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Opinion /

Asia Opinion

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Macroscope
Illustration: Craig Stephens
US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Attack on Iran normalises global descent into the ‘law of the jungle’

By waging war under the logic of pre-emptive defence, the US and Israel are hollowing out the foundations of international law.

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Afghanistan

Opinion | How the Taliban can end the cycle of violence with Pakistan

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Australia

The View | 5 reasons Australia’s physical retail is uniquely resilient

China-Japan relations

Opinion | Japan’s rightward shift puts it on a collision course with China

Any attempt by the Takaichi administration to revise the constitution and re-arm the country will ignite fierce opposition from Beijing.

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Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi answers questions during a plenary session of the House of Representatives in Tokyo on February 24. Photo: AFP
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi answers questions during a plenary session of the House of Representatives in Tokyo on February 24. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

Asian Angle | Southeast Asia needs AI sovereignty – the Grok scandal proved it

From Singapore’s SEA-LION to Malaysia’s ILMU, Southeast Asian nations aim to build AI that reflects their own languages, cultures and values.

War and conflict

Opinion | US-Israeli strike on Iran signals new phase of global escalation

This is deterrence fatigue: escalation thresholds weakened by repeated testing and retaliation. The risk is not only war but systemic strain.

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Japan

Macroscope | Why Japan should push back on Trump’s investment demands

Trump’s use of tariff threats to strong-arm foreign governments, companies and investors into funding US projects should be resisted.

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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, with US President Donald Trump, speaks to members of the military aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier docked at the American naval base in Yokosuka, Japan on October 28, 2025. Photo: AP
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, with US President Donald Trump, speaks to members of the military aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier docked at the American naval base in Yokosuka, Japan on October 28, 2025. Photo: AP
US-ally trade wars

Opinion | Southeast Asia, do not mistake Trump’s tariff defeat for a reprieve

One court loss won’t end the trade wars. But if ‘Peak Trump’ has arrived, the region’s negotiating hand may have just got stronger.

India

Opinion | How India can lead the charge for inclusive AI

The AI Impact summit showcased India’s commitment to placing human well-being at the heart of the global artificial intelligence conversation.

India

The View | Why AI disruption isn’t a major threat to India’s booming office market

Tech disruption is unlikely to spoil India’s commercial real estate party. If anything, the world’s hottest office market is too hot.

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Data labeller Indu Nadarajan working at the delivery centre of NextWealth, an AI-enabling services firm, in the Namakkal district of India’s Tamil Nadu state on January 12. Photo: AFP
Banking & finance

Opinion | Why the Fed credibility crisis will hit emerging markets harder

As confidence in US monetary stewardship falters, inflation risks rise and capital flows become more volatile. Emerging markets with fewer policy buffers will bear the brunt.

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US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference at the Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington on January 28. Photo: AFP
US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference at the Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington on January 28. Photo: AFP
Japan

Macroscope | Why the IMF is right to press Japan on its fiscal risks

The fiscal and monetary policies of advanced economies have global repercussions, and Takaichi’s expansionary fiscal agenda risks market pushback.

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Artificial intelligence

Opinion | Who will save the world from a US-China AI arms race?

Unrestrained military AI could doom us all. The window for a global middle-power alliance to rein in the superpowers is closing fast.

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Trade

Outside In | Try as it might, the US alone can’t reverse the tide of globalisation

Accounting for a significant share of world trade, Europe and Asia are far more decisive players in the fast-changing globalised economy.

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A worker is seen on an LED production line at an electronics company in Zigui county, central China’s Hubei province, on January 27. Photo: Xinhua
Japan

Opinion | Universities in Japan and China are becoming tools of national strategy

Across Asia, higher education is becoming a central arena where national ambition, geopolitical constraint and human capital intersect.

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People walk through the University of Tokyo on May 27, 2025. Photo: AP
People walk through the University of Tokyo on May 27, 2025. Photo: AP
Lunar New Year

Being Chinese | The great Lunar New Year divide and how I bridged it

After sitting through the Spring Festival Gala with mainland Chinese friends, I had to introduce them to a delightful ritual from Singapore.

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Bangladesh

Opinion | Bangladesh’s BNP could struggle to enact reforms despite election win

While the BNP’s margin of victory should help ensure stability, its roots in the old order could limit the speed and reach of reforms.

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South China Sea

Opinion | Can Manila’s South China Sea strategy of defiance and diplomacy hold?

China and the Philippines are both signalling openness to diplomacy alongside continued military flexing, but this may not be sustainable.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Illustration: Craig Stephens
Cambodia

Opinion | Cambodia’s scam factory survivors find no escape in freedom

A government crackdown freed thousands, but with no passports or support, survivors have simply traded captivity for destitution.

Banking & finance

Macroscope | How robust domestic financial markets could ease era of AI uncertainty

Attempts to develop financial centres must go beyond luring global capital and talent.

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Asean

Asian Angle | How Asean can resolve its Myanmar dilemma post-election

Asean should not discard the Five-Point Consensus, but translate it into a politically astute strategy of conditional engagement.

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Vote counting takes place on January 25 in Yangon for Myanmar’s general election. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Opinion | Takaichi’s anti-China stance won’t bolster Japan’s security

As the US-led order unravels, the Japanese prime minister’s militaristic approach goes against the global shift towards cooperation with China.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Illustration: Craig Stephens
China technology

Opinion | ‘Becoming Chinese’ memes reflect a world shaped by China’s ascent

The memes are really about how deeply global digital life is embedded in Chinese-built systems – and how comfortable young people are with that.

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Japan

Macroscope | Japan will soon learn how far Takaichi can ride her luck

While Japan is unlikely to have its own Liz Truss moment, high debt levels and an empowered populist in charge are still reasons for concern.

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Japan

Opinion | Will Japan’s election result trigger a security spiral with China?

The result of Japan’s election has altered Tokyo’s domestic political calculus while raising the stakes for regional stability.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
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