Southeast Asia
ASEAN, the Mekong, the South China Sea and the maritime archipelagos. Ten very different countries, one region.
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
Washington's fractured approach to Myanmar leaves policy in disarray
US policy on Myanmar is a mess of China-obsession, neglect, and contradictory narratives. The detention of American scholar Min Zin has draw
Myanmar's junta consolidates gains as ASEAN diplomacy stalls
Myanmar's junta has shifted tactics with a sham election and nominal civilian government, while ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus remains toothle
Derek Williams, CBS cameraman who chronicled Asia's wars, dies at 79
Derek Williams, a CBS News cameraman who spent 40 years documenting Asia's most turbulent events, died July 22 at age 79. He covered the Vie
Laos' nuclear deal with Russia threatens Mekong rice and regional food security
Laos signed a feasibility study with Russia for small modular reactors on the Mekong River. The project risks contaminating rice-growing flo
Vietnam's Banking Cleanup Exposes Deeper Infrastructure Gaps
Vietnam's biometric verification purge eliminated 86 million dormant or fraudulent accounts. The cleanup highlights gaps in identity checks
Bank Indonesia leadership crisis deepens rupiah's slide
The rupiah has fallen over 8% year to date amid political interference in monetary policy. President Prabowo Subianto's fiscal expansion and
Vietnam's smart port in Da Nang opens new avenue for US cooperation
Vietnam is transforming Da Nang's Lien Chieu port into a high-tech logistics hub. The project combines economic modernization, technological
Bank Indonesia Governor's Abrupt Exit Exposes Deepening Economic Crisis
Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo resigned mid-term, rattling markets as the rupiah plunges and foreign reserves shrink. The departure u
Indonesia's digital boom masks a hidden workforce in the informal economy
Indonesia's digital payment transactions hit 5.22 billion in May 2026, up 28% year-on-year. Yet 59.42% of the workforce remains informal, ac