https://www.scmp.com/rss/520219/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press Myanmar ’s military government ordered East Timor ’s senior diplomat to leave the country after judicial authorities from the fellow Southeast Asian country accepted a criminal complaint against Myanmar’s armed forces, state media said on Monday. The move sharply escalates tensions between the two countries and is a rare step between members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which East Timor joined only last year. There was no immediate response from East Timor’s government when... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343753/east-timor-triggers-asean-first-accuses-myanmar-war-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343753/east-timor-triggers-asean-first-accuses-myanmar-war-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:46:33 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As Asean tourism leaders met this week to discuss regional matters, observers say a common visitor visa for the bloc and aligned digital connectivity will even out tourism growth and help lagging countries like the Philippines catch up. The 63rd Asean National Tourism Organisation Meeting, held in Cebu in the Philippines on Monday, was also attended by tourism chiefs from Japan, China and South Korea – countries that were instrumental in boosting tourism in the region. In 2024, 20 million... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341622/how-shared-asean-visa-could-help-philippines-find-its-travel-feet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341622/how-shared-asean-visa-could-help-philippines-find-its-travel-feet?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 03:55:49 +0000 Marco Kamiya Marco Kamiya How can developing economies in Asia raise productivity, create jobs and align growth with decarbonisation and energy efficiency? According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s (UNIDO) latest report, the answer lies in more innovative and targeted industrial policies. The report offers timely lessons for Southeast Asia. UNIDO’s study lays out a comprehensive framework grounded in “foresight” and “megatrends” analysis, calling for an industrial push that could reshape... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3340198/win-future-southeast-asia-must-rewrite-its-industrial-rule-book?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3340198/win-future-southeast-asia-must-rewrite-its-industrial-rule-book?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 02:30:08 +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 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Asean has signed its first region-wide extradition treaty, a move observers see as a long-overdue step to close legal loopholes that have allowed fugitives to slip across borders and evade arrest. Analysts say the Asean Treaty on Extradition will plug a major gap in cooperation by creating uniform rules across a region struggling with cybercrime, human trafficking and online scams that increasingly operate across jurisdictions. Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333326/asean-unifies-under-single-extradition-treaty-fight-organised-crime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333326/asean-unifies-under-single-extradition-treaty-fight-organised-crime?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 02:30:09 +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 Daryl Ng Daryl Ng On October 26, East Timor officially acceded to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) at the opening of the annual summit, as the 11th member of the regional bloc. Known officially as Timor-Leste, the country gained full independence on May 20, 2002, after a United Nations-supervised referendum in 1999. With a population of 1.4 million and its capital in Dili, East Timor is rich in oil and natural gas reserves located in the Timor Sea. The country also exports coffee, vanilla and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3332149/east-timors-membership-marks-new-chapter-asean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3332149/east-timors-membership-marks-new-chapter-asean?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indonesia awarded the title of national hero on Monday to late president Suharto, who was forced out of office in 1998 by violent protests that ended a three-decade rule marred by accusations of mass human rights violations, corruption and nepotism. The title was conferred in a ceremony presided over by President Prabowo Subianto, Suharto’s former son-in-law, despite protests by pro-democracy activists and the families of those affected by the strongman’s iron-fisted rule. Prabowo took office... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332157/indonesia-names-suharto-national-hero-despite-protests-past-struggles-disregarded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332157/indonesia-names-suharto-national-hero-despite-protests-past-struggles-disregarded?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 04:54:16 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As it prepares to assume the Asean chairmanship, the Philippines’ courting of the bloc’s newest member, East Timor, signals its intent to secure a new ally in promoting maritime security among the 11-strong grouping of nations. But analysts suggest the budding partnership is more symbolic than strategic, with the Philippines playing more of a mentor role to the newcomer. On the sidelines of a meeting of defence chiefs following the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332130/philippines-charts-new-course-asean-courting-east-timor-south-china-sea-ally?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332130/philippines-charts-new-course-asean-courting-east-timor-south-china-sea-ally?