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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.
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.
Areas of Expertise:
Chinese foreign relations, Asian affairs, China’s public diplomacyLanguages Spoken:
English, Mandarin
With Washington tied up in Iran, Kim Jong-un’s message is clear: if the US wants a summit, it must pay his nuclear price.
As assets are diverted to the Gulf, the Iran war’s high ‘burn rate’ risks creating a ‘thin spot’ in the US security umbrella.
Wary of both Beijing’s grip and Washington’s whims, three G7 allies are charting their own independent critical mineral course.
Analysts say the defensive deployment reflects Canberra’s attempt to balance alliance pressure with fears of deeper involvement in the conflict.
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The sinking of an Iranian frigate and a leaked US cable have dragged the debt-burdened South Asian nation into a Middle Eastern conflict.
As Tehran retaliates against its Gulf neighbours, the newly expanded bloc built for trade is discovering the limits of its own unity.
Fears are growing in Seoul that shifting US Patriot and THAAD missiles to fight Iran could leave it vulnerable to North Korea.
Tokyo’s bid to boost ‘self-reliance’ may be costly and could take years given China’s dominance in critical materials, analysts say.
Experts say the strike highlights the risk of the conflict spreading into Asian waters and tests India’s careful diplomatic balancing.
Opposition parties accuse the ruling coalition of keeping voters in the dark, fearing a fast track to environmental damage.
Analysts say Cambodia is likely to make only modest US arms purchases given its limited budget, and rely on Chinese weaponry for now.
The ruling party’s embrace of a ‘single patriarchal value system’ could paradoxically weaken its long-term dominance, analysts say.
Sanae Takaichi’s coalition secures 352 seats in parliament’s lower house, handing the prime minister a supermajority.
While Canadian PM Mark Carney’s vision appeals to many, analysts say a lack of detail and divergent interests make a unified front unlikely.
A solid win will boost Takaichi’s position in foreign affairs but she is unlikely to become more confrontational towards China, analysts say.
Analysts say New Delhi may see a ‘limited role’ for the Russia-India-China trialogue amid global tensions and competing priorities.
The USS Cincinnati is the first US warship to dock at Ream Naval Base since its China-funded expansion was completed in April last year.
The National Defence Strategy states that the US will provide ‘more limited’ support to its allies in line with the ‘America-first’ policy.
Cambodia’s smaller and weaker navy will find safety in numbers and rule of law now that it has ratified Unclos, according to analysts.
The deal is in line with Jakarta’s goal to pursue an ‘active and free’ foreign policy beyond its Western partners.
Prabowo says Indonesia aims to stamp out corruption and ‘greedanomics’, and calls for trade integration to help boost global prosperity.
India views the current Iranian government as a ‘predictable counterweight’ against Pakistan’s influence, an analyst says.
The Communist Party’s general secretary is already behaving as if he ‘expects a mandate’ to add the presidency to his portfolio, experts say.
The new CDP-Komeito pact marks a ‘turning point’ in Japanese politics that could finally end the LDP’s decades-long grip, analysts say.
The PM stakes her future on a February 8 vote, but one expert warns her support may not save a ruling party dogged by funding scandals.
Washington is working with its allies to accelerate projects in rare earths and diversify their supply in response to China’s export curbs.
The first naval exercises under the ‘Brics plus’ banner saw Brazil, Egypt, China, Russia and South Africa take part. India did not.
The bloc should encourage Indonesia’s approach of engaging key stakeholders in efforts to resolve the Myanmar crisis, observers say.
Takaichi aims to bolster ties with Seoul by avoiding ‘divisive’ issues as Tokyo grapples with Beijing’s economic retaliation.
