https://www.scmp.com/rss/324751/feed Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on the Philippines, covering politics, economy, society, and Manila’s relationships with China and its Southeast Asian neighbours. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Zha Daojiong Zha Daojiong Southeast Asia stands at the threshold of a nuclear renaissance. Vietnam and Russia signed an agreement in March for the Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant. The Philippines and Indonesia aim to have operational reactors by the early 2030s. Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are studying small modular reactors. Given heightened energy insecurity, climate commitments and the imperative to meet surging electricity demand from industrial growth, data centres and AI development, nuclear energy is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3353742/china-offers-southeast-asia-clear-nuclear-power-advantages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3353742/china-offers-southeast-asia-clear-nuclear-power-advantages?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A widely touted economic hub in the Philippines will involve eight more countries, signalling greater international confidence in the long-term viability of the ambitious project to boost connectivity and trade in a key region. The Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), a trilateral infrastructure initiative led by the US, Japan, and the Philippines, is set to receive additional support from Canada, Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Initially envisioned as a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353736/western-powers-ramp-support-philippines-luzon-economic-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353736/western-powers-ramp-support-philippines-luzon-economic-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 11:07:49 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine Senate has witnessed political coups, scandals and the occasional shouting match. It had never, until this week, seen a sitting senator sprint down its corridors in a muddy olive shirt, knocking aside female investigators like bowling pins, to avoid an international arrest warrant for crimes against humanity. That was Monday. By Wednesday night, gunshots were ringing out in the building that houses the upper chamber of the country’s Congress. “I worked in the Senate for 15 years... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353668/gunfire-farce-and-fugitive-philippine-senator-bato-dela-rosa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353668/gunfire-farce-and-fugitive-philippine-senator-bato-dela-rosa?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 09:00:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Tensions were already high on Wednesday night in the Philippine Senate, days after lawmakers abruptly ousted its leader and an ex-police chief wanted by the International Criminal Court showed up after six months in hiding. But few could guess at how suddenly terrifying things were going to get. Hours after wanted Senator Ronald dela Rosa had serenaded a group of reporters with the alma mater song of the Philippine Military Academy and declared his right to sanctuary from arrest in the building,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353656/i-got-really-scared-how-philippine-senate-shoot-out-unfolded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353656/i-got-really-scared-how-philippine-senate-shoot-out-unfolded?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 05:06:39 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Canada’s proposed free-trade agreement with Asean could help the region expand sectors ranging from mining to manufacturing while advancing Ottawa’s push to reduce its dependence on the US, according to analysts, as both sides seek to accelerate economic diversification. Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu confirmed to Bloomberg on Tuesday, during a visit to Manila, that Canada was keen to conclude separate pacts with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353598/proposed-fta-asean-set-be-central-canadas-trade-diversification?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353598/proposed-fta-asean-set-be-central-canadas-trade-diversification?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Philippine senator wanted by the International Criminal Court for an alleged crime against humanity has fled from the Senate, where he sought refuge to evade arrest, officials said on Thursday. Senator Ronald dela Rosa’s exit from the heavily guarded Senate came after volleys of gunshots were fired on Wednesday night by the building’s security personnel during an argument with a government agent, sparking chaos that apparently helped the senator to slip out. President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr made... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353591/philippine-senator-wanted-icc-flees-senate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353591/philippine-senator-wanted-icc-flees-senate?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 12:09:50 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem A proposed airport on a former US naval base in the Philippines near the entrance to Manila Bay is drawing fresh strategic attention after Washington agreed to fund a feasibility study, a move analysts say fits into US efforts to strengthen logistics, access and interoperability with the country in the South China Sea. Experts said the proposed Sangley Point International Airport in Cavite could become more than a commercial aviation project because of its access to the South China Sea and the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353548/why-us-backing-philippine-airport-former-sangley-point-naval-base?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353548/why-us-backing-philippine-airport-former-sangley-point-naval-base?