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 01:29:04 +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 Brian Y. S. Wong Brian Y. S. Wong At last month’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit, China and the bloc upgraded their free trade pact in the areas of environmental protection, product quality and support for small businesses. Premier Li Qiang contextualised the agreement in light of “greater development challenges” facing Asean nations, as they are “unfairly subjected to steep tariffs”, an indirect criticism of the erratic measures unleashed across the region by US President Donald Trump. Another noteworthy... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3331415/how-china-and-asean-can-ensure-their-upgraded-pact-truly-win-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3331415/how-china-and-asean-can-ensure-their-upgraded-pact-truly-win-win?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar An unexpected push to introduce Portuguese as a priority subject in Indonesia’s classrooms has set tongues wagging about President Prabowo Subianto’s educational priorities. The plan, which Prabowo unveiled during Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s visit to Jakarta last month, left educators, lawmakers and community leaders grappling with the realities of what such an ambition might mean. “As a sign of how important Brazil is to us, I have decided that Portuguese will become one of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331103/indonesias-surprise-portuguese-push-diplomatic-ploy-or-educational-priority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331103/indonesias-surprise-portuguese-push-diplomatic-ploy-or-educational-priority?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 04:00:10 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Emotions understandably ran high as East Timor formally became the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on October 26. The region and the world should now support Asia’s newest nation as it pursues long-awaited opportunities for international investment, regional integration and sustainability. Ahead of the accession ceremony in Malaysia, East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta admitted in an exclusive interview with the Post that there is plenty of hard work ahead. More... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3331073/east-timors-journey-asean-membership-can-be-source-inspiration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3331073/east-timors-journey-asean-membership-can-be-source-inspiration?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran With East Timor’s entry into Asean as its 11th member, the youngest country in the region may become a key partner and new ally for the Philippines as Manila gears up to lead the bloc as chair in 2026. Before Sunday’s accession ceremony at the 47th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur, East Timor and the Philippines have taken steps to deepen bilateral ties for years, including a three-day visit of Dili’s Foreign Affairs Minister Bendito Dos Santos Freitas to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330463/could-east-timor-be-new-ally-philippines-manila-prepares-chair-asean-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330463/could-east-timor-be-new-ally-philippines-manila-prepares-chair-asean-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:41:52 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof When the red, black and yellow flag of East Timor was hoisted alongside the colours of its new Southeast Asian peers inside the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Sunday, several Timorese journalists in the media gallery broke into tears. After more than a decade of waiting since it first applied in 2011, the small half-island nation – Asia’s newest country – on Sunday formally joined Asean as its 11th member. The ceremony at the 47th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, hosted... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330360/tears-east-timor-completes-journey-asean-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330360/tears-east-timor-completes-journey-asean-history?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 08:06:18 +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 Joseph Sipalan,Aidan Jones Joseph Sipalan,Aidan Jones Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will sign a peace accord over a border dispute with Cambodia during the Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, in a ceremony to be presided over by US President Donald Trump. US officials have been pressing both members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to sign the deal, officially called the Declaration on Thai-Cambodian Relations, but dubbed the ‘Kuala Lumpur Accords’ during Trump’s one-day stop in Malaysia. The American leader is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330312/asean-summit-trump-jets-preside-over-thai-cambodia-peace-deal-spectacle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330312/asean-summit-trump-jets-preside-over-thai-cambodia-peace-deal-spectacle?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 09:43:02 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji In East Timor’s presidential palace in the capital Dili, President Jose Ramos-Horta leans back in his chair, radiating a calm demeanour ahead of a momentous occasion in his country’s young history. “We are in the last few hours before joining Asean,” he told This Week in Asia. “Looking back, it has been a 23-year journey since independence was proclaimed … and when I look at where we were then compared to now, it is like heaven and hell.” On Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, East Timor is set to formally... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330133/hell-asean-east-timors-president-talks-growth-china-and-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330133/hell-asean-east-timors-president-talks-growth-china-and-future?