https://www.scmp.com/rss/507798/feed Breaking news and analysis on US-Asean relations, including trade, defence and diplomacy. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Julien Chaisse Julien Chaisse Indonesia says it is not choosing sides. That is true in diplomacy. It is less true on the map. The “major defence cooperation partnership” announced by Washington and Jakarta on April 13 is written in the safe language of official communiques: capacity building, education, exercises, cooperation. But the harder meaning lies beneath the phrasing. The most important line in this new defence partnership is not the reassuring one about “peace and stability”. It is the one about “maritime,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350215/how-new-us-indonesia-defence-pact-sharpens-chinas-malacca-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350215/how-new-us-indonesia-defence-pact-sharpens-chinas-malacca-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Nikola Mikovic Nikola Mikovic Since America launched its “major combat operation” against Iran, several Nato allies have distanced themselves from Washington. Now America also risks losing ground in strategically important Southeast Asia to China. Could it face an erosion of influence similar to that suffered by Russia in Central Asia as a result of its “special military operation” in Ukraine? Soon after US President Donald Trump launched massive air and missile strikes on Iran on February 28, it became clear Washington... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350148/can-iran-fiasco-help-china-edge-out-us-key-arena-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350148/can-iran-fiasco-help-china-edge-out-us-key-arena-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Balikatan, the flagship annual military exercise between Manila and Washington, begins in the Philippines this month without a single neighbouring Southeast Asian member taking part, despite the drills’ growing scale and multinational reach. Analysts say that hesitation helps explain Balikatan’s place in the region: for some Asean members, it is a reassuring sign of US commitment, but joining it risks looking like a strategic choice in the sharpening rivalry between Washington and Beijing. “To... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau In a rare public protest in Singapore, hundreds gathered in Hong Lim Park over the weekend to denounce the “US war machine”. They brandished placards and banners, including one with horns drawn on US presidents past and present captioned: “This is what terrorists look like.” The demonstration, which required organisers to get permission from the authorities, came as public sentiment across the region sours against Washington. Observers attribute this to the perception that the United States has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350160/are-us-singapore-relations-under-pressure-public-trust-declines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350160/are-us-singapore-relations-under-pressure-public-trust-declines?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Joanne Lin Joanne Lin For years, Southeast Asian countries have preferred to avoid taking sides between China and the United States. This year’s State of Southeast Asia survey shows that this approach still holds, but a more contested geostrategic environment is making it harder to sustain. The region continues to feel uneasy about China’s entrenched influence, is increasingly troubled by US leadership under President Donald Trump and is more conscious of Asean’s institutional constraints. The weakening of confidence... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3349676/doubts-about-trump-strain-southeast-asias-us-china-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3349676/doubts-about-trump-strain-southeast-asias-us-china-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Most Southeast Asians would choose China as a strategic partner over the US if forced to pick, as analysts attribute the findings of an annual survey to recent geopolitical and trade uncertainties driven by Washington’s policies. But analysts warn against interpreting the respondents’ sentiment in the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute survey as a zero-sum game between the superpowers, saying that Asean is looking to diversify partners in a multipolar world. When asked which superpower the region... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349247/most-asean-prefer-china-over-us-partner-poll-trump-cited-biggest-concern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349247/most-asean-prefer-china-over-us-partner-poll-trump-cited-biggest-concern?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:05:32 +0000 Steven Okun Steven Okun US President Donald Trump has appointed Nick Adams, the Australian-American social media influencer and self-styled “alpha male”, as special presidential envoy for American tourism, exceptionalism and values. “I look forward to serving as America’s brand ambassador, bringing the message of America’s excellence to the entire world,” Adams wrote on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “With America 250, the Fifa World Cup and the Olympics coming up, the world needs to be reminded of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348478/why-crisis-hit-asia-unlikely-embrace-trumps-america-250-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348478/why-crisis-hit-asia-unlikely-embrace-trumps-america-250-party?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 09:30:07 +0000 Brian McFeeters Brian McFeeters When the Trump administration rolled out sweeping tariffs on “Liberation Day” in April 2025, the reaction across Southeast Asia was swift: markets dipped, supply chains scrambled and governments went into damage control. Governments had a choice: retaliate or negotiate. They negotiated. Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia have signed Agreements on Reciprocal Trade with the United States. Those deals lowered tariffs from their peak levels and opened market access... