By Nguyen Van Linh
Hanoi-based correspondent covering ASEAN, the Mekong, the South China Sea and the archipelagic region.
Prabowo's impulsive diplomacy undermines Indonesia's credibility
President Prabowo Subianto's foreign policy runs on instinct and momentum, not institutional process. Analysts warn this personalistic style
Indonesia's toxic haze is a man-made crisis, not an act of God
Indonesia's toxic haze, affecting neighbors and the Philippines, is a man-made crisis driven by deliberate burning for cheap land clearing.
Vietnam's Doi Moi at 40: To Lam's risky overhaul of the ruling bargain
Vietnam's Doi Moi reforms turn 40, but leader To Lam is now reshaping the ruling bargain with rapid centralization and a double-digit growth
Prabowo's economic vision lacks a labor-market foundation
President Prabowo Subianto's development agenda prioritizes food security, energy self-sufficiency, and military modernization. Yet history
India and Indonesia's hidden role in Southeast Asia's scam industry
US actions against Southeast Asia's scam compounds have recovered over $800 million, but they overlook the Indian and Indonesian networks su
China should build Indonesia's solar capacity, not own it
Indonesia's economy minister asked China to invest in a 100 GW solar buildout, but Jakarta wants Beijing to build, not own, the assets. A co
Indonesia's commodity exchange plan hinges on global trust
President Prabowo Subianto announced plans for a Mineral and Strategic Commodity Exchange by January 2027. However, analysts warn that produ
Why Asian American art deserves more than mockery
Critics mock Asian American art as repetitive, but the genre spans far beyond familiar tropes. From animation to literature, its scope is br
Indonesia's China ties raise a pointed question: who is 'foreign'?
Indonesia and China agreed to expand defense cooperation, with Beijing citing 'malicious intentions' of foreign powers. But Jakarta's simult
South China Sea ruling at ten: law and power drift apart
Ten years after the 2016 arbitral award, the Philippines still faces a maritime standoff with China. Manila's challenge is to blend legal ri
Vietnam's 'justice tree' campaign exposes limits of online dissent
A viral campaign over a fatal crash involving a minister's husband has drawn over a million posts in Vietnam. The state's response—silence,
US transshipment claims in Southeast Asia rest on thin data
Washington's August 13 report, 'The Great Transshipment Scam,' places four ASEAN countries in Tier 2 for alleged tariff evasion. Yet the rep