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 08:19:16 +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 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. US call centre bill threatens Philippines’ US$30 billion outsourcing boom As dusk settles over Angeles City, Justin Cunanan prepares for another long night. While the rest of the Philippines sleeps, he joins millions of his compatriots powering a global industry that is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3329730/heart-evangelistas-wealth-under-fire-singaporeans-flock-johor-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3329730/heart-evangelistas-wealth-under-fire-singaporeans-flock-johor-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:00:09 +0000 Anand Mathai Anand Mathai As the streets of Dili thrum with anticipation, East Timor is preparing for a diplomatic victory decades in the making. Next weekend, Asia’s youngest nation is set to take its place as the 11th member of Asean – concluding a campaign for acceptance hard won through an unflinching belief in its own destiny. For the country of some 1.4 million people on the eastern half of Timor island, it represents both a declaration of belonging and an affirmation that its future lies squarely within Southeast... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329435/asias-youngest-nation-nears-end-its-years-long-quest-belong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329435/asias-youngest-nation-nears-end-its-years-long-quest-belong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 00:00:15 +0000 Michael Rose Michael Rose Two decades after East Timor gained its independence, the country is a complicated and qualified success story. Poverty and deep economic problems persist, but it boasts a thriving democracy. Its ascension to the Asean regional bloc is set to come later this month. As this milestone approaches, however, a senior official with oversight over the national intelligence agency has gone public with explosive claims that Timorese institutions are allegedly being bought by organised crime. His concerns... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3328580/aseans-newest-prospective-member-confronts-chinese-triad-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3328580/aseans-newest-prospective-member-confronts-chinese-triad-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 04:00:23 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan For more than half a century, Jose Luis Guterres has been East Timor’s voice to the world – first as a diplomat in exile during Indonesia’s brutal occupation, and later as the fledgling nation’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister. At 71, he still carries the weight of a tiny country that only gained sovereignty in 2002, after nearly 400 years under Portugal and a generation under Jakarta’s rule. Back in Washington for a second, non-consecutive stint as ambassador – his first was under... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3328284/asean-membership-draws-tiny-strategic-indo-pacific-nation-closer-us-china-chess-match?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3328284/asean-membership-draws-tiny-strategic-indo-pacific-nation-closer-us-china-chess-match?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 17:11:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran East Timor’s recalibration of its stance on Myanmar’s military regime has drawn both scrutiny and intrigue across Southeast Asia, as Dili seeks to smooth its path into Asean ahead of next month’s summit. Once a vocal critic of Myanmar’s junta, which came to power in a 2021 coup that toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and plunged the country into civil conflict, East Timor has in recent weeks taken a markedly softer line. Dili reportedly assured the junta earlier this month it... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327188/east-timors-asean-dreams-see-it-mend-fences-myanmars-military-junta?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327188/east-timors-asean-dreams-see-it-mend-fences-myanmars-military-junta?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 03:53:13 +0000 Julia Lau,Sharon Seah Julia Lau,Sharon Seah East Timor’s application to join Asean has been described as harder than entering heaven. After 14 years of waiting, it may formally become the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ 11th member state at the Asean Summit this October. Its membership journey began with the existing member states expressing reservations about its readiness for accession and showing concern about Asean’s readiness to welcome a new member. While East Timor has the second smallest population (behind Brunei) and the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3322858/what-can-east-timor-bring-asean-its-eleventh-member?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3322858/what-can-east-timor-bring-asean-its-eleventh-member?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow As East Timor edges closer to joining Asean, Myanmar’s military rulers are seeking to block its entry, in a warning to it – and governments everywhere – against engaging with the war-torn country’s opposition forces. Last week, sources cited by public broadcaster Thai PBS revealed that Myanmar’s military regime had formally notified Malaysia, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of its intent to withhold support for East Timor’s membership when the bloc convenes in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317316/will-myanmar-block-east-timors-asean-entry-juntas-nug-warning-shot-tests-blocs-unity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317316/will-myanmar-block-east-timors-asean-entry-juntas-nug-warning-shot-tests-blocs-unity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 04:00:11 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China and Singapore should work together to safeguard global supply chains, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Monday as Beijing seeks deeper ties with neighbouring countries to help offset