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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.
Pressure Builds on Philippines to Rejoin International Criminal Court
By Sebastian Strangio
Rodrigo Duterte, who was this week arrested and extradited to the ICC, withdrew Manila from the court's founding statute in 2019.
Can Singapore’s Measured Approach Endure in a Tumultuous World?
By Marcus Loh
History suggests that the city-state will maintain its steady, pragmatic course through increasingly turbulent international waters.
Serial Rapist’s Case Raises Questions for UK-Indonesia Relations
By Aisyah Llewellyn
Jakarta is seeking to repatriate Indonesian nationals imprisoned abroad. The case of Reynhard Sinaga may present more complications than most.
Singapore, Vietnam Announce Anticipated Diplomatic Upgrade
By Sebastian Strangio
The upgrade came three days after Vietnam similarly elevated Indonesia to the highest tier in its diplomatic hierarchy.
The Future of Vietnam’s Strategic and Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships
By Hai Hong Nguyen
The past three years have seen a significant expansion in Vietnam's relations with its major regional and global partners.
Indonesia’s Government Dilutes Proposed Changes to Military Law
By Sebastian Strangio
The shift follows widespread concerns that President Prabowo Subianto is seeking to reinstate the Suharto-era doctrine of "dual function."
What’s Behind Thailand’s Planned Border Wall With Cambodia?
By David Hutt
The wall will probably never be built. But it may prod the Cambodian authorities into taking belated action against the country's online scam syndicates.
Former Philippine President Duterte Flown to The Hague After Arrest
By Sebastian Strangio
The International Criminal Court accuses the ex-leader of orchestrating crimes of humanity as part of his violent "war on drugs" campaign.
Philippine Police Arrest Former President Duterte at ICC’s Request
By Sebastian Strangio
The ex-leader's arrest is the latest outcome of the bitter political feud between the Marcos and Duterte families.
Vietnam Raises Indonesia to Highest Diplomatic Tier, Singapore to Follow
By Sebastian Strangio
Over the past three years, the Vietnamese government has established Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships with nine nations.
Southeast Asia Must Learn to Defend Itself
By David Hutt
Would any of the region's governments lift a finger to maintain peace on behalf of a neighbor?
Uyghur Deportation Was Prompted by Fears of China Retaliation, Thailand Admits
By Sebastian Strangio
The remarks confirm reports that the government had received offers from several nations to resettle the asylum seekers prior to their deportation.
Myanmar Junta Chief Lands in Belarus After Russia Visit
By Sebastian Strangio
Sanctioned and isolated by the West, the two nations are moving to develop their currently negligible trade and investment ties.
There Are No Robin Hoods in Vietnam These Days
By David Hutt
More undergraduates from one of the world’s five remaining communist states were opposed to the redistribution of wealth through taxes than their peers in uber-capitalist Singapore or Malaysia.
No Filipino Journalist Killed in 2024, but Impunity Persists
By Mong Palatino
Despite improvements under President Marcos, the country remains a difficult – and sometimes dangerous – place to be a journalist.
The Declining Influence of the National Assembly in Vietnam’s ‘New Era’
By Thiem Bui
Communist Party chief To Lam is reversing a decades-long trend of growing legislative involvement in Vietnamese policy-making.
Thailand Charges 100 For Involvement in Online Fraud Operations
By Sebastian Strangio
The group were among 119 Thai nationals detained during a raid in the Cambodian border town of Poipet last week.
Thailand Had Offers to Resettle Uyghurs Before Deportation, Report Says
By Sebastian Strangio
The government chose not to send the asylum seekers to a third country in order to avoid retaliation from Beijing, diplomats and opposition lawmakers say.
Amid Trump Chaos, ASEAN Needs to Act on Climate Change
By Olivia Zeiner-Morrish and So Lyhong
The bloc must take calculated steps to mitigate the effects of tariffs and trade restrictions while also establishing itself as clean energy leader.
European Leaders Set to Bolster Ties With Vietnam, Report Says
By Sebastian Strangio
As the Trump administration flirts with a global trade war, the areas of shared interest between the EU and ASEAN are becoming ever more clear.
In Moscow Meeting, Myanmar Junta Chief Praises ‘King’ Putin
By Sebastian Strangio
Isolated and sanctioned by the West, the two nations continue to move into closer diplomatic and strategic alignment.
Philippines Confident on US Alliance Despite Trump Disruptions, Ambassador Says
By Sebastian Strangio
There are early signs that the country's relations with the U.S. will survive the ongoing ructions in Washington, D.C.
Thailand Considers Building Wall on Cambodian Border to Halt Scammers
By Sebastian Strangio
Thai officials say that scamming syndicates displaced by crackdowns in eastern Myanmar are relocating to the Thailand-Cambodia border area.
Shifting Tides in Phnom Penh
By Kaitlyn Flynn
Cambodia is seeking to rebalance its foreign relations by pursuing improved relations with the United States. How far will its relationship with China allow it to go?