https://www.scmp.com/rss/323201/feed 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. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Maria Siow Maria Siow US President Donald Trump’s public rebuke of South Korea for refusing to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz is an uncomfortable moment for a 70-year alliance, piling fresh pressure on a Seoul government already uneasy about Washington’s appetite for confrontation in the Middle East. But analysts believe the relationship can withstand the strain, pointing to deep institutional ties between the two militaries, broad elite and public support in both capitals, and the reluctance of other US... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349554/why-trumps-hormuz-rebuke-wont-derail-south-koreas-very-strong-alliance-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349554/why-trumps-hormuz-rebuke-wont-derail-south-koreas-very-strong-alliance-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Cambodia’s first law targeting scam centres, passed after mounting international pressure over the country’s massive fraud and trafficking economy, may do little to curb it unless authorities go after the officials and networks that have long enabled it, analysts have warned. Approved by parliament on Friday, the law takes aim at an industry estimated to generate up to US$19 billion annually and to have trafficked as many as 200,000 workers into compounds across the country. Justice Minister... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349298/cambodia-has-new-law-targeting-scams-it-just-another-paper-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349298/cambodia-has-new-law-targeting-scams-it-just-another-paper-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Asean’s neutrality in the Iran conflict is key to granting access to the coveted Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran likely seeking to win global opinion amid its war with the United States and Israel. Amid boiling tensions in the Gulf, Iran has wielded its control of the strategic channel to choke global oil supplies, especially to the US and its allies. Many countries – including those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – have turned to diplomatic efforts to secure safe passage for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348759/why-asean-neutrality-iran-war-key-unlocking-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348759/why-asean-neutrality-iran-war-key-unlocking-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:41:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The Myanmar junta’s attempts to place its top man in the country’s highest civilian position have been described by analysts as a “constitutional repackaging of continued military rule”. On Monday, Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military in the 2021 coup and has headed the junta since then, resigned from the armed forces, moving one step closer to becoming president. He stepped down after Myanmar’s parliament had cleared the way for his nomination. He handed over the role of commander-in-chief of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348662/why-myanmar-top-generals-exit-window-dressing-cement-military-rule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348662/why-myanmar-top-generals-exit-window-dressing-cement-military-rule?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:05:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Emmanuel Macron touched down in Tokyo on Tuesday with a packed agenda and a receptive audience in a Japanese government anxious about a choked oil route and looking for support amid its diplomatic falling-out with Beijing. The French president’s three-day visit, before he heads to South Korea later in the week, comes as Japan looks to Europe for solidarity amid a crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that has sent oil prices soaring. The backdrop to Macron’s meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348495/japan-seeks-french-backing-macron-begins-asia-trip-iran-wars-shadow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348495/japan-seeks-french-backing-macron-begins-asia-trip-iran-wars-shadow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:36:20 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A visit by a top American official to India this week has raised expectations that bilateral defence ties are getting “back on track” amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. But analysts warn that both sides are unlikely to reach full agreement on New Delhi’s energy and security concerns, while the US-Israeli war against Iran could unsettle the relationship. Speaking in New Delhi on Wednesday, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said India would play a central role in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347980/india-and-us-seek-reset-defence-ties-iran-war-threatens-be-wild-card?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347980/india-and-us-seek-reset-defence-ties-iran-war-threatens-be-wild-card?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:07:43 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Two days before the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran, Washington asked Sri Lanka to let two armed warplanes use an airport on its southern coast. Colombo said no, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently revealed – a decision analysts said reflected the Indian Ocean island nation’s desire to avoid being drawn into a foreign conflict from which it had “nothing to gain”. The request, made on February 26, reportedly sought to relocate two aircraft from a US base in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347854/sri-lankas-refusal-host-us-warplanes-iran-war-risks-trade-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347854/sri-lankas-refusal-host-us-warplanes-iran-war-risks-trade-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A state-sponsored forced labour programme that has escalated in recent years generates up to US$500 million annually for North Korea, according to a report by a global rights group. The report also warns that workers are trapped in “brutal” conditions where they are subjected to “control, abuse and coercion”. Published on Wednesday by Global Rights Compliance – an international human rights foundation – the report contains first-hand testimonies from North Koreans exploited in the programme and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347778/rights-group-exposes-north-koreas-forced-labour-scheme-reaps-us500-million-annually?