trade tensions with Washington. In talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Li said bilateral ties had continued to strengthen, and the two countries were “friendly neighbours and important partners”. “China is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315537/china-looks-singapore-help-secure-global-supply-chains-us-trade-war-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315537/china-looks-singapore-help-secure-global-supply-chains-us-trade-war-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 13:46:11 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A former Philippine lawmaker who is accused of orchestrating a political assassination has been arrested in East Timor, in a move that analysts say is a sign of Dili’s desire to resolve an extradition dispute with Manila ahead of its expected entry into Asean. Arnolfo Teves Jnr was apprehended in Dili in a joint operation by East Timorese police and immigration officials at his residence in the capital on Tuesday night, his son confirmed in a post on social media on Wednesday. Teves, who has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312135/ex-philippine-lawmakers-arrest-east-timor-seen-linked-asean-membership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312135/ex-philippine-lawmakers-arrest-east-timor-seen-linked-asean-membership?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 11:30:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Asean members must avoid undercutting their neighbours while negotiating on the tariff issue with the US, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday, as China warned of “heavy blows” from US protectionism pummelling the world economic order. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean) met over two days in Kuala Lumpur to discuss its next steps to address the “reciprocal” tariffs that US President Donald Trump had paused until early July. Asean leaders also discussed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3312020/malaysias-anwar-urges-asean-not-sacrifice-member-states-over-us-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3312020/malaysias-anwar-urges-asean-not-sacrifice-member-states-over-us-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 13:46:17 +0000 East Timor would prefer to work with Australia and partners Woodside Energy and Japan’s Osaka Gas over Chinese firms that have expressed interest in developing the stalled Greater Sunrise natural gas field, its president said. The comments by President Jose Ramos-Horta mark the first time he has publicly expressed a preference to develop the field with Australia and existing partners since he suggested doing so with new ones such as China and Kuwait last year. The prospect of developing Greater... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3297412/southeast-asias-poorest-nation-says-holding-chinese-interest-huge-gas-field?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3297412/southeast-asias-poorest-nation-says-holding-chinese-interest-huge-gas-field?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 04:49:03 +0000 Indonesia’s new President Prabowo Subianto inaugurated one of the country’s largest-ever cabinets on Monday with the move seen as a bid to accommodate allies but one that could lead to bureaucratic inefficiencies. The former defence minister was sworn in as president on Sunday and officially appointed the following morning his “Red and White Cabinet” of 48 ministries, comprising a total of 109 members. He took on the mantle of leadership from Joko Widodo, who stepped down after a decade in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3283198/indonesias-prabowo-unveils-fat-cabinet-filled-allies-will-it-lead-red-tape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3283198/indonesias-prabowo-unveils-fat-cabinet-filled-allies-will-it-lead-red-tape?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2024 07:32:45 +0000 Along the waterfront of East Timor’s capital, buzzing restaurants sell local dishes and Portuguese colonial fare facing turquoise waters where the Indonesian military launched an invasion nearly half a century before. Since emerging from decades of brutal occupation in 2002 on the back of an independence vote 25 years ago, Asia’s youngest nation has made remarkable political strides in its short history. “The most successful? National healing, reconciliation, peace and stability,” President Jose... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3282409/asias-youngest-nation-defends-its-china-ties-its-chinese-helping-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3282409/asias-youngest-nation-defends-its-china-ties-its-chinese-helping-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Oct 2024 06:33:44 +0000 As the Philippine government moves to shut offshore gaming operators (Pogos) over their links to organised crime, experts warn that endemic corruption may enable the industry to persist in the country or relocate abroad. The industry is operated by criminal elements who are used to moving around while running its operations, said Alvin Camba, a research adviser at Associated Universities Incorporated, who has studied Chinese investments in Southeast Asia. “I anticipate that a significant number... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3281148/are-pogos-philippines-evading-ban-rebranding-through-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3281148/are-pogos-philippines-evading-ban-rebranding-through-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Oct 2024 09:00:07 +0000 An estimated 600,000 people in East Timor, just under half its population, turned out in the baking heat on Tuesday for a Mass with Pope Francis at a coastal park synonymous with the country’s long struggle for independence from Indonesia. Filling a wide, dusty area where Indonesian forces were known to have buried slain Timorese independence fighters, people arrived as early as 1am and sat on the ground, many braving the sun for hours in temperatures as high as 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3277948/pope-francis-east-timor-mass-draws-600000-worshippers-nearly-half-nation-vatican-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3277948/pope-francis-east-timor-mass-draws-600000-worshippers-nearly-half-nation-vatican-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Sep 2024 08:58:58 +0000 It has been widely observed that 2024 is packed full of elections. Seven of the world’s 10 most populous nations – Bangladesh, India, the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, Russia, Mexico – are going or have already gone to the polls. In total, almost half of the world population will hold elections. A democratic deficit or democracy’s triumph? Perhaps it’s worth noting that quantity is not the same as quality. For example, the re-election of Vladimir Putin next month in Russia seems like a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3252830/revenge-rich-and-powerful-families-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3252830/revenge-rich-and-powerful-families-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:00:10 +0000 The Australian government has pledged A$35 million (US$23 million) towards supporting East Timor’s policing services and another A$4 million (US$2.6 million) in aid to help Timorese workers integrate in Australia, as Canberra continued to make good on its intentions to improve regional relations amid China’s increased influence. Underlying these gestures however are pre-existing tensions between the two countries, especially in differences over the development of the controversial but valuable... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3250174/australia-steps-aid-east-timor-amid-chinas-growing-influence-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3250174/australia-steps-aid-east-timor-amid-chinas-growing-influence-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:00:24 +0000 US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced an agreement on Wednesday to cooperate with Japan on advanced defence technology, one of several initiatives meant to solidify the nations’ engagement in the Indo-Pacific to counter a more assertive China. The US and Australia will explore trilateral defence cooperation with Japan including on unmanned aerial systems, the White House said: “Our cooperation will enhance interoperability and accelerate technology... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3239205/us-and-australia-announce-agreement-work-japan-defence-technology?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3239205/us-and-australia-announce-agreement-work-japan-defence-technology?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Oct 2023 22:04:51 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping criticised the West’s “illegal sanctions” and pledged more support for Syria as he kicked off a string of meetings with foreign counterparts attending the opening of the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Saturday. Xi said China would help rebuild Syria’s economy and counter domestic unrest as he announced the upgrading of relations to a strategic partnership in a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad. “China opposes interference by external forces in Syria’s internal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3235541/china-and-syria-grow-cosier-shared-russia-ties-and-beijings-big-middle-east-ambitions-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3235541/china-and-syria-grow-cosier-shared-russia-ties-and-beijings-big-middle-east-ambitions-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Sep 2023 14:23:24 +0000 The draw has been made for the men’s Fifa World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, and for the women’s and men’s group stages of this year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The Asian Games will take place from September 23 to October 8. They will be followed by qualifiers that will determine who progresses to both the men’s Fifa World Cup and AFC Asian Cup, with the first round starting on October 12 and the group phase beginning on November 16. Men’s Fifa World Cup and AFC Asian Cup... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3229143/draws-fifa-world-cup-2026-and-afc-asian-cup-2027-qualifiers-and-asian-games-2023-china-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3229143/draws-fifa-world-cup-2026-and-afc-asian-cup-2027-qualifiers-and-asian-games-2023-china-india?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jul 2023 11:22:02 +0000 Skygazers in Hong Kong flocked to Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui despite showers and cloudy weather on Thursday afternoon to catch a glimpse of a partial solar eclipse. Taking place between 12.34pm and 1.16pm, the eclipse was only expected to cover about 2.8 per cent of the sun from Hong Kong’s perspective during the peak of the event. While skygazers in the city were unable to see it, those in parts of Australia, Timor-Leste and Indonesia were able to witness the once-in-a-decade “hybrid... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3217699/hong-kong-astronomy-fans-gather-tsim-sha-tsui-see-once-decade-hybrid-eclipse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3217699/hong-kong-astronomy-fans-gather-tsim-sha-tsui-see-once-decade-hybrid-eclipse?