Southeast Asia
ASEAN, the Mekong, the South China Sea and the maritime archipelagos. Ten very different countries, one region.
Trafficking Horror as Entertainment: The Moral Economy of 'Blood Money'
Jade Flame's 'Blood Money: Lethal Eden' lets players experience a trafficking victim's ordeal for $8.99. Survivors and critics say it commod
‘Pig Feast’ Documentary Exposes Jakarta’s Land Grab in Papua
The film 'Pesta Babi' documents the collision between Jakarta's national food security agenda and indigenous communities in South Papua. It
Indonesia's Rupiah Crisis: Beyond the Dollar, a Story of Policy Missteps and Structural Strains
The rupiah's slide past 17,000 per dollar recalls the 1997-98 crisis. Bank Indonesia's delayed rate hikes and loose liquidity fueled capital
US closes loophole used by Chinese firms to buy Nvidia GPUs via Southeast Asia
Washington has clarified that export licenses are required for advanced Nvidia chips destined for any entity ultimately owned by a Chinese p
Why Cambodia Should Join the CPTPP: Credibility, Reform, and Long-Term Growth
As Cambodia prepares to lose preferential trade access by 2029, joining the CPTPP offers a path to credibility and institutional reform. The
Indonesia's '10 New Balis' Dream Turns Into a Development Nightmare
Indonesia's '10 New Balis' initiative aimed to spread tourism wealth beyond Bali but has been scaled back to five super-priority destination
Capital Flight and Trade Fraud Keep Indonesia's Rupiah Under Siege
Indonesia's trade surpluses from commodity exports rarely strengthen the rupiah due to persistent capital flight. Export under-invoicing and
USTR's Vietnam IP Designation Misreads Reform as Failure
The USTR designated Vietnam a Priority Foreign Country for IP, skipping intermediate tiers. Vietnam's enforcement capacity collapsed during
Why Singapore's Role as a Neutral Corporate Haven Faces a Reckoning
China's regulatory intervention in Meta's $2 billion Manus deal signals the end of 'Singapore washing' for Chinese-founded firms. The case r
Myanmar's Information War: How Foreign Pens Amplify Junta Narratives
Myanmar's revolution is fought not only in Sagaing and Karenni but in briefing rooms and think tank reports. Polished 'balanced' commentarie
Myanmar Bleeds While ASEAN Wavers on Junta Engagement
The upcoming ASEAN-Russia summit in Kazan could force the bloc to decide whether to keep Senior General Min Aung Hlaing off the regional sta
China's Nuclear Export Push Reshapes Southeast Asia's Energy Future
China's nuclear industry is becoming a key tool of geopolitical influence in Southeast Asia. Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines are pur