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347778/rights-group-exposes-north-koreas-forced-labour-scheme-reaps-us500-million-annually?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:03:29 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Vietnam is among Southeast Asian countries most hard-hit by the global energy crisis, with Hanoi’s bid to forge deals with Russia this week laying bare its urgency to stem the bleed that may threaten its objective of double-digit economic growth. Observers also say the fallout in fuel supply caused by the Iran war could even chip away at the legitimacy of Hanoi’s new leadership. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Russia this week reportedly saw the signing of several... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347735/why-vietnam-leaning-russia-weather-energy-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347735/why-vietnam-leaning-russia-weather-energy-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 11:12:37 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Indonesia’s president is heading to Tokyo – and Japan has eight stealth frigates, a mineral deal and a seat at the emperor’s lunch table waiting for him. Prabowo Subianto is due to arrive on March 29 for a three-day state visit, his first trip to Japan since taking office in October 2024. He will hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and dine with Emperor Naruhito, according to a statement published by Tokyo’s Foreign Ministry on March 13. Analysts say the agenda will be... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347360/japan-woos-indonesia-stealth-frigates-ahead-prabowo-takaichi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347360/japan-woos-indonesia-stealth-frigates-ahead-prabowo-takaichi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow India’s move to supply Bangladesh with diesel as fuel prices soar amid the Iran war reflects its “first responder” role in the region and clout through the use of its critical commodities to deepen ties with neighbouring states. If the fuel shortages were to persist, however, India would have to balance between its own energy demand and that of its neighbours, according to observers. Bangladesh will be importing 45,000 tonnes of diesel from India by April, with 5,000 tonnes having been delivered... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347372/india-steps-regional-energy-diplomacy-supplies-bangladesh-diesel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347372/india-steps-regional-energy-diplomacy-supplies-bangladesh-diesel?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:52:25 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow North Korea fired a volley of ballistic missiles on Saturday, just as US officials were in Seoul exploring ways to reopen talks with the regime that launched them. But Kim Jong-un is not waiting by the phone. Instead, analysts say North Korea’s supreme leader has set terms that leave little room for negotiation, with a calendar that leaves even less room for a summit. US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael DeSombre touched down in Seoul last week and met Jeong... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347040/why-north-koreas-kim-expects-us-come-cap-hand-trump-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347040/why-north-koreas-kim-expects-us-come-cap-hand-trump-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The redeployment of US military assets from the Asia-Pacific to the Middle East has split security analysts, with some arguing that any strategic damage is largely “psychological” while others warn of a real and measurable gap opening in the region’s defences. More than 2,000 marines and at least one amphibious assault ship have begun moving from Japan towards the Gulf as the US-Israeli war on Iran grinds on. The assault ship USS Tripoli, docked at Sasebo in Nagasaki prefecture, is expected to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346849/us-militarys-iran-war-pivot-forces-asia-pacific-security-rethink?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346849/us-militarys-iran-war-pivot-forces-asia-pacific-security-rethink?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:01:16 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow For years, the West’s answer to Chinese dominance of critical minerals was to rally around Washington. Now, some of its most important allies are reaching a different conclusion: that depending too heavily on the United States carries its own risks. Japan, France and Canada have all been exploring how to build supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals that answer to neither Beijing nor Washington. Senior officials from the three Group of Seven economies are working on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346530/beyond-pax-silica-japan-france-and-canada-seek-rare-earth-autonomy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346530/beyond-pax-silica-japan-france-and-canada-seek-rare-earth-autonomy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Australia’s decision to send a surveillance aircraft and air-to-air missiles to the Gulf highlights the difficult position the