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Maria Siow
Maria Siow
Senior Correspondent, Asia
Maria Siow is a long-time China-based correspondent and analyst with keen interest in East Asia. Maria has a masters degree in international relations.

The port in Batanes could facilitate rapid troop deployment and serve as a transit point for supplies and evacuated Filipinos in the event of a conflict.

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Despite the Quad members’ different positions on some issues, the bloc is committed to boosting regional security to counter China’s influence.

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Manila and Canberra’s interests are ‘intertwined’, President Marcos Jnr said in remarks seen as a subtle message to China it has the West’s security support if needed.

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Strained bilateral ties and attempts to exclude Beijing from discussions could further complicate efforts to conclude a regional code of conduct, analysts say.

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Analysts expect Canberra’s growing security and defence ties with neighbouring nations to be the focus of the summit with Southeast Asian leaders.

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‘Tangible’ takeaways from a potential Japan-North Korea summit, especially on the abduction issue, are required if Kishida hopes to use foreign relation wins to boost his domestic approval, analysts say.

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Despite their cost, experts say even a few submarines will have an ‘outsized effect’ on the battlefield – with three being the ‘magic number’.

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There is much attention on the changing “dynamics” in India-Maldives ties, but Maldivian leader Mohamed Muizzu has said the island nation still needs Delhi’s partnership.

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New Zealand is sending a small defence team to the Middle East to join an international alliance against Houthi militants targeting civilian ships in the Red Sea.

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In this week’s issue of the Global Impact newsletter, we attempt to keep up with the ever-evolving tensions in the South China Sea following a busy time in the disputed waterway.

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Vietnam also has the ability to isolate maritime issues from bilateral ones, analysts say, ensuring fewer confrontations with China compared to the Philippines.

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China recently accused Vietnam and the Philippines of forming a ‘clique’ over their South China Sea cooperation deal. It’s a term used by Beijing to accuse actors of harming its interests whenever it is called out for its behaviour.

The mooted visit to the North Korean capital would be the Russian leader’s first in over two decades. Analysts said the trip would help Kim Jong-un signal to China that he ‘still has partners’.

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The countries’ opposing ideologies amid clashing sovereignty claims could lead to years of militarisation and confrontation in the region if not contained, analysts warn.

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A ‘counterbalancing’ approach could work for France as Cambodia will not be against ‘marginal diversification’ from its close ties with China, analysts say.

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The one-year ban on Chinese research ships shows Colombo ‘did not wish to trigger any tensions’ with its neighbour, given India’s economic and military capabilities in the region.

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The move by Japan to play a bigger role in international security could compromise its long-standing pacifist stance and hurt welfare spending, analysts say.

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Concerns about China, trade routes and upholding international law have seen Germany and Italy join France in making their regional presence felt, but analysts say increased European involvement could do more harm than good.

Amid a ‘more challenging’ world order, New Zealand is mulling joining ‘pillar two’ of the Aukus defence pact that focuses on shared military technology.

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