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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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Asean
South China Sea
the Asian angle
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto (right) shakes hands with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong after a press conference at the presidential palace in Jakarta in November 2024. Photo: AFP
Asean

Why Indonesia is ceding its role as Asean’s natural leader to Singapore

For decades, Indonesia’s standing was a given. A new survey suggests the region’s opinion leaders are no longer so sure.

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Singapore

Strait talking: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia unite to secure safe shipping

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Japan

Why Japan’s Takaichi is already facing resistance inside her own party

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India

Iran firing on Indian oil tankers in Hormuz sparks ‘mistaken identity’ fears

Analysts say the episode reveals how easily military pressure and confusion in Hormuz can affect vessels not meant to be in the line of fire.

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Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
South Korea

‘Intelligence leak’ claims expose trust gap in US-South Korea ties

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young rejects accusations he leaked sensitive information about North Korea’s Kusong nuclear facility.

China-India relations

India and China wall off border rows to focus on trade and security

Analysts say the two sides are returning to a state of ‘managed coexistence’ after their Shanghai Cooperation Organisation talks.

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The Philippines

Can a US-governed ‘Pax Silica’ hub turn Philippines into a chip powerhouse?

The chip-focused ‘economic security zone’ will reportedly operate under US law despite being on Philippine soil.

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An employee of a semiconductor company in Manila displays computer chips manufactured in the Philippines in 2008. The country has long been confined to the lower-value work of chip assembly, testing and packaging. Photo: AFP
An employee of a semiconductor company in Manila displays computer chips manufactured in the Philippines in 2008. The country has long been confined to the lower-value work of chip assembly, testing and packaging. Photo: AFP
Japan

Vietnam and Philippines trust Japan. Why doesn’t Indonesia?

Analysts say Indonesia worries about its neutrality as Tokyo ramps up ties with the US and lags behind China on green investment.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war escalates as Houthis threaten to sever Saudi oil exports

Targets reportedly include a Saudi pipeline to the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and a UAE export terminal at Fujairah, outside the Gulf.

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South Korea

South Korea targets India, Vietnam in ‘co-prosperity’ push for trade and tech

President Lee embarks on a strategic trip to New Delhi and Hanoi, boosting economic ties and supply chains amid the Middle East chaos.

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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung delivers a speech during a ceremony at the National Cemetery in Seoul on Sunday. Photo: EPA/Yonhap
Donald Trump

Russia’s Lavrov says balance of power shifting to emerging economies

At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, Lavrov said the foundations of globalisation powered primarily by the US had ‘come to an end’.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a session at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a session at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
Japan

Japan ditches decades of arm export curbs as US reliability wavers

From drones for Ukraine to warships for Australia, ‘peace-loving’ Japan is fast pivoting towards arming the world.

US, Israel war on Iran

Turkey’s Erdogan urges Iran, US to use ceasefire to push for lasting peace

At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, Erdogan also stressed the importance of acting with ‘prudent understanding’ to end the Iran war.

US, Israel war on Iran

Lebanon becomes key to Iran-US peace talks amid fears of Israel’s ‘hegemony’

Pakistan is the regional go-between to help maintain the 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon and push for a conclusive deal to end the Iran war.

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Displaced people make their way back to their home on Friday crossing the bridge in Qasmiyeh linking southern Lebanon to the rest of the country as a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

Philippine ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co’s arrest revives long-stalled corruption probe

Observers say Co’s arrest is a ‘notable step towards accountability’ and committee hearings on the flood control scandal could resume.

Former lawmaker Zaldy Co (left) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. Photo: AFP
Former lawmaker Zaldy Co (left) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. Photo: AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

‘Everybody’s suffering’: Kazakhstan seeks UN reforms amid fragile Iran truce

President Tokayev told the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that multilateralism is being undermined as major decisions move outside the UN framework.

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North Korea

Nuclear defiance: North Korea’s Kim signals he won’t be the next Iran

Kim Jong-un’s increased appearances at military drills show his confidence in Pyongyang’s nuclear deterrence, analysts say.

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Indonesia

Chinese drone exposes Indonesia’s ‘insufficient’ undersea capabilities

Indonesia is likely to resolve the drone issue through ‘quiet diplomacy’ and not escalate it into a major row, analysts say.

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A torpedo-like object, discovered by a fisherman near the Lombok Strait, is towed ashore onto a beach on Gili Trawangan, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, on April 6. Photo: AFP
A torpedo-like object, discovered by a fisherman near the Lombok Strait, is towed ashore onto a beach on Gili Trawangan, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, on April 6. Photo: AFP
Japan

Why Japan will remain the most trusted power in Asean despite military push

A survey by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute shows respondents trusted Japan more as a power than the EU, the US, China and India.

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Japan

Japan backs a female emperor while Takaichi pushes conservative succession plan

A new poll shows most Japanese support a woman taking the throne, even as the prime minister moves to preserve male-line succession.

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The Philippines

Why Southeast Asian nations are skipping major US-Philippine Balikatan drills

Given the rivalry between Washington and Beijing, joining the annual military exercise may risk being seen as picking the US, analysts say.

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Philippine Navy Colonel Dennis Hernandez (left) looks on as United States Marines Colonel Robert Bunn speaks during a Balikatan briefing on Tuesday. Photo: EPA
Indonesia

Prabowo’s overseas trips draw scrutiny as Indonesia urges fuel restraint

Since his inauguration in October 2024, Prabowo has gone on 51 official visits, travelling to 28 countries and chalking up 99 days overseas.

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Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto inspects the French Republican Guard upon arrival at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Tuesday. Photo: EPA
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto inspects the French Republican Guard upon arrival at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Tuesday. Photo: EPA
Pakistan

Pakistan seeks to shield Gulf states as US-Iran talks set to resume

A senior official involved in Islamabad’s diplomacy says it is trying to defuse the crisis ‘in any way we can’.

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Singapore

Singapore balances national interest with rising anti-US sentiment

Negative public sentiment does not immediately translate to worsening bilateral ties as the US remains an important partner, experts say.

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Indonesia

Leaked plan for US military overflights triggers sovereignty row in Indonesia

Internal warnings reveal a government split over risks that blanket access for US warplanes could drag Indonesia into foreign conflicts.

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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shakes hands with Indonesia’s Director General of Defence Strategy Major General Agus Widodo at the Pentagon on Monday. Photo: AFP
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