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The United States’ first firing of its Philippines-based Typhon missile launcher last week marked the “worst provocation” in years in the South China Sea and Beijing should ramp up air defence and stealth strike drones in response, according to Chinese military observers. Beijing has opposed the Typhon deployment since the Lockheed Martin system arrived at its Luzon base in the Philippines two years ago, claiming it has destabilised regional security. The ground-based vertical launch system can... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353551/typhon-launch-tomahawk-missile-worst-provocation-us-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353551/typhon-launch-tomahawk-missile-worst-provocation-us-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 09:58:22 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A year after Washington froze and then slashed foreign aid, development workers in the Philippines and across the region say the damage is still being felt, with job losses and abandoned projects continuing to threaten some of Asia’s most vulnerable groups. “On a personal level, it was the loss of income. But we lost a lot of critical projects in the country,” said Sharon*, a former country representative for a US-based organisation overseeing development work in the Philippines. For Sharon’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353470/year-after-usaid-cuts-philippine-development-groups-struggle-anger-lingers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353470/year-after-usaid-cuts-philippine-development-groups-struggle-anger-lingers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters Philippine Senator Ronald dela Rosa called on the public to step in to prevent law enforcement agents ⁠from handing him over to the ⁠International Criminal Court as the sound of gunfire rattled through ⁠the Senate building on Wednesday evening. Dela Rosa stands accused by the ICC of crimes against humanity related to the war on drugs he oversaw while serving as police chief under then-president Rodrigo Duterte. Dela Rosa, 64, has denied involvement in illegal killings. Duterte, in office from... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353486/who-ronald-dela-rosa-icc-wanted-lawmaker-holed-philippine-senate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353486/who-ronald-dela-rosa-icc-wanted-lawmaker-holed-philippine-senate?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 01:09:24 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Washington and Beijing have piled on irritants in advance of this week’s summit between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, suggesting that neither side wants to be seen as a deal killer – even as they try to build potential leverage to bargain away, analysts and former US government officials said. Scott Kennedy, senior adviser with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said that both sides had been “picking up some chits which they might be... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353432/wary-mood-mark-xi-trump-summit-irritants-aplenty-both-sides-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353432/wary-mood-mark-xi-trump-summit-irritants-aplenty-both-sides-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 15:59:04 +0000 Reuters Reuters Gunshots broke out at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday and people ran for cover after a top politician wanted by the International Criminal Court said his arrest was imminent and security forces entered the building. There were no immediate reports of casualties, however, Senate Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza told reporters following the chaos at the legislature in the capital Manila. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, a former police chief who was the main enforcer of former Philippine president... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353460/gunshots-fired-chaos-erupts-philippine-senate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353460/gunshots-fired-chaos-erupts-philippine-senate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 12:21:26 +0000 Eric Jiang Eric Jiang Budget carrier HK Express will cut its fuel surcharge on flights departing Hong Kong to overseas destinations by 12.8 per cent from May 16, reducing the fee by HK$50 (US$6.38) to HK$339 per leg, the airline has said. The reduction, revealed on its website on Wednesday, excludes mainland China routes, and follows lower fuel prices amid the Middle East war. The budget carrier of Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways also said the surcharge for inbound medium-haul journeys, such as those departing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3353443/hk-express-cuts-surcharge-128-fuel-prices-ease-amid-mideast-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3353443/hk-express-cuts-surcharge-128-fuel-prices-ease-amid-mideast-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 10:30:49 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore will be directly hit by weakened principles in international sea laws as the city state depends on open and secure waterways to maintain its status as a trade hub, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has warned. He urged cooperation among like-minded countries to uphold and strengthen the framework of international legislation. “As a trading nation, Singapore depends on open and secure sea lanes. International law, including the law of the sea, ensures that vital waterways remain open to all... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353397/singapores-lawrence-wong-urges-global-push-upholding-international-sea-laws?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353397/singapores-lawrence-wong-urges-global-push-upholding-international-sea-laws?