. Officers also recorded statements from Tei and his lawyer, who was allegedly used... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354988/malaysia-probes-ex-anti-corruption-chief-azam-baki-over-whistle-blower-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354988/malaysia-probes-ex-anti-corruption-chief-azam-baki-over-whistle-blower-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 05:26:34 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s call to maintain “impeccable” defences on its northern frontier reflects Tokyo’s deepening concern over growing Russian military activity in the region, analysts say. They also point to rapid north-south troop deployment exercises as preparation against a potential “diversionary operation” around Hokkaido: a scenario in which Russia could open a second front if Japan were already focused on a crisis with China in the south. During a visit to military bases in Hokkaido on Saturday,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354983/russias-military-activity-has-japan-fearing-dual-front-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354983/russias-military-activity-has-japan-fearing-dual-front-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 04:22:44 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s push to acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines is moving back up President Lee Jae Myung’s defence agenda, but analysts say delayed US consultations, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures still stand in the way. Lee on Tuesday urged faster efforts to secure the submarines, describing them as core strategic assets for the country’s future defence capabilities. “We need to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and drone technologies, while speeding up the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354962/south-korea-eyes-first-nuclear-submarine-mid-2030s-hurdles-run-deep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354962/south-korea-eyes-first-nuclear-submarine-mid-2030s-hurdles-run-deep?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 02:00:07 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The collapse of UN talks on the future of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has sharpened concern in Japan that outer space could become the next arena for nuclear and military rivalry. With Russia accused of developing a nuclear anti-satellite capability, China and Russia advancing weapons that can disable satellites and the US pursuing space-based missile defence systems, some in Tokyo are calling on Japan to take the lead in drawing up new rules for the peaceful use of space. Analysts say... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354948/can-japan-lead-push-halt-space-militarisation-nuclear-rivalry-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354948/can-japan-lead-push-halt-space-militarisation-nuclear-rivalry-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:14 +0000