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346872/why-tariffs-arent-biggest-factor-holding-back-us-asean-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346872/why-tariffs-arent-biggest-factor-holding-back-us-asean-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:30:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As trade tensions and new US tariff investigations rattle global supply chains, Southeast Asian economies are looking to broaden their options. But analysts say that the region’s deep links with the United States and China mean any shift will be gradual rather than a clean break – and may yet work in Asean’s favour. The disruption could accelerate supply-chain diversification, drawing more manufacturing to the region from markets such as Europe, India and the Middle East. For now, however, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346594/how-asean-can-loosen-dependence-us-china-amid-trade-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346594/how-asean-can-loosen-dependence-us-china-amid-trade-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Samer Elhajjar ,Niraj Dawar Samer Elhajjar ,Niraj Dawar For years, debates about US-China competition have defaulted to the obvious categories: ships, chips, tariffs and security pacts. Soft power was often treated as America’s home turf, the domain of Hollywood, top universities, global brands and a political ideal that still attracts even when it disappoints. That assumption is getting riskier. The world has entered a new emotional weather pattern: fatigue. It’s a structural condition shaped by overlapping shocks: pandemic after-effects, inflation... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3344992/fatigue-rewriting-us-china-soft-power-contest-starting-asean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3344992/fatigue-rewriting-us-china-soft-power-contest-starting-asean?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words For much of the past decade, Southeast Asia has been portrayed as a strategic prize in the intensifying rivalry between the US and China. Headlines often frame the region as a battleground for influence, as if Asean members are passive actors waiting to be pulled into rival... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344717/asean-not-choosing-sides-strategically-maximising-space?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344717/asean-not-choosing-sides-strategically-maximising-space?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Asean faces a challenge to remain relevant in light of an increasingly transactional United States under the Donald Trump administration, observers warn, even as they hail the bloc’s large inflows of trade from global superpowers. At the South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday, chairman of Malaysian Investment Development Authority Tengku Zafrul Aziz said that Association of Southeast Asian Nations members presented a united front in handling... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343093/why-asean-must-stay-nimble-survive-us-china-trade-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343093/why-asean-must-stay-nimble-survive-us-china-trade-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:04:20 +0000 Elina Noor Elina Noor Just over a year ago, US President Donald Trump stood at the US Capitol to deliver his inaugural address for his second term in office. Much of what he said then seemed like characteristic hyperbole. The world had, after all, experienced his first four years in power and emerged on the other side, largely intact. Even when Trump urged the United States to “once again consider itself a growing nation […] that increases our wealth, expands our territory […] and carries our flag into new and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341373/trumps-exposure-flawed-global-order-wake-call-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341373/trumps-exposure-flawed-global-order-wake-call-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:30:12 +0000 Kolette Lim,Aidan Jones Kolette Lim,Aidan Jones Southeast Asian countries invited to join Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” should think carefully before entering what looks like a “more exclusive version” of the United Nations Security Council with the US president in ultimate control, analysts caution. Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam are among about 60 countries that have reportedly received invitations, alongside South Korea and India. The initiative, presented by Trump as a new international body to promote global... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340651/why-southeast-asia-wary-trumps-pay-play-global-peace-board?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340651/why-southeast-asia-wary-trumps-pay-play-global-peace-board?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 06:30:10 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The United States is likely to lose its clear edge over China in strategic relations with major nations by 2035, a prominent Chinese political scientist has predicted. Yan Xuetong, honorary dean of Tsinghua University’s Institute of International Relations, said strategic competition between Beijing and Washington was likely to remain intense in the coming decade and could escalate into a crisis during US President Donald Trump’s second term, but the risk of direct war could decline under... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340468/how-narrowing-china-us-gap-could-reshape-global-power-play-2035?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340468/how-narrowing-china-us-gap-could-reshape-global-power-play-2035?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:30:44 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The inclusion of four Southeast Asian nations in the United States’ 75-country visa suspension has thrown up questions over Washington’s foreign policy approach, including its interest in the region. Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand are among countries affected by the indefinite suspension, set to take effect on January 21, as the Donald Trump administration continues to roll out punitive measures to drastically restrict immigration. The list, released by the US Department of State on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340225/what-trumps-visa-pause-means-southeast-asia-and-us-regional-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340225/what-trumps-visa-pause-means-southeast-asia-and-us-regional-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 06:00:17 +0000 Peter T. C. Chang Peter T. C. Chang US President Donald Trump’s hopes for a grand deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping are being undercut by American allies’ self-interested amplification of the “China threat”. This year’s Nanking massacre memorial was particularly poignant in light of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s controversial remarks on Taiwan. Beijing warned that any attempt to challenge the post-war international order or undermine established historical truths would be “doomed to failure”. Meanwhile, Singaporean... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338033/if-trump-wants-deal-china-he-must-rein-us-allies-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338033/if-trump-wants-deal-china-he-must-rein-us-allies-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 12:30:08 +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 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 Associated Press Associated Press Cambodia suspended all of its border crossings with Thailand on Saturday, as the two countries remained locked in a deadly military conflict. “The Royal Government of Cambodia has decided to fully suspend all entry and exit movements at all Cambodia-Thailand border crossings, effective immediately and until further notice,” Cambodia’s interior ministry said in a statement. A spokesman justified the move with the protection of the country. Fighting between the two nations along their shared... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336294/thailands-pm-says-no-ceasefire-cambodia-yet-after-trump-call?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336294/thailands-pm-says-no-ceasefire-cambodia-yet-after-trump-call?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:10:47 +0000 Carol Yang,Kandy Wong Carol Yang,Kandy Wong China has expressed “serious concerns” regarding a trade agreement signed last month between Malaysia and the United States, and some analysts suggest it might be related to how the pact could force the Southeast Asian nation to align with Washington’s sanctions regime. The official reaction on Thursday followed a meeting between Chinese and Malaysian commerce officials earlier in the week. While Beijing did not publicly specify the offending clauses, critics point to provisions that ostensibly... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334525/why-china-alarmed-new-us-malaysia-trade-deal-poison-pill-provisions-explained?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334525/why-china-alarmed-new-us-malaysia-trade-deal-poison-pill-provisions-explained?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:00:11 +0000 Elina Noor Elina Noor The dust has yet to settle despite the conclusion of the 47th Asean Summit under Malaysia, which remains the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for the remainder of the year. There are two main takeaways from the Kuala Lumpur meetings. First, by most objective measures, Malaysia has successfully pulled off not only the summit but its year-long chairmanship, steering several initiatives long in the making past the finish line. One of the most consequential is the formal admission... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3334072/its-year-under-malaysia-asean-tried-set-systemic-reform-motion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3334072/its-year-under-malaysia-asean-tried-set-systemic-reform-motion?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han A bipartisan group of US lawmakers is urging Donald Trump’s administration to reject Myanmar’s “sham” elections next month, days after the administration cited the country’s electoral progress as grounds to remove legal protections for Myanmar nationals in the US. “Burma’s planned elections this December are proving to be a sham,” said Representatives Brian Mast and Gregory Meeks and Senators Jim Risch and Jeanne Shaheen on Wednesday, using the former name for the war-torn country. “Orchestrated... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3334287/us-lawmakers-urge-trump-condemn-myanmars-china-backed-sham-elections-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3334287/us-lawmakers-urge-trump-condemn-myanmars-china-backed-sham-elections-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:14:04 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Thailand’s insistence that trade negotiations with the US can proceed separately from talks over a fractious border dispute with Cambodia has been met with deep scepticism given Washington’s increasing use of economic policy as a political instrument and US President Donald Trump’s personal stake in the ceasefire deal. Bangkok announced on Saturday that tariff talks with the United States would “remain separate from border issues”, a pledge government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat said... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333223/why-trump-wont-let-thailand-keep-tariff-border-talks-separate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333223/why-trump-wont-let-thailand-keep-tariff-border-talks-separate?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 06:24:45 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A US-led crackdown on online scams may hand Southeast Asia an opportunity to combat the scourge, analysts say, as Washington and Beijing find common purpose in dismantling criminal networks that exploit lax governance and human trafficking. The United States launched its “Scam Centre Strike Force” last week to counter cryptocurrency fraud linked to Southeast Asia, estimating that such crimes defraud Americans of nearly US$10 billion a year. Many of these schemes, dubbed “pig butchering” scams,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333072/what-us-anti-scam-strike-force-means-southeast-asias-cybercrime-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333072/what-us-anti-scam-strike-force-means-southeast-asias-cybercrime-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 07:08:47 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Southeast Asian economies, along with China, Japan and South Korea, have a “transformative” opportunity to enter the world’s critical mineral supply chain, said Yasuto Watanabe, director of the Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO). Critical minerals – essential raw materials for the production of hi-tech gadgets, cars and aerospace equipment – will make the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (Asean) supply chain “more resilient and sustainable”, said Watanabe, who also... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332830/us-china-tensions-offer-asean-transformative-critical-minerals-opportunity-economist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332830/us-china-tensions-offer-asean-transformative-critical-minerals-opportunity-economist?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 01:00:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump called Thailand and Cambodia on Friday to bolster the peace deal he brokered after fresh clashes erupted between the Southeast Asian neighbours, the White House said. Trump co-signed a truce between the two countries on October 26 during a tour of Asia, touting it as one of several peace deals around the world that he believes should win him the Nobel Prize. But Thailand suspended the deal on Monday after a landmine blast, and the two sides traded accusations of new... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332897/trump-calls-thailand-and-cambodia-after-new-clashes-upend-his-ceasefire-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332897/trump-calls-thailand-and-cambodia-after-new-clashes-upend-his-ceasefire-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:50:36 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asean should rethink its principle of non-interference so that the long-held policy does not become “an excuse” for non-action, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has said. The minister, a career diplomat who served in a range of leadership positions before his latest appointment in September, said the 11-member bloc had to embrace a fresh approach to consensus-building amid intensifying rivalry between China and the United States. “We have to be agile. We have to draw on the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332486/thailands-top-diplomat-calls-asean-rethink-non-interference-principle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332486/thailands-top-diplomat-calls-asean-rethink-non-interference-principle?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 10:00:49 +0000 Azeem Khalid,Asma Khalid Azeem Khalid,Asma Khalid The signing of the Asean-China free trade agreement upgrade last month looked procedural. It wasn’t. The protocol adds chapters on digital trade, the green economy, supply chain connectivity, and the nuts and bolts of trade facilitation. These elements matter more than tariff cuts. As US tariffs on Chinese goods remain high, including on electric vehicles (EVs), batteries and solar cells, agreements that reduce friction, harmonise standards and streamline certification are becoming strategic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332246/how-asean-quietly-became-chinas-buffer-against-us-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332246/how-asean-quietly-became-chinas-buffer-against-us-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Barely two weeks after US President Donald Trump proclaimed “peace” between Thailand and Cambodia, the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord he presided over now teeters on the edge of collapse. On Monday, Thailand’s armed forces suspended the truce agreement, accusing Cambodia’s military of laying fresh landmines in contested border territory. Thai defence minister Natthaphon Narkphanit confirmed on Tuesday that Thailand was halting implementation of the pact and would not be returning 18 Cambodian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332298/trumps-thailand-cambodia-truce-unravels-2-weeks-after-it-was-signed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332298/trumps-thailand-cambodia-truce-unravels-2-weeks-after-it-was-signed?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 05:44:24 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Recent moves by the United States – including President Donald Trump’s meeting with leaders of resource-rich Central Asian countries and the expansion of a US government critical minerals list – signal an urgency in Washington to reduce its reliance on rare earths from China before tensions with Beijing flare up again, analysts said. Despite China’s Ministry of Commerce on Sunday suspending export controls on “dual-use items” related to several key minerals for a year as part of the US-China... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332221/us-stepping-global-rare-earths-hunt-despite-china-trade-agreement-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332221/us-stepping-global-rare-earths-hunt-despite-china-trade-agreement-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:00:10 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Next to a bustling expressway funnelling Malaysia’s exports to the world, Danish shipping giant Maersk has placed a US$118 million bet that Southeast Asia will not only withstand the new tariff era, but find a way to prosper. Maersk’s largest Asia-Pacific distribution centre opened in Shah Alam, Selangor state, on Wednesday. Seven years in the planning, it was conceived well before Donald Trump’s tariff-wielding return to the White House disrupted supply chains and slashed corporate margins. But... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3331978/who-wins-us-china-trade-war-maersks-malaysia-mega-bet-backs-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3331978/who-wins-us-china-trade-war-maersks-malaysia-mega-bet-backs-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:11 +0000 Peter T. C. Chang Peter T. C. Chang With the Philippines set to succeed Malaysia next year as chair of Asean, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations faces challenges both within and beyond the region. It must remain united and continue to resist taking sides in the great power rivalry. The 47th Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur was a fitting finale to an exceptional year as the bloc’s profile continued to rise. Adding to this was the admission of East Timor – an important milestone that completes the Asean family and underscores... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3331935/can-asean-maintain-its-neutrality-manila-takes-chair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3331935/can-asean-maintain-its-neutrality-manila-takes-chair?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 12:30:14 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Half a century after the fall of Saigon, the United States and Vietnam are edging towards deeper defence cooperation built on shared anxieties about China and Washington’s desire to wean Hanoi off its historical dependence on Russian arms. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived in Hanoi last Sunday for a two-day visit, declaring that establishing stronger security ties would be a win-win. “Deeper [military] cooperation will benefit both of our countries,” said Hegseth, who had travelled to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331983/avoiding-strategic-suicide-vietnams-us-russia-china-diplomatic-dance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331983/avoiding-strategic-suicide-vietnams-us-russia-china-diplomatic-dance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 05:30:07 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The revival of US-Cambodia military exercises after an eight-year hiatus signals Washington’s renewed interest in Southeast Asia and offers Phnom Penh a chance to rebalance its strategic ties beyond Beijing, according to analysts. The long-frozen Angkor Sentinel drills will resume following a meeting between US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Cambodian counterpart on the sidelines of a regional security summit in Malaysia last week. The drills were suspended in 2017 after Washington... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331504/why-revival-us-cambodia-drills-good-news-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331504/why-revival-us-cambodia-drills-good-news-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:00:13 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi As Beijing continues advocating for deeper regional economic cooperation in East Asia amid ongoing tensions with Washington – including by working towards a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Japan and South Korea – analysts say that making substantial progress remains challenging, given the existing trade framework and conflicting interests. In a meeting with South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Beijing and Washington may be set to revive dormant military communication channels, but it is just a first step and the two sides are still some way from genuine trust, an observer has cautioned. The assessment followed US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement on social media on Sunday that the two countries had “agreed that we should set up military-to-military channels to deconflict and de-escalate any problems that arise”. Hegseth met his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun on the sidelines... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331226/china-us-set-revive-military-channels-more-steps-needed-build-trust-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331226/china-us-set-revive-military-channels-more-steps-needed-build-trust-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 11:00:11 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The US and Cambodia will revive flagship military exercises for the first time in eight years, the latest sign of warming ties following a flurry of deals between the two sides including a Trump-backed peace accord with Thailand. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the return of the Angkor Sentinel drills after a meeting with his Cambodian counterpart on the sidelines of a security summit in Malaysia on Friday. The defence exercises were suspended in 2017, at a time when Washington... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3331158/us-cambodia-military-drills-return-after-8-year-hiatus-amid-warming-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3331158/us-cambodia-military-drills-return-after-8-year-hiatus-amid-warming-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 05:35:56 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones Beneath hills draped in ancient rainforests, where rivers sustain millions and biodiversity flourishes, Southeast Asia hides a treasure coveted by global superpowers: rare earth elements. These minerals – neodymium, dysprosium and yttrium, to name just a few – form the backbone of modern technology, powering everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to MRI scanners and missile guidance systems. As much as one-fifth of the world’s untapped rare earth deposits are thought to nestle within... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3331108/us-wants-southeast-asias-rare-earths-some-fear-dig-and-dump-redux?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3331108/us-wants-southeast-asias-rare-earths-some-fear-dig-and-dump-redux?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:12 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Despite the superficial conviviality of Donald Trump’s whistle-stop tour through Asia this week, we watched first-hand the dysfunctional reality of the US’ disengagement from the world of multilateralism. Trump delivered a speech at the US-Asean Summit in Malaysia, but skipped the main Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ meeting in South Korea. Overall, he was more interested in cutting bilateral deals on the sidelines of the summits. In Malaysia, he finalised unilateral tariff... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330940/trumps-asia-tour-made-us-distaste-multilateralism-obvious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330940/trumps-asia-tour-made-us-distaste-multilateralism-obvious?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 08:30:15 +0000 Peiman Salehi Peiman Salehi The arrival of United States President Donald Trump in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, may appear to be a routine diplomatic gesture, but it carries far greater symbolic weight. His visit marks a turning point in Washington’s struggle to remain relevant in a world where its power no longer defines the terms of engagement. For decades, Asia listened when America spoke. Today, it still listens, but it no longer obeys. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) was born in an era when the Global... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3330749/gone-are-days-unlimited-us-power-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3330749/gone-are-days-unlimited-us-power-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 12:30:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The deals that US President Donald Trump sealed with several Asean partners in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week have been called a “mixed blessing” by critics, with the long-term economic costs potentially outweighing the short-term trade benefits. Trump finalised agreements on trade and critical minerals with four members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Sunday, including pacts with Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam to address trade barriers. Washington maintained the 19 to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3330771/did-asean-members-get-shortchanged-trump-trade-deals-strings-attached?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3330771/did-asean-members-get-shortchanged-trump-trade-deals-strings-attached?