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 06:40:41 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A proposal unveiled by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr for a new Southeast Asian maritime centre has raised questions about its most glaring obstacle: Manila’s long-standing South China Sea dispute with Beijing. Analysts warn such a centre would not only have to avoid appearance of being an instrument of Philippine interests in disputed waters, but also risks simply duplicating the work of existing regional bodies. Speaking on Friday at a press conference following the Asean summit in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353394/philippines-asean-maritime-hub-pitch-meets-big-red-elephant-south-china-sea-realities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353394/philippines-asean-maritime-hub-pitch-meets-big-red-elephant-south-china-sea-realities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 06:28:51 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Southeast Asia must brace itself for a punishing spell of climate whiplash, with an expected El Nino threatening drought-like conditions, flash floods, crop losses and haze across the region, experts have warned. The threat is also landing at a fragile moment for emerging economies, as geopolitical tensions, higher energy costs and pressure on remittances leave governments and households with less room to absorb climate shocks. Sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific were already... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353278/southeast-asia-warned-godzilla-el-nino-whiplash-threatening-drought-floods-haze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353278/southeast-asia-warned-godzilla-el-nino-whiplash-threatening-drought-floods-haze?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A clip of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa running through the Senate halls to evade an International Criminal Court arrest warrant has become one of the most startling images in recent Philippine politics. By Tuesday, the former national police chief was still inside the Senate under protective custody, turning the chamber into the centre of a legal and political stand-off over whether one of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s closest allies could be handed over to The Hague. But Monday’s chase... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353303/dela-rosas-flight-turns-philippine-senate-battleground-icc-accountability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353303/dela-rosas-flight-turns-philippine-senate-battleground-icc-accountability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 12:27:30 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Spanish passenger evacuated from the cruise ship at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak has tested positive for the virus, Spain’s health ministry announced on Tuesday as the World Health Organization said it has now confirmed 11 cases, including three people from the cruise who died. The passenger with the new confirmed case of hantavirus was in quarantine in a military hospital in Madrid, where 13 other Spanish nationals evacuated on Sunday – who all tested negative for the virus – also are... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353299/spain-reports-new-hantavirus-case-outbreak-grows-11?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353299/spain-reports-new-hantavirus-case-outbreak-grows-11?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 11:35:01 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s latest wave of police raids has exposed signs that online gambling and scam syndicates, squeezed out of traditional hubs such as Cambodia and Myanmar, are trying to turn Southeast Asia’s biggest economy into a new base. Analysts warned that Indonesia’s porous visa regime, weak law enforcement and welcoming attitude towards foreigners had made it an attractive destination for syndicates looking to avoid scrutiny. Authorities have arrested hundreds of foreign nationals in Jakarta,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353275/police-raids-reveal-indonesia-new-hub-scam-syndicates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353275/police-raids-reveal-indonesia-new-hub-scam-syndicates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 10:30:05 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A planned virtual meeting between Southeast Asian foreign ministers and Myanmar’s junta-appointed representative has analysts predicting a potential normalisation of ties five years after the coup that first caused them to rupture. Asean Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn confirmed on Thursday on the sidelines of the 11-member regional bloc’s summit in the Philippines that a meeting was expected “in the very near future”. Myanmar’s military-backed government has been frozen out of the Association... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353268/asean-explores-tentative-myanmar-re-engagement-virtual-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353268/asean-explores-tentative-myanmar-re-engagement-virtual-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 09:07:05 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Foreigner won’: Filipinos divided over pageant winner’s US roots The Philippines has crowned its newest Miss Universe candidate, Bea Millan-Windorski, as the country – known for its penchant for beauty pageants – prepares to send its latest representative to the global... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3353218/philippine-pageant-debate-chinese-stealth-jets-pakistan-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3353218/philippine-pageant-debate-chinese-stealth-jets-pakistan-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 04:30:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Philippine authorities said on Monday they would not arrest for now a lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court for his alleged role in ex-president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, capping a lengthy Senate stand-off. Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who served as police chief and Duterte’s top enforcer during the bloody drug crackdown, will be treated as if in the custody of the Senate, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Melvin Matibag told reporters after the politician had taken... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353186/philippine-lawmaker-holes-senate-icc-confirms-drug-war-warrant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353186/philippine-lawmaker-holes-senate-icc-confirms-drug-war-warrant?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 14:22:57 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio was impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives on Monday, but her immediate Senate trial was thrown into uncertainty after a surprise leadership coup in the upper chamber. Analysts told This Week in Asia that the “razor-thin” majority of Alan Peter Cayetano – the newly installed Senate president and a long-time Duterte ally – could set off another Senate coup and even reinstate Vicente Sotto III, the ousted Senate leader who had... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353156/philippine-lawmakers-impeach-sara-duterte-set-stage-senate-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353156/philippine-lawmakers-impeach-sara-duterte-set-stage-senate-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 09:30:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters Lawmakers in the Philippines started voting on Monday on whether to impeach Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, in what could create a major hurdle for her bid to run for the presidency in 2028. A house justice committee last month found probable cause for her impeachment in ‌a petition from activists accusing her of misusing public funds, accumulating unexplained wealth and of threatening the lives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, his wife and the former house speaker. With ally-turned-enemy... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353127/philippine-parliament-prepares-vote-sara-dutertes-impeachment-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353127/philippine-parliament-prepares-vote-sara-dutertes-impeachment-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 07:22:40 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Could omega-3 supplements hurt the brain? Chinese military study flags risks 2. Hong Kong schools record net student rise for 2 years straight 3. Trump heads to China weakened as Xi gains leverage ahead of summit 4. ‘Foreigner won’: Filipinos divided over pageant winner’s US roots 5. Singapore... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3353079/xis-leverage-ahead-trump-meet-hong-kong-schools-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3353079/xis-leverage-ahead-trump-meet-hong-kong-schools-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 04:30:05 +0000 Jonathan Vit Jonathan Vit The prison cell, it turns out, is no obstacle to running a criminal empire. All you need is a smartphone, an encrypted messaging app and an overwhelmed corrections system, even if it is thousands of kilometres away. That was the conclusion law enforcement officials in South Korea and Japan reached after tracing a string of drug deals, home invasions and brazen robberies to inmates already serving time in the Philippines. The cases exposed a darkly inventive new chapter in Southeast Asia’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353095/how-philippine-prison-kingpins-ran-japan-south-korea-crime-rings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353095/how-philippine-prison-kingpins-ran-japan-south-korea-crime-rings?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 04:25:09 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi When US President Donald Trump announced that 5,000 US troops would leave Germany, the immediate reading in Western capitals was political: another round in Trump’s running quarrel with European allies, triggered by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s criticism of Washington’s handling of the war with Iran. For Beijing, the more interesting reading is structural. The drawdown coincides with a period in which Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spent much of 2026 cultivating a “partners not rivals”... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352882/china-shouldnt-view-tired-us-signifying-europe-ready-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352882/china-shouldnt-view-tired-us-signifying-europe-ready-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju Vietnam has become the latest country to enter talks to buy India’s supersonic BrahMos missile – and at least 15 more are reportedly interested – as defence ministries across Asia and elsewhere increasingly look beyond Western-made systems. New Delhi and Hanoi are in advanced negotiations over a potential US$700 million deal, with talks progressing during Vietnamese President To Lam’s visit to India this week, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352981/vietnam-joins-rush-indias-battle-tested-brahmos-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352981/vietnam-joins-rush-indias-battle-tested-brahmos-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 05:30:06 +0000 Ian Storey Ian Storey Due to its dependence on Middle Eastern oil, the Philippines has been hit harder than any other Southeast Asian nation by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But President Ferdinand Marcos’ suggestion that the crisis could rekindle talks with China on joint energy projects in the South China Sea faces three insurmountable challenges: the Philippine constitution, a trust deficit between Manila and Beijing, and Philippine nationalism. In a media interview on March 24, Marcos floated the idea that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3352927/3-reasons-marcos-south-china-sea-energy-gambit-wont-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3352927/3-reasons-marcos-south-china-sea-energy-gambit-wont-work?