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Asean

Asean
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.
Vote counting takes place on January 25 in Yangon for Myanmar’s general election. Photo: Kyodo
Myanmar

Asian Angle | How Asean can resolve its Myanmar dilemma post-election

Asean should not discard the Five-Point Consensus, but translate it into a politically astute strategy of conditional engagement.

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China Conference: Southeast Asia

Editorial | As China and Indonesia strengthen ties, Hong Kong has a role to play

China Conference: Southeast Asia

Ambassador urges ‘shared prosperity’ in China-Asean ties as protectionism grows

China Conference: Southeast Asia

Asean urged to rewrite trade rule book as US turns transactional

The US and China are the top two trading partners for Asean but it is questionable how long that status quo will last, observers say.

Mohamed Amersi (centre) and Bernardino Moningka Vega (right) take part in a plenary panel hosted by SCMP Executive Editor Zuraidah Ibrahim at the China Conference: Southeast Asia 2026 on Tuesday. Photo: SCMP
China Conference: Southeast Asia

Indonesia eyes China partners to build ‘better than the EU standard’

Sovereign wealth fund Danantara targets waste-to-energy, smart grids, and data centres, leveraging a global tech leader for green and infrastructure growth.

Scams and swindles

Opinion | Cambodia is in a frontline battle against transnational scam syndicates

Targeted due to geography, Cambodia is on the front foot now, dismantling scam compounds, rescuing victims and prosecuting criminals.

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2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflict

Cambodians lose homes as Thailand makes gains following clashes

Bangkok insists it has merely reclaimed land that was part of Thailand and had been occupied by Cambodians for years.

Meas Kimheng gestures in front of her house, damaged during clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers, in Prey Chan village in Banteay Meanchey province on Thursday. Photo: AFP
China-Asean relations

Exclusive | Inside China’s rare meeting to lobby Southeast Asia against Japan

Beijing summons Southeast Asian envoys and invokes Japan’s WWII history, but campaign to isolate Tokyo gains little traction.

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Thailand

Video | Tourists mistake Thai funeral for a restaurant

Serving food and drinks at funerals are a way to thank guests for paying their respects.

Crime

Video | Fake police station and uniforms found in Cambodian scam centre

Fake law enforcement uniforms with markings from several jurisdictions, including China and Singapore, were found along with mock police stations apparently used to intimidate victims.

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Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

Video | Philippines rejects moves to impeach Marcos

One complaint focused on ‘ghost’ projects that left the country vulnerable to devastating floods.

A Philippine house panel votes on the impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as lacking in substance, at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines, February 4, 2026. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David
China airliners

China’s C919 is a hit at home. Will it be a ‘hard sell’ in Singapore?

China’s C919 could be the only single-aisle jet to feature in a fly-by at this year’s Singapore Airshow, one source says.

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US-China relations

Opinion | Beijing must be clear-eyed about its national interests abroad

As the US disrupts international norms, China should reconsider its place in the world system to protect its overseas investments.

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Myanmar

Myanmar junta pledges to remove former civil servants from blacklists

After the military snatched power in a 2021 coup, tens of thousands of public workers left their posts in a surge of civil disobedience.

Demonstrators hold placards during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, on February 18, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE
The Philippines

Is Philippines falling behind in EV race as Southeast Asia revs up?

Policy uncertainty and the Philippines’ lack of competitiveness in key areas have reinforced investor unease, observers say.

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Heavy traffic on the streets of Manila. Electric vehicles accounted for only 12 per cent of vehicle sales in the Philippines last year. Photo: Shutterstock
China-Philippines relations

Asian Angle | South China Sea: 6 risks facing Philippines, China as conflict threshold lowers

From violent incidents to US missiles in Luzon, a ‘perilous new normal’ and vanishing red lines threaten to derail the Code of Conduct.

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Donald Trump

Asian Angle | ‘Old order is not coming back’: Trump’s US, not China, threatens status quo

American unpredictability is pushing countries to hedge more proactively – and, ironically, soften existing tensions with China.

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The Philippines

How far can Asean engage Myanmar without legitimising military rule?

The bloc’s foreign ministers meet in Cebu amid concerns that diplomacy could slide into tacit acceptance of military rule.

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Asean foreign ministers pose for a group photo in Cebu City on Thursday where they discussed the bloc’s response to the Myanmar crisis. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

Just 1 visa to rule them all? How European-style pass could help Asean tourism

While Asean members such as Malaysia and Vietnam have shown strong post-pandemic growth, tourist numbers have lagged in the Philippines.

The Philippines

Filipino’s death fuels concern over coercive recruitment in Ukraine war

Observers say the case of John Patrick reflects human exploitation and the structural pressure on Russia’s manpower resources.

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Donald Trump

Opinion | Why Southeast Asia should not fear Trump’s disruption

Instead of joining Trump’s neocolonial ‘Board of Peace’, Southeast Asian leaders should seize the chance to help rebuild a global order that is just and equitable.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China economy

Opinion | China’s slowing overseas investment reflects caution, not retreat

Amid rising protectionism and increased pushback in advanced economies, Beijing is strategically recalibrating its investments abroad.

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A container is lifted by a crane backdropped by the construction of the Chinese-funded mega port, in Chancay, Peru, on October 29, 2024. Photo: AP
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s exports jump 15.4% in 2025 to ‘historical high’

City’s trade to be supported by sustained global growth, improved ties with new markets and strong demand for AI products, authorities say.

Cambodia

Fear of Thai border action steers Cambodia towards UN law of sea after 43 years

Cambodia’s smaller and weaker navy will find safety in numbers and rule of law now that it has ratified Unclos, according to analysts.

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Belt and Road Initiative

China close to opening US$10 billion canal linking heartlands to Southeast Asia

The vast waterway in China’s southern Guangxi region is set to open before the end of 2026, according to state media reports.

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The Pinglu Canal, which stretches 134km (83 miles) across China’s southwestern Guangxi region, is expected to boost trade ties between China and Southeast Asia. Photo: Xinhua
Banking & finance

In a turbulent world, funding Asia’s critical infrastructure a ‘duty’: AIIB

New president says private capital and international cooperation essential to funding infrastructure projects across continent.

Zou Jiayi speaking at a panel during the 19th Asian Financial Forum at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on January 26. She is China’s former vice-minister of finance, and became AIIB president on January 16. Photo: SCMP
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s foreign, mainland Chinese firms hit record high as gold deal hailed

John Lee highlights ‘unprecedented achievements’, unveils landmark pact to develop gold trading ecosystem, including clearing platform with Shanghai.

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Trade finance in Hong Kong set for a competitive tech upgrade

Monetary Authority’s five-year fintech upgrade will streamline SME trade finance and help build the city’s digital trade infrastructure.

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