United States

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Brunei Darussalam

China

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Philippines

Vietnam

Politics

Slightly over half of respondents in the 2024 State of Southeast Asia Survey published by Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute said that out of the world's major powers, they would prefer to partner with China, an increase of 11.6% since 2023 and topping the United States for the first time, Nikkei Asia reported on April 2.

ASEAN: Annual Survey Shows Turn in Favor of China

Cambodia

Timor-Leste

Myanmar

Singapore

Thailand

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Rice prices are up more than 40% in Southeast Asia since late 2022 amid India's rice export ban instituted on July 20 and El Nino conditions that are reducing rice output from harvests, BenarNews reported on Sept. 29.

Southeast Asia: Food Insecurity on the Rise Amid Rice Export Bans, El Nino

Japan

Military & Security

Kao Kim Hourn, the secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the bloc and Japan will elevate ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" before or during a special summit celebrating 50 years of relations in December, Kyodo News reported March 8.

Japan, ASEAN: 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' Is Forthcoming

Cyber

U.S.-China Relations

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) circulated an alert revealing that Chinese-linked hackers stole 30 GB of data and over 10,000 emails from ASEAN countries and the ASEAN secretariat in February 2022, BenarNews reported March 3.

China, ASEAN: Trove of Stolen Data Revealed Ahead of South China Sea Negotiations

Australia

New Zealand

South Korea

India

Supply Chains

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

Asia-Pacific: Among Great Powers

During U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Tokyo, Japan, he announced the basic framework for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which seeks to create standardization across nations and new, redundant supply chains to prevent future disruptions, Reuters reported May 23.

Asia-Pacific: Biden Unveils Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Basics

ASEAN leaders met U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House, and Biden announced that the United States would invest $150 million in special funding in the region, The Straits Times reported May 13.

ASEAN: U.S. Announces Investment in Region After Leaders Meet Biden in Washington

Canada

Chile

Mexico

Peru

United Kingdom

The members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership on June 2 accepted the United Kingdom's bid to begin the accession process to join the trade bloc, the British government announced.

U.K.: British Bid to Begin CPTPP Accession Process Accepted

China in Transition

Southeast Asia: Burdened by Consensus

China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have signed the massive Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at a regional summit in Hanoi, Reuters reported Nov. 15. 

Asia Pacific: 15 Countries Sign RCEP, Forming World’s Largest Free Trade Bloc

Assessments

An aerial photo taken on Sept. 25, 2022, shows solar panels at the Sao Mai solar energy plant in Vietnam’s An Giang province. 

Energy

Several ASEAN countries are on track to develop substantial renewable power capacities in the short term, but technical, political and financial constraints, coupled with incentives to keep burning fossil fuels, will impede long-term decarbonization goals.

The Challenges Facing Southeast Asia's Decarbonization

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers a speech at the gala dinner for the ASEAN-Japan commemorative summit in Tokyo on Dec. 17, 2023. 

Over the next year, Tokyo will provide ASEAN countries with military equipment and more infrastructure investment, which will raise threat perceptions and further deteriorate Japan's ties with China.

The Implications of Japan's Growing Interest in Southeast Asia

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (R) delivers an opening address at the start of a bilateral meeting with Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (L) at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on Dec. 16, 2023.

Laos' vulnerabilities will weaken its ASEAN chairmanship, although the bloc's economic interconnectivity will likely continue to grow.

Laos' Limitations Portend a Lukewarm Year for ASEAN

Snapshots

Regional leaders pose for a group photo before the ASEAN-Australia summit, held as part of the 43rd ASEAN summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sept. 7, 2023. From left to right stand the Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thailand's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarun Charoensuwan, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indonesia's President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Brunei's Prime Minister Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao.

ASEAN's most recent summit underscored chronic passivity within the bloc that will only worsen in 2024. 

Amid ASEAN's Inaction, the Block's Members Look to External Partners for Security

Media

Taiwan

Graphics

Chinese maritime militia vessels float near the Philippine-controlled island of Thitu, which Filipinos call Pag-asa, in the contested Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on March 9, 2023.

Recent incidents in the South China Sea illustrate the competing interests of claimant states amid increasing militarization.

A Look at Recent Incidents in the South China Sea

A Chinese coast guard ship sails past anchored Philippine fishing boats in the Scarborough Shoal, in the disputed South China Sea, on Feb. 3, 2023.

A binding code of conduct in the South China Sea remains unlikely, despite the resumption of negotiations between claimant states.

With No Deal in Sight, South China Sea Claimants Continue to Militarize

A photo taken on May 23, 2022, in Tokyo shows U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attending a video call with leaders from countries in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. 

The narrow scope of the initiative will limit its effectiveness in achieving Washington’s goal of countering China’s regional rise.

The Stumbling Blocks of Biden's New Indo-Pacific Economic Bloc

Columns

On Geopolitics

Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands on April 21, 2017. Now that the State Department has issued a new position statement, China and the ASEAN states will be watching to see how far U.S. words translate into action.

Security

Now that the State Department has issued a new position statement, China and the ASEAN states will be watching to see how far U.S. words translate into action.

In the South China Sea, Washington Tries to Balance Support and Entanglement

Modernizing China’s Military

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The move marks the first time Washington has taken an official position on specific Chinese claims in the contested waterway, adding to mounting U.S.-China tensions.

What to Make of the U.S. Rejecting China's Claims in the South China Sea

A Chinese navy formation, including the aircraft carrier Liaoning (C), during military drills Jan. 2, 2017, in the South China Sea.

COVID-19

China and the United States are not so distracted by the COVID-19 pandemic that they cannot assert strategic interests in the South China Sea.

Even a Pandemic Does not Stop the South China Sea Competition

The proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which includes China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, would encompass almost half the world's population and a third of its economic output.

Globalization

For all it encompasses -- 16 countries, almost half the world's population and a third of its economic output -- the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership's boost to trade will remain modest as long as it sidesteps nontariff barriers.

Asian Free Trade Proposal Is Broad in Scope, Narrow in Focus

Asia-Pacific

Late last week, Canada publicly snubbed the deal, putting its future in question, but negotiators signed a framework agreement the very next day. 

Asia-Pacific: The Trans-Pacific Partnership Weakly Rises From Near Death

SITUATION REPORTS

ASEAN: Annual Survey Shows Turn in Favor of China

Southeast Asia: Food Insecurity on the Rise Amid Rice Export Bans, El Nino

Japan, ASEAN: 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' Is Forthcoming

China, ASEAN: Trove of Stolen Data Revealed Ahead of South China Sea Negotiations

Asia-Pacific: Biden Unveils Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Basics

ASEAN: U.S. Announces Investment in Region After Leaders Meet Biden in Washington

U.K.: British Bid to Begin CPTPP Accession Process Accepted

Asia Pacific: 15 Countries Sign RCEP, Forming World’s Largest Free Trade Bloc

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