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 04:00:16 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines has crowned its newest Miss Universe candidate, Bea Millan-Windorski, as the country – known for its penchant for beauty pageants – prepares to send its latest representative to the global competition in November. The 23-year-old, who grew up in Wisconsin in the United States and holds a degree in history and international relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, stood out among seven finalist last weekend with her winning answer. Asked why the Philippines was still... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352890/what-authentic-filipino-identity-new-miss-universe-philippines-win-reignites-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352890/what-authentic-filipino-identity-new-miss-universe-philippines-win-reignites-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 05:00:15 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem It took less than six minutes for Japan’s Type 88 missile to find its mark, a decommissioned Philippine warship 75km (47 miles) off the coast of Ilocos Norte. The US-made Tomahawk took rather longer to hit its target, some 630km (390 miles) away. It was, analysts say, a pointed display of resolve: Japanese, American and Filipino troops bringing this year’s Balikatan joint exercises to a thunderous close with a volley of missiles fired from sites in the far northern Philippines. The Tomahawk... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352922/balikatan-2026-us-japan-philippines-flex-military-muscle-amid-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352922/balikatan-2026-us-japan-philippines-flex-military-muscle-amid-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 04:00:06 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen US President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to China comes as the Iran war disrupts global energy supplies, fuels economic uncertainty and adds fresh strain to Washington-Beijing ties. In the latest part of a series examining how rivalry, interdependence and geopolitical crises are reshaping the relationship between the two powers, we look at their make-or-break contest unfolding beneath the ocean surface. Last year’s military blockbuster Operation Hadal was China’s first high-budget film to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352917/latest-us-china-rivalry-combines-undersea-dominance-race-riches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352917/latest-us-china-rivalry-combines-undersea-dominance-race-riches?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 22:00:20 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Deeper economic cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will hinge on whether a code can be laid down to govern maritime territory and activity in the South China Sea, Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has said. “We cannot institutionalise any of those things until the code of conduct is finalised,” he told a press conference on Friday at the close of the 48th Asean summit in Cebu, when asked about aspects that held the most potential in relations between... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352954/asean-step-push-south-china-sea-code-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352954/asean-step-push-south-china-sea-code-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 14:22:40 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The recently concluded Balikatan joint drills have marked a shift in the Philippines’ defence strategy alongside Japan, with Tokyo offering the transfer of warships to its Southeast Asian ally, while a top Filipino official for the first time voiced “serious concern” over islands claimed by Beijing and Tokyo. Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr on Wednesday said Manila now considered the uninhabited Diaoyu Islands, which Japan calls the Senkaku Islands, a security flashpoint in the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352942/philippines-shifts-defence-strategy-japan-eyes-wider-security-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352942/philippines-shifts-defence-strategy-japan-eyes-wider-security-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 12:25:52 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Three People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships were spotted transiting the Tsushima Strait en route to the East China Sea last week, as Tokyo closely tracks such passages amid heightened regional tensions. The vessels were two Type 055 guided-missile destroyers and a Type 052D destroyer, according to Japan’s Ministry of Defence and Self-Defence Forces on Saturday. The ministry said the Japanese force’s JS Ootaka conducted “alert surveillance and intelligence gathering” on the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352919/are-china-and-russia-flexing-their-maritime-muscle-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352919/are-china-and-russia-flexing-their-maritime-muscle-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 11:00:06 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Beijing and Manila have traded accusations over a Chinese research vessel near a disputed South China Sea reef, with each side warning of further countermeasures in a sign of lingering tensions between the rival claimants. In a statement issued on Thursday night, the China Coast Guard (CCG) said a Philippine Coast Guard Islander aircraft had “deliberately approached and harassed” China’s Xiang Yang Hong 33 scientific research vessel on Wednesday while the ship was conducting a “legitimate marine... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352920/why-chinese-research-ship-latest-flashpoint-philippines-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352920/why-chinese-research-ship-latest-flashpoint-philippines-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 10:36:42 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The spectre of the global energy crisis loomed over the three-day Asean summit in the Philippines as regional leaders converge for a final day of talks in Cebu on Friday. Analysts say that while some major flashpoints were addressed – with Thailand and Cambodia’s joint statement of solidarity being a bright spot – surging fuel costs as a result of the Iran war weighed heaviest on the minds of Southeast Asian leaders. The fuel crisis was the “defining issue”, said Vu Lam, an Asean observer and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352850/energy-crisis-dominates-asean-summit-forcing-long-standing-issues-back-burner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352850/energy-crisis-dominates-asean-summit-forcing-long-standing-issues-back-burner?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 05:17:18 +0000 Göktuğ Çalışkan Göktuğ Çalışkan When the United States and the Philippines opened this year’s Balikatan exercises, the message travelled far beyond the parade ground. More than 17,000 troops are taking part in drills set to run until May 8. What matters is where the drills unfold, who has joined and what kind of regional habit they are helping to normalise. Japan took part in its first Balitakan live-fire exercises. Australia, Canada, France and New Zealand were also active participants. Then the exercises moved closer to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352387/why-chinas-warning-over-military-blocs-finding-listeners-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352387/why-chinas-warning-over-military-blocs-finding-listeners-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Thursday to pursue trust-building measures to advance a fragile ceasefire and establish peace, after rare talks over last year’s deadly fighting between the two neighbours. Troops remain deployed ‌on both sides of their long-disputed 817km (508-mile) border after battles in July and December when skirmishes quickly escalated into air strikes and heavy exchanges of artillery and rockets. The Philippines, which is hosting Asean meetings on the island... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352802/thailand-cambodia-pledge-forge-lasting-peace-asean-meet-after-border-clashes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352802/thailand-cambodia-pledge-forge-lasting-peace-asean-meet-after-border-clashes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 14:32:59 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro For an indication of how much the energy crisis is shaping the path of monetary policy, look no further than Australia. On May 5, the country’s central bank raised interest rates for the third consecutive time, unwinding last year’s monetary easing. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said “higher fuel prices are adding to inflation and there are indications that this is likely to have second-round effects on prices for goods and services more broadly”. The RBA’s decision to keep tightening... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352708/australias-interest-rate-rise-signals-growing-hawkish-stance-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352708/australias-interest-rate-rise-signals-growing-hawkish-stance-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian “In an increasingly severe security environment, no single country can now protect its own peace and security alone,” declared Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last month, signalling a major shift in Tokyo’s defence posture. “Under the new system, we will strategically promote equipment transfers while making even more rigorous and cautious judgments on whether transfers are permissible,” she added, confirming long-running speculation that Tokyo would relax decades-old restrictions on... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352476/us-allies-asia-are-looking-build-middle-power-coalitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352476/us-allies-asia-are-looking-build-middle-power-coalitions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China condemned what it called Japan’s first “offensive missile” test overseas in eight decades, saying Tokyo’s “neo-militarism” and intensified arms race had gained momentum and threatened regional stability. During the “Balikatan 2026” joint drill led by the United States and the Philippines on Wednesday, Japanese forces fired a Type 88 surface-to-ship missile in the Philippines. According to China, it was the first time Japan had launched an “offensive” weapon abroad since World War II. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352646/china-condemns-japans-first-overseas-offensive-missile-test-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352646/china-condemns-japans-first-overseas-offensive-missile-test-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 12:13:34 +0000 Reuters Reuters A ⁠luxury cruise ship hit by a deadly ⁠hantavirus outbreak and marooned for days off the coast ⁠of Cabo Verde with close to 150 people on board was due to head to Spain, while South Africa confirmed it identified among the victims a strain of the virus that can – in rare cases – spread among humans. The ship will dock “within three days” at Granadilla on the island of Tenerife, Spain’s health minister said on Wednesday, despite opposition from the Canary Islands regional government. “A joint... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352594/spain-opens-port-hantavirus-hit-cruise-ship-who-suspects-human-transmission?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352594/spain-opens-port-hantavirus-hit-cruise-ship-who-suspects-human-transmission?