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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.
Challenging Malaysia’s Moral Authority on Myanmar
By Luke Hunt
Deportations of Myanmar asylum seekers and the failure to act on Rohingya death camps are disheartening.
Vietnam’s Communist Party Chief to Visit China Next Week
By Sebastian Strangio
Nguyen Phu Trong will become the first foreign leader to meet with Xi Jinping since he won a precedent-breaking third term as party head.
The Vietnamese Communist Party’s Moral Vanguardism
By David Hutt
The Party's “morality campaign" has played a more important role in its thinking than the parallel and higher-profile anti-graft drive.
Myanmar Military Defends Deadly Airstrike in Kachin State
By Sebastian Strangio
Few are likely to believe the military's claims that all of those who died in the attack were legitimate military targets.
Indonesia May Take Criminal Action Over Contaminated Medicines
By Sebastian Strangio
This year, at least 141 young children have died from acute kidney illness after taking tainted cough syrup.
Airstrikes on Concert in Northern Myanmar Kill 80, Reports Say
By Sebastian Strangio
The terrifying attack in Kachin State came as a group of local civil society groups called on ASEAN to junk the bloc’s “ineffectual” five-point peace plan.
The International Community is Overcomplicating the Myanmar Crisis
By David Hutt
Complexity is being used to obscure the simple choice that faces the world: support the junta, or support those seeking its overthrow.
International Financial Watchdog Adds Myanmar to Blacklist
By Sebastian Strangio
The Financial Action Task Force said the move was a result of the country's persistent failures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers to Hold Special Pre-Summit Meeting on Myanmar
By Sebastian Strangio
The meeting will offer indications of whether the Southeast Asian bloc will change its stagnant approach to Myanmar's political conflicts.
Freedom of Expression Declines Further Under Marcos
By Mong Palatino
As expected, the Philippines' new leader has done little to reverse his predecessor's dire track record on free speech.
Meta Promises to Combat Misinformation Ahead of Malaysian Election
By Sebastian Strangio
It remains unclear whether these promises can be reconciled with Facebook's attention-driven business model.
Marcos Turns to US To Fill Canceled Russian Helicopter Contract
By Sebastian Strangio
The Philippine leader said that his government has “secured an alternative supply from the United States.”