country now faces: supporting US and regional partners while trying to avoid being drawn deeper into the widening conflict. Analysts said the government was “walking a very fine line” with the deployment, signalling support for partners under Iranian attack while stopping short of committing Australia to offensive operations. At the same time, they said Canberra was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346459/australia-walks-very-fine-line-gulf-deployment-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346459/australia-walks-very-fine-line-gulf-deployment-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:39:28 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Just as Sri Lanka thought it had bought some time with a one-month visa for the Iranian sailors it rescued, another of Iran’s warships appeared offshore, deepening Colombo’s struggle to stay out of a war that keeps washing up on its doorstep. The vessel was detected nine nautical miles (17km) off the coast on Tuesday, a week after a US submarine sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena and damaged the IRIS Bushehr off the southern port of Galle on March 4. Sri Lanka now hosts hundreds of Iranian naval... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346174/irans-stranded-sailors-wait-out-war-sri-lanka-amid-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346174/irans-stranded-sailors-wait-out-war-sri-lanka-amid-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 04:33:06 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow China condemned it. Russia condemned it. Brazil condemned it. Brics, as a bloc, has said nothing. More than a week after US and Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggered the worst regional crisis in years, the grouping that positions itself as the collective voice of the Global South has yet to issue a single joint statement. The silence is not an oversight. It is the sound of a bloc whose expansion has outpaced its ability to speak as one, analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346065/why-has-us-israeli-war-iran-left-brics-speechless?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346065/why-has-us-israeli-war-iran-left-brics-speechless?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:03:55 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Reports that Washington could redirect some US military assets from South Korea to the Middle East have stirred unease in Seoul, reviving concerns that a crisis elsewhere could compromise deterrence on the Korean peninsula. Analysts said a redeployment of missile-defence systems could leave South Korea feeling vulnerable to North Korean “adventurism” and signal Washington’s “shifting priorities and lack of seriousness” towards its Indo-Pacific allies. Citing a South Korean government official,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345678/south-korea-uneasy-us-weighs-moving-air-defences-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345678/south-korea-uneasy-us-weighs-moving-air-defences-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:37:06 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan could build a “China-free” supply chain for defence equipment, but doing so would be costly and could take years as Tokyo tries to reduce its reliance on a strategic rival, analysts have said. The debate gained urgency after Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi last week said Tokyo should consider creating a “China-free” supply chain for defence equipment, following Beijing’s ban on exports of dual-use items to Japan. Speaking during a Lower House Budget Committee session, Koizumi said... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345578/japan-eyeing-china-free-supply-chain-defence-equipment-it-feasible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345578/japan-eyeing-china-free-supply-chain-defence-equipment-it-feasible?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Biman Mukherji,Maria Siow Biman Mukherji,Maria Siow The sinking of an Iranian warship by a US submarine off Sri Lanka’s coast has raised concerns across South and Southeast Asia that the Middle East conflict may be expanding into the Indian Ocean, while also intensifying political pressure in India for a stronger response. Analysts said the strike’s location near key sea lanes linking Asia with the Gulf had heightened fears the conflict could spill into waters vital to regional trade while also raising doubts in New Delhi over its cautious... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345575/us-sinking-iranian-warship-near-sri-lanka-sparks-regional-anxiety-pressure-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345575/us-sinking-iranian-warship-near-sri-lanka-sparks-regional-anxiety-pressure-india?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:00:50 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow New Zealand’s government has come under fire for keeping its talks with the United States over critical minerals under wraps, as opposition parties level accusations of secrecy amid mounting concern about environmental damage and foreign influence. Analysts say Wellington is reluctant to promote any formal agreement with Washington or invite public debate on the issue, even as both governments have confirmed that they are “exploring further opportunities” on critical minerals cooperation. In a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343516/new-zealand-catches-flak-secret-us-critical-minerals-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343516/new-zealand-catches-flak-secret-us-critical-minerals-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The United States’ decision to lift key arms-export restrictions on Cambodia signals a thaw in long-strained defence ties, but Phnom Penh is likely to make only modest purchases and remain heavily reliant on Chinese weaponry for the foreseeable future, analysts say. In what Cambodian media described as a landmark move, the US Department of Commerce last week removed Cambodia from “Country Group D:5” – a classification that had effectively barred most US arms exports – according to a notice... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343079/what-us-lifting-arms-embargo-cambodia-means-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343079/what-us-lifting-arms-embargo-cambodia-means-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:07:49 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s ruling coalition secured a commanding victory in Sunday’s general election, but analysts warn that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s embrace of a hardline conservative agenda could narrow her party’s support base and ultimately weaken its dominance over time. The Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition captured 352 of the 465 seats in the House of Representatives, according to national public broadcaster NHK: well above the two-thirds supermajority required to override upper house... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342931/japans-takaichi-won-election-what-cost-ldp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342931/japans-takaichi-won-election-what-cost-ldp?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:38:04 +0000 Maria Siow,Agencies Maria Siow,Agencies The ruling coalition of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi scored a landslide win in the lower house election on Sunday, with the results pointing to further defence build-up as the country’s leader doubled down on her stoic stance on China. The conservative Takaichi, Japan’s first female leader who says she is inspired by Britain’s “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher, secured 316 of the 465 seats in parliament’s lower house for her Liberal Democratic Party, according to a tally by public... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342793/sanae-takaichi-poised-big-win-snow-hit-japan-votes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342793/sanae-takaichi-poised-big-win-snow-hit-japan-votes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:00:42 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call for middle powers to band together amid a fragmenting world order is a vision analysts say appeals to many Asian nations, but lacks a blueprint to bring them all together. Speaking in Switzerland last month, Carney urged mid-sized and smaller countries to unite against the economic coercion of great powers, warning that nations failing to act collectively risked being “on the menu” rather than “at the table”, in a thinly veiled rebuke of the United... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342400/canada-wants-middle-power-alliance-will-asia-pacific-sign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342400/canada-wants-middle-power-alliance-will-asia-pacific-sign?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:31:42 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appears set for a landslide victory in a coming election and is expected to maintain her stoic stance on China but without escalating tensions further, with observers noting Beijing would still be unlikely to engage her administration in the near term. Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is on track to win more than the 233 seats needed for a majority in the country’s Lower House election on Sunday, according to an Asahi Shimbun newspaper... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342266/japans-takaichi-eyes-big-election-win-will-china-stance-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342266/japans-takaichi-eyes-big-election-win-will-china-stance-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:31:42 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Russia’s call to revive a troika with China and India is unlikely to be greeted with enthusiasm by New Delhi, with critics pointing to tense border stand-offs and India’s reluctance to be seen as part of an “anti-West” grouping. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier this month lauded Moscow’s bilateral ties with Delhi and Beijing, calling for the revival of the Russia-India-China (RIC) trialogue. First mooted in 1998 by then Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov, the RIC has not taken... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341882/will-india-warm-russias-bid-revive-troika-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341882/will-india-warm-russias-bid-revive-troika-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A visit by a United States warship to a Cambodian port built with major Chinese backing has underscored Phnom Penh’s superpower balancing act, but observers say American concerns will linger over the facility’s usage being dominated by Beijing. The USS Cincinnati arrived on Saturday at Ream Naval Base as part of a mission to strengthen cooperation between Cambodian-US forces and departed from the Preah Sihanouk location on Wednesday, local media reported. The littoral combat ship is the first... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341797/will-us-warship-visit-calm-fears-intelligence-outpost-cambodian-naval-base?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341797/will-us-warship-visit-calm-fears-intelligence-outpost-cambodian-naval-base?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 06:53:59 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Washington’s latest defence strategy of providing “more limited US support” to its allies is expected to damage domestic backing for leaders in Japan and South Korea and spur greater momentum among regional countries towards military self-reliance. Analysts also warn that such a realignment could lead to a “radical swing” in regional security calculations, and in the case of South Korea, weaken its deterrence against the North. In the National Defence Strategy (NDS) released by the US Defence... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341560/why-us-defence-strategy-may-push-south-korea-japan-towards-radical-security-realignment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341560/why-us-defence-strategy-may-push-south-korea-japan-towards-radical-security-realignment?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:28:25 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A “threat assessment” of Thailand amid deadly land border clashes has finally convinced Cambodia to ratify a major UN maritime treaty, according to analysts. Speculation that the Thai navy might close off supply lanes in the Gulf of Thailand also weighed heavily in Phnom Penh’s decision, they said. Phnom Penh ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) on January 16, more than four decades after signing the treaty. It is the last Asean member to do so. Passed during the fifth... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341350/thailand-border-threat-pushes-cambodia-sign-un-sea-treaty-after-over-40-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341350/thailand-border-threat-pushes-cambodia-sign-un-sea-treaty-after-over-40-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:23:16 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Indonesia has signed a new defence cooperation agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina in a move analysts say marks another step in Jakarta’s bid to expand its security partnerships beyond traditional Western partners. The pact was signed during a meeting between Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and his Bosnian counterpart Zukan Helez in Sarajevo on January 11, according to Indonesian media reports. “This visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and exploring avenues for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340982/indonesias-defence-deal-bosnia-signals-asian-middle-powers-clout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340982/indonesias-defence-deal-bosnia-signals-asian-middle-powers-clout?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has used his Davos debut to drive home a message to global investors that his country intends to stamp out corruption and “greedanomics”, while positioning itself as a rare pocket of stability in an unsettled world economy. Speaking during a special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Thursday, Prabowo argued that trade integration, if conducted fairly, should not be seen as a threat to sovereignty but as a tool for shared... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3340904/indonesias-prabowo-pitches-stability-davos-amid-rising-global-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3340904/indonesias-prabowo-pitches-stability-davos-amid-rising-global-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 16:35:58 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow India is watching the unfolding events in Iran with concern as a potential change in government in Tehran could reduce its “strategic manoeuvring space” in the region, even as it continues to confront security challenges posed by arch-rival Pakistan and China, analysts say. On Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged that “several thousands” of Iranians had been killed since protests started in late December in Tehran. Human rights groups have claimed that the figure is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340820/unrest-iran-complicates-indias-neighbourhood-first-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340820/unrest-iran-complicates-indias-neighbourhood-first-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:20:27 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Vietnam’s Communist Party five-yearly congress is set to consolidate more power for General Secretary To Lam, whom observers say has behaved like he “expects a mandate”. But term and age limits on the leadership are expected to remain, they add, leaving Lam as just a “first among equals” when the conclave concludes on Sunday. The congress – where the one-party state’s highest decisions are made – opened on Monday and will set key economic targets for the country as well as pick new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3340666/will-one-man-model-work-vietnam-lam-looks-set-consolidate-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3340666/will-one-man-model-work-vietnam-lam-looks-set-consolidate-power?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan is entering one of its most unpredictable election cycles in decades after the surprise formation of a new centrist political alliance that could redefine the balance of power and potentially restore a two-party system to the country’s long-stagnant political landscape. On Thursday, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) and Komeito, once a loyal coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, announced they would merge into a new force called the Centrist Reform... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340538/japans-1-party-era-faces-unprecedented-threat-new-centrist-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340538/japans-1-party-era-faces-unprecedented-threat-new-centrist-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Maria Siow,Kyodo Maria Siow,Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has staked her political survival on a high-risk snap general election, wagering that her personal approval ratings can overcome the legacy of her scandal-plagued party. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Takaichi confirmed she would dissolve the House of Representatives on Friday – the opening day of the parliamentary session – paving the way for a nationwide vote on February 8. “I will put my post on the line and seek the voters’ judgment on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340435/japans-first-female-pm-takaichi-calls-snap-election-february-8?