Blog
ASEAN Beat
‘One Vision, One Identity, One Community.’ That’s the ASEAN motto. But what’s the reality? Our bloggers based around this diverse and strategically key region give you an insider’s perspective on politics, security and society in South-east Asia.
Marcos Jr. Receives Electoral Endorsement From President Duterte’s Party
By Sebastian Strangio
The declaration by the president's faction of PDP-Laban will add further wind to the frontrunner's sails ahead of the May 9 election.
ASEAN Special Envoy Sees Minor Progress in Myanmar Mission
By Sopheng Cheang
During his visit, Prak Sokhonn met with senior junta leaders, ASEAN diplomats, and U.N. officials, as well as a prominent pro-democracy activist.
Observations From the First Round of Timor-Leste’s Presidential Election
By Li-Li Chen
The election is set for a second-round run off on April 19. But what did we learn from the first round of voting?
Russia-Ukraine War Threatens to Derail Indonesia’s G20 Chairmanship
By Sebastian Strangio
The attendance of Russian President Vladimir Putin at October's G20 summit would likely be met with a mass Western boycott.
Singapore Announces Establishment of Embassy in Tel Aviv
By Sebastian Strangio
The move comes 53 years after the two nations first established diplomatic relations.
Indonesia Lifts Quarantine Requirements for International Travelers
By Sebastian Strangio
In recent months, Southeast Asian nations have begun stripping away pandemic-era travel restrictions. But tourism recovery is likely to be slow.
Facebook Fails to Detect Hate Speech Against Rohingya, Report Claims
By Sebastian Strangio
A leading advocacy group claims that the platform's ability to detect Burmese-language hate speech "remains abysmally poor.”
Timor-Leste Vote Highlights Young Nation’s Political Impasse
By Fernando da Costa
Can the presidential election, Timor-Leste's fifth since its independence in 2002, break a years-long political deadlock?
Japan Raises its Voice in Cambodia
By Luke Hunt
Prime Minister Kishida delivers as Hun Sen looks to Tokyo for support.
ASEAN Special Envoy Begins First Official Mission to Myanmar
By Sebastian Strangio
As the envoy departs on his first official mission to the country, neither side seems ready to negotiate.
The Strategic Patience of Dawlah Islamiyah in Mindanao
By Kenneth Yeo
The rise of a new leader suggests that Islamist militants continue to pose a clear and present security threat in the southern Philippines.
Introducing the Colors of the Philippine Election
By Mong Palatino
As campaigning heats up, Leni Robredo's "pink wave" is facing off against the red-green tandem of the Marcos-Duterte ticket.