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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.
Duterte’s Perilous China Gambit
By Rahul Mishra
The mass incursion of Chinese vessels into the Philippines' EEZ is a dramatic demonstration of the limits of the president's policy toward China.
Vietnam Hands Over $111 Million Parliament Building to Lao Government
By Sebastian Strangio
The building highlights Vietnam's desire to prevent Laos from spiraling off into China's orbit.
Western Governments Intensify Diplomatic Pressure on Myanmar Junta
By Sebastian Strangio
As Myanmar's junta digs in, the ultimate end goal of the growing international pressure remains unclear.
Indonesia, Malaysia Call for Urgent ASEAN Summit on Myanmar
By Sebastian Strangio
The call signifies an awareness among some ASEAN nations that the bloc needs to take the lead on efforts to resolve the Myanmar crisis.
Remembering 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines
By Franz Jan Santos
Imported to the Philippine islands by Spanish imperialists, Catholicism has had complex and contradictory impacts on the nation's subsequent evolution.
Indonesian Muslim Body Clears AstraZeneca Use in Emergency
By Niniek Karmini
Indonesia aims to inoculate more than 181 million of its 270 million people by March 2022.
Myanmar’s Crisis Is Starting to Spill Beyond its Borders
By Sebastian Strangio
The country's political crisis is well on the way to becoming a crisis for the region as a whole.
Domestic Violence Scandal Highlights Cambodian Government’s Hypocrisy
By David Hutt
A treatment of the self-claimed businessman Duong Chhay reveals once again that in Hun Sen's Cambodia, there is one set of rules for the powerful and another for everyone else.
Indonesian Military Chief Expresses Concern Over Myanmar Violence
By Sebastian Strangio
The comments from Hadi Tjahjanto came as ASEAN parliamentarians called for the bloc to take a tougher line on the military junta.
Myanmar Construction Magnate Claims Cash Payments to Suu Kyi
By Associated Press
The accusation is the junta's latest attempt to implicate Aung San Suu Kyi in corruption.
Youth Present New Challenges to Malaysia’s Old Politics
By Darryl Tan
Youth pose challenges to the country's aging political elite, but they are far from a monolithic bloc.
Myanmar Buddhist Association Signals Possible Break with Military Junta
By Sebastian Strangio
The opposition of the country's main Buddhist authority would undermine the military government's already shaky legitimacy.