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 09:27:11 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial At the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, regional leaders faced each other amid the unprecedented challenges posed by the United States and China. On one side, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are confronted with high tariffs and uncertain security commitments from the US. On the other, they face China, their indispensable trading partner which is also ever ready to assert what it perceives as its territorial and maritime rights in the region. Added to the mix are the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3330592/caught-between-china-and-us-asean-could-act-go-between?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3330592/caught-between-china-and-us-asean-could-act-go-between?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 23:15:11 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Few were ready for the zinger that followed when Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim leaned into the microphone and said, with a suitably dramatic pause for effect, that he and US President Donald Trump were alike in many ways. “President Trump and I share a lot in common,” he said, as ears craned towards the lectern for the punchline. One of the overlapping experiences was “that I was in prison”, Anwar added, “and you almost got there”. The joke landed well, drawing laughter in the room,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3330651/how-malaysian-pm-anwar-turned-risky-trump-visit-diplomatic-wins-asean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3330651/how-malaysian-pm-anwar-turned-risky-trump-visit-diplomatic-wins-asean?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:00:40 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings The United States has ramped up efforts to hedge against rare earth export controls by China – the world’s dominant supplier – through agreements signed on Sunday with two Southeast Asian countries, including one that experts believe could deliver results relatively quickly. Memoranda of understanding with Malaysia and Thailand pave the way for increased critical mineral exports to US automotive, defence and hi-tech hardware manufacturers – following a US$8.5 billion US-Australia framework deal... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330468/us-signs-rare-earth-mous-malaysia-thailand-can-it-hedge-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330468/us-signs-rare-earth-mous-malaysia-thailand-can-it-hedge-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:30:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters The United States and Vietnam will finalise a trade agreement in the coming weeks that will maintain 20 per cent tariffs on most Vietnamese goods but lift duties on certain products that will be decided at a later stage, the White House said on Sunday. In return Vietnam committed to offering “preferential access” for most all US goods. The two countries have agreed to a framework for the agreement on “reciprocal, fair and balanced” trade between the two nations, the countries said in a joint... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330378/vietnam-talks-trade-us-trump-tariffs-removed-some-goods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330378/vietnam-talks-trade-us-trump-tariffs-removed-some-goods?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:41:31 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones A triumphant Donald Trump on Sunday presided over a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia on the first trip to Southeast Asia in his second presidency, applauding his own peacemaking skills while warning that American trade was contingent on the durability of the truce between the two nations. Dubbed the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, the declaration calls for a demilitarisation of the tense Thai-Cambodia border and a loosely worded commitment towards reaching peace to end a border dispute,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330353/asean-summit-thailand-cambodia-sign-ceasefire-pact-trump-hails-his-peacemaking-skills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330353/asean-summit-thailand-cambodia-sign-ceasefire-pact-trump-hails-his-peacemaking-skills?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 06:37:48 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones,Joseph Sipalan,Hai Dang Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones,Joseph Sipalan,Hai Dang When US tariffs slammed shut the doors to one of Malaysia’s most important export markets, menswear designer Bon Zainal Harun didn’t flinch. His answer to Washington’s volley of levies was as sharp as the suits he makes: “Hustle.” Until recently, Zainal exported his bespoke suits and formalwear to the United States, but the 19 per cent tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump this summer has now largely walled off that market. “The price increase may disrupt business,” he told This Week in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3330249/long-goodbye-southeast-asia-adjusts-post-america-trade-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3330249/long-goodbye-southeast-asia-adjusts-post-america-trade-future?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 05:30:08 +0000 Kevin Zongzhe Li Kevin Zongzhe Li China has a unique opportunity to cast itself as an anchor of stability for Southeast Asia now that the United States is retreating from its position as the rule maker of global trade. US President Donald Trump’s policies of “de-risking” from China and imposing unilateral tariffs, including on developing countries, are fragmenting production networks and pushing firms to reimagine their manufacturing and logistics chains. Asean has laid out a road map to manage such uncertainties in the form of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3330252/how-china-can-anchor-southeast-asias-future-uncertain-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3330252/how-china-can-anchor-southeast-asias-future-uncertain-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 03:00:22 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia is set to host one of the most consequential Asean summits ever as US President Donald Trump and a coterie of world leaders converge on Kuala Lumpur this weekend, bringing fresh urgency to talks on trade, security and the shifting global order. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is expected to use the three-day summit starting on Sunday to ease tensions with Trump over trade imbalances, while also pursuing deals with other... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330132/5-things-look-out-trump-jets-asean-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330132/5-things-look-out-trump-jets-asean-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 03:24:28 +0000