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 08:03:01 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa was once one of the most visible faces of Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs, a tough-talking national police chief who was seen as the hatchet man carrying out the former Philippine president’s crackdown against alleged criminals of the narcotics trade. Now a senator, Dela Rosa has somewhat fallen off the radar – for six months, he has not appeared for work after reports circulated that he could face arrest in connection with the International Criminal Court’s crimes... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352535/icc-fugitive-duterte-allys-paid-philippine-senate-vanishing-act-draws-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352535/icc-fugitive-duterte-allys-paid-philippine-senate-vanishing-act-draws-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A pro-Kremlin Japanese politician has said Russia is trying to arrange a meeting of the two nations’ foreign ministers in July, although analysts suggest that Muneo Suzuki’s efforts to act as a go-between are unlikely to bear fruit. Suzuki, who represents a constituency in Hokkaido and returned to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in 2025 after 23 years as an independent member of the Diet, met senior Russian government officials in Moscow on Monday. Andrey Rudenko, deputy foreign minister in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352516/why-japanese-politicians-goal-reset-ties-russia-long-shot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352516/why-japanese-politicians-goal-reset-ties-russia-long-shot?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The US Army on Tuesday shot a Tomahawk missile from its Typhon Mid-Range Capability launcher system in the Philippines during a military exercise, marking the first time it has fired such a weapon since the system’s arrival in the country two years ago, which drew a rebuke from China. Built by Lockheed Martin, the Typhon system had been flown 13,000km (8,000 miles) from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state to Luzon in the Philippines as part of a military exercise called Salaknib and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352548/us-army-fires-typhon-first-time-philippines-during-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352548/us-army-fires-typhon-first-time-philippines-during-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 01:07:20 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Anna, a domestic helper from the Philippines, had managed her finances well until she took out two loans over the past few months for a friend she described as being “like a mother to me”. The 37-year-old, who asked to be identified only by her first name, now has to pay creditors about HK$9,000 (US$1,149) a month – almost twice her salary – leaving her extremely stressed about her debt. “My friend said she needed the money and asked if I could borrow from banks under my name, saying she would... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352536/will-hong-kongs-clamp-lending-wean-helpers-debt-and-save-their-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352536/will-hong-kongs-clamp-lending-wean-helpers-debt-and-save-their-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 00:30:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan’s defence minister pledged to deepen military cooperation with the Philippines during a visit Tuesday to Manila, aiming for the “early transfer” of Abukuma-class destroyers to the archipelago nation. The two countries’ shared grievances over Chinese territorial claims have seen them draw increasingly close in recent years, including the signing of a reciprocal access agreement allowing for the deployment of troops on each other’s territory. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s visit came as... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352529/japan-philippines-fast-track-transfer-navy-destroyers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352529/japan-philippines-fast-track-transfer-navy-destroyers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 13:38:30 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine House of Representatives has moved Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment closer to a decisive vote, the first step in a week-long process that will test whether allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr have enough support to send the case to a Senate trial. The House placed the impeachment on its plenary agenda on Tuesday, a day after its justice committee endorsed the case, setting up a possible vote by all lawmakers on whether Duterte-Carpio should stand trial in the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352525/philippine-vp-sara-dutertes-impeachment-case-heads-plenary-vote-amid-coercion-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352525/philippine-vp-sara-dutertes-impeachment-case-heads-plenary-vote-amid-coercion-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 12:25:33 +0000 Reuters Reuters Philippine annual inflation accelerated to a ⁠three-year high in April, ⁠as a surge in fuel prices ⁠triggered by the Middle East conflict raises the chance of more policy tightening. Consumer prices rose 7.2 per cent last month, the statistics agency said on Tuesday, the highest since March 2023. That was above the 5.5 per cent median forecast in a poll of economists. The April print also breached the central bank’s forecast range of 5.6 to 6.4 per cent for the month. Emilio Neri, lead economist... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352449/philippine-inflation-hits-3-year-high-amid-middle-east-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352449/philippine-inflation-hits-3-year-high-amid-middle-east-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 05:09:22 +0000