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340435/japans-first-female-pm-takaichi-calls-snap-election-february-8?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:44:14 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A US-led meeting with its allies to reduce the global reliance on rare earths from China was an “easy sell”, even as analysts warn that such an ambitious goal would depend on their long-term investment commitments and ability to narrow differences over national policy. On Monday, the US hosted a meeting in Washington with G7 finance ministers and other allies, including Australia, India, South Korea and the EU, to address vulnerabilities in the rare earth supply chain, as they close ranks... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3340241/can-us-led-bloc-ease-chinas-vice-grip-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3340241/can-us-led-bloc-ease-chinas-vice-grip-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 08:00:28 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A week-long naval exercise off the South African coast involving the navies of China, Russia and the UAE has stirred debate over whether the primary purpose of Brics is evolving in the emerging post-Western global order. The exercise, held from January 9 to 16 under the banner “Will for Peace 2026”, was described by host nation South Africa as a routine maritime safety and interoperability operation. Officials said the drills aimed to improve coordination in protecting shipping routes and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340195/will-peace-drills-brics-tests-waters-military-cooperation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340195/will-peace-drills-brics-tests-waters-military-cooperation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow With Myanmar in the throes of an election widely expected to return its military junta to power, calls have renewed for Asean to rethink its approach of not engaging the regime. The region, observers warn, should also brace itself for the “very real possibility” that half of Southeast Asia might eventually recognise the results of Myanmar’s election and by extension the ruling junta. On Sunday, Myanmar began its second round of voting in the country’s first general election since the military... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340024/asean-urged-rethink-stance-myanmar-election-risks-normalising-junta-rule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340024/asean-urged-rethink-stance-myanmar-election-risks-normalising-junta-rule?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will push for closer ties with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a summit on Tuesday, as Tokyo struggles to draw a line under its widening diplomatic dispute with China. Both sides will focus on security challenges and Takaichi is expected to avoid “divisive” issues, while Lee, who last week met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, will try to achieve a “neutral” stance, analysts say. Lee’s two-day visit to Nara, Takaichi’s hometown, comes at a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339666/japans-takaichi-seeks-unity-south-koreas-lee-china-tensions-persist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339666/japans-takaichi-seeks-unity-south-koreas-lee-china-tensions-persist?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 02:49:35 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow At a high-level conference in Washington last month, the US State Department unveiled an “America first” aid strategy that ties development dollars directly to the commercial and security goals of the world’s largest economy. This shift away from decades of framing the United States’ foreign assistance as a moral undertaking is a reflection, analysts say, of the Trump administration’s view that foreign assistance should advance America’s national interest above all else. Officials at the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339382/us-strips-moral-framing-foreign-aid-america-first-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339382/us-strips-moral-framing-foreign-aid-america-first-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 08:00:19 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow India and Bangladesh have begun the process to renew a landmark agreement on sharing the waters of the Ganges, as analysts warn political disputes and uncertainty over Dhaka’s general election could complicate talks between the two neighbours. Officials from both sides have started joint measurements of water levels in the Ganges, or Padma as the river is known in Bangladesh, as part of preparations to renew the agreement signed in 1996 and due to expire in December this year, according to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339324/india-bangladesh-talks-over-ganges-waters-may-turn-murky-over-politics-un-pact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339324/india-bangladesh-talks-over-ganges-waters-may-turn-murky-over-politics-un-pact?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:30:09 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The United States’ dramatic abduction of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolas Maduro at the weekend has sent shock waves across Asia, where analysts say authoritarian rulers, already deeply wary of Washington’s erratic behaviour, are likely to draw closer to Moscow and Beijing. US special forces stormed Maduro’s home in Caracas early on Saturday morning, seizing him and his wife before flying them to the US, where both face federal charges of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking. Washington has long... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338994/maduro-effect-us-raid-accelerates-asias-drift-away-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338994/maduro-effect-us-raid-accelerates-asias-drift-away-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 04:22:54 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The mild responses by America’s Asian allies over the US military strike on Venezuela stem from a desire not to “bite the hand that feeds” them, analysts have said, noting that some countries were buying time by claiming to monitor the situation. Following the raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday to face narcoterrorism charges on US soil, US President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that Washington was “in charge” of the South American nation, including its oil... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338857/us-asian-allies-reluctant-slam-trump-over-venezuela-despite-his-cowboy-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338857/us-asian-allies-reluctant-slam-trump-over-venezuela-despite-his-cowboy-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 04:49:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow When Washington unveiled its “Pax Silica” initiative earlier this month, the absence of countries like India and Vietnam spoke almost as loudly as the presence of Japan, South Korea and Singapore. The message? America’s new vision for the AI supply chain will begin with only its most trusted hands. The Pax Silica Declaration, signed at a summit held in the United States on December 12-13, brought together a carefully chosen group as founding signatories. Alongside the host nation and its East... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337104/pax-silica-americas-new-ai-inner-circle-and-asias-chosen-few?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337104/pax-silica-americas-new-ai-inner-circle-and-asias-chosen-few?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The Myanmar junta’s recent air strikes on a hospital just days before a general election this month are aimed at securing more territory and “intimidating” voters while major powers look the other way due to their own economic and strategic interests, according to analysts. The country’s junta said last Wednesday’s air strikes on a hospital in Mrauk-U in the western state of Rakhine were part of a counterterrorism operation targeting armed groups using the facility as a base for their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337001/myanmar-hospital-air-strikes-heighten-election-turmoil-amid-global-inaction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337001/myanmar-hospital-air-strikes-heighten-election-turmoil-amid-global-inaction?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 04:30:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan will host the leaders of five Central Asian countries in Tokyo this week, a meeting analysts say is meant to show that “Japan is back” as an active player in a region where global powers are competing for influence, minerals and transport routes. The summit with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, is also expected to consolidate Tokyo’s long-standing but “often underestimated role” in Central Asia as a trusted and non-coercive... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3336861/japan-back-central-asia-new-summit-ai-minerals-and-transport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3336861/japan-back-central-asia-new-summit-ai-minerals-and-transport?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 06:00:32 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s revival of Tokyo’s claim to islets whose symbolic weight far outweighs their size has rekindled an old dispute that may play well with nationalist supporters at home, but risks derailing hard-won diplomatic progress abroad. Seoul swiftly shot down Takaichi’s assertion last week that the rocky outcrops, known as Takeshima to Japan and Dokdo to South Korea, belong to Tokyo. “Dokdo is clearly our inherent territory,” the presidential office said in a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336570/china-likely-celebrating-japan-south-korea-clash-over-islets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336570/china-likely-celebrating-japan-south-korea-clash-over-islets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:00:11 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Washington’s latest national security blueprint may be one of its most consequential in years, yet it barely mentions Southeast Asia. Analysts say that absence speaks volumes, signalling a narrowing of American priorities that risks turning the region into a “bargaining chip” in the US-China rivalry. The National Security Strategy published by the White House on December 4 presents the Trump administration’s vision for restoring “American economic independence”, alongside preventing conflict in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336256/southeast-asia-barely-features-americas-new-security-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336256/southeast-asia-barely-features-americas-new-security-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The decision to keep details of a recent US review into the Aukus defence pact under wraps is seen as a deliberate move to shield the three-nation submarine deal from any doubts over its viability that could undermine political or public backing, analysts say. The Pentagon announced last Thursday it had completed its assessment of the programme and identified ways to place it on the “strongest possible footing”, citing US President Donald Trump’s push to drive the arrangement “full steam... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336198/why-us-review-aukus-submarine-deal-australia-kept-secret?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336198/why-us-review-aukus-submarine-deal-australia-kept-secret?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 07:34:43 +0000