By Nguyen Van Linh
Hanoi-based correspondent covering ASEAN, the Mekong, the South China Sea and the archipelagic region.
Myanmar's junta builds a sanctions-busting axis with Russia
Myanmar's military is forging closer ties with Russia, using infrastructure projects like Dawei to secure investment and legitimacy. This ax
China-Indonesia deals raise hidden costs as Jakarta deepens ties
China and Indonesia launched a new strategic dialogue and announced joint weapons production, but critics question the hidden costs. Jakarta
Indonesia's Lampung-1 satellite: farming tool or surveillance risk?
Indonesia's Lampung-1 satellite, built by China, promises agricultural benefits but raises data control and security concerns. Local officia
Why the West studies China's power but not its civilization
Chinese language enrollments at US universities fell 14.3% from 2016 to 2021. Without deeper cultural literacy, diplomacy and business risk
Vietnam's new frigate signals shift toward self-reliant naval defense
Vietnam has launched construction of its largest domestically designed warship, an anti-submarine frigate meant to bolster maritime sovereig
Jakarta's balancing act: China's naval drill near Taiwan tests Indonesia's neutrality
Indonesia will hold a joint naval exercise with China near Taiwan, announced during a US defense official's visit to Jakarta. The move under
Vietnam-Australia ties advance steadily, but limits remain
To Lam's August 11 visit to Canberra marked the first state visit by a Vietnamese head of state since 1975. The two countries delivered on k
Myanmar's junta tries to abolish the ASEAN test it cannot pass
Myanmar's foreign ministry declared the ASEAN special envoy's office 'no longer necessary' on August 8. The move follows ASEAN's push for be
Cambodia faces a narrowing window to diversify before 2029 trade shift
Cambodia's growth model leans on Chinese investment and trade preferences, but LDC graduation in 2029 and slow productivity gains threaten i
Can Vietnam's diaspora in Australia and New Zealand fuel its economic ambitions?
Tô Lâm's visit to Australia and New Zealand aims to leverage the Vietnamese diaspora for economic growth. However, deep political divides wi
Myanmar's Suu Kyi Photo Op Masks a Deeper Diplomatic Shift
The junta released a photo of Aung San Suu Kyi with the ICRC, but her isolation continues. Thailand's softened ASEAN language and the junta'
Hormuz crisis reshapes ASEAN economies: Philippines hit hardest, Laos finds lifelines
The Hormuz crisis hit ASEAN unevenly. The Philippines suffered the most due to near-total Gulf crude dependence, while Laos found lifelines