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:57:07 +0000 Hong Kong will take on the Philippines, Pakistan and Tajikistan in the first round of qualifying for the women’s football tournament at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Ricardo Rambo, the Hong Kong coach, said his side had been handed a “tough group”, and expected the Philippines, who have qualified for this year’s Women’s World Cup, to pose the biggest challenge. Thursday’s draw, which was made at the Asian Football Confederation’s offices in Kuala Lumpur, marked the start of the long journey for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3206568/2024-paris-olympics-hong-kongs-women-handed-tough-group-football-qualifiers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3206568/2024-paris-olympics-hong-kongs-women-handed-tough-group-football-qualifiers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jan 2023 09:46:36 +0000 East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta is hoping Indonesia will play a crucial role in pushing through his country’s long-standing plan to become the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ 11th member state. Raising awareness about Dili’s bid to join the regional bloc and strengthening ties with Jakarta have been Ramos-Horta’s key objectives during his ongoing visit to Indonesia. The 72-year-old is on his first overseas visit since he was elected in April to the presidency he previously held... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3186158/east-timors-president-jose-ramos-horta-hopes-indonesia-will-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3186158/east-timors-president-jose-ramos-horta-hopes-indonesia-will-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Jul 2022 02:32:23 +0000 East Timor’s new President Jose Ramos-Horta has said time and again his country will not be dragged into the rivalry between China and the West. Still, the tiny nation, independent only since 2002, has tilted towards Beijing as it joins the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. Its people suffered immensely during the Cold War, under the brutal decades-long rule of Indonesia under Suharto, with the support of Washington and Canberra, and sometimes by their turning a blind eye. Even in the run-up to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180606/east-timors-tilt-towards-china-exposes-wests-shameful-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180606/east-timors-tilt-towards-china-exposes-wests-shameful-history?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:00:23 +0000 In all the media interviews he has given since his April election victory, East Timor’s newly inaugurated President Jose Ramos-Horta has been consistent in his message that the country will not become embroiled in any US-China rivalry. The 72-year-old Nobel laureate – an independence hero in one of the world’s newest nations – told This Week In Asia that the aim was to maintain an equal distance from all major powers, while still keeping the door open to trade and investment. “What we want is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3180367/us-china-relations-east-timor-isnt-taking-sides-it-wants-beijings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3180367/us-china-relations-east-timor-isnt-taking-sides-it-wants-beijings?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jun 2022 00:30:15 +0000 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up his 10-day diplomatic tour of the Pacific on Friday by signing a series of developmental assistance agreements with East Timor, Southeast Asia’s youngest nation. In the capital Dili, Wang and East Timorese Foreign Minister Adaljiza Magno signed agreements on agriculture, media partnerships and economic and technical cooperation. The two countries also signed a deal on sending a Chinese medical team to East Timor, and agreed to step up coordination on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3180425/east-timor-deals-cap-chinese-foreign-ministers-10-day-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3180425/east-timor-deals-cap-chinese-foreign-ministers-10-day-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Jun 2022 11:30:27 +0000 Nobel laureate Jose Ramos-Horta was inaugurated as East Timor’s president on Friday, pledging to dedicate his time in office to strengthen national unity and forge closer relations with China. The former Portuguese colony, which became independent from Indonesia in 2002 after 24 years of occupation, marked its 20th independence anniversary with a concert and fireworks for thousands in the capital Dili. The 72-year-old revolutionary hero, himself a former president of East Timor, defeated... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3178441/jose-ramos-horta-sworn-east-timors-president-pledges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3178441/jose-ramos-horta-sworn-east-timors-president-pledges?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 May 2022 01:51:05 +0000 People across East Timor went to the polls on Tuesday to choose either a Nobel laureate or a former guerilla fighter – the incumbent president – as their next leader. Front runner Jose Ramos-Horta has pledged to break a long-standing deadlock between the two main political parties in Southeast Asia’s youngest country should he win the run-off election against President Francisco “Lu-Olo” Guterres. “If I win … I will hold a dialogue with political parties, including [Guterres’] Fretilin, so they... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3174747/east-timor-votes-president-run-amid-political-feud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3174747/east-timor-votes-president-run-amid-political-feud?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Apr 2022 06:30:16 +0000 The number of new coronavirus infections in the last week jumped by about 55 per cent, although the number of deaths remained stable, the World Health Organization said in its latest pandemic report. In the weekly report issued Tuesday night, the UN health agency said there were about 15 million new Covid-19 cases last week and more than 43,000 deaths. Every world region reported a rise in Covid-19 cases except for Africa, where officials saw an 11 per cent drop. Last week, WHO noted a pandemic... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3163144/coronavirus-cases-jump-50-cent-deaths-remain-stable-says-who-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3163144/coronavirus-cases-jump-50-cent-deaths-remain-stable-says-who-report?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jan 2022 13:39:02 +0000