27 h. ago Why US defence chief’s attack on China won’t find favour in Southeast Asia

After listening to US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s all-out attack on “communist China” at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, some might have wondered what the Chinese people would make of it. But as a Chinese delegate listening to him live, I was wondering what Hegseth’s boss, US President Donald Trump, would think. In February, Trump called US Vice-President J.D. Vance’s speech in Munich bashing European allies “brilliant”. This time, we haven’t had his thoughts. I wondered, not only...

Events

28 h. ago China grants export permits to rare earth giant for US, Europe shipments

A top Chinese rare earth exporter, which hosted President Xi Jinping during a 2019 inspection, said it had obtained export permits for several destinations, including the United States. Investors welcomed the news, sending the company’s shares higher. JL MAG Rare-Earth said on Wednesday that it had also been granted licenses for Europe and Southeast Asia, and that it would export magnetic materials, components and motor rotors. “After the export controls imposed on medium and heavy rare earth...

Politics

56 h. ago Pressured by US tariffs, Chinese exports expand in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia

Chinese exports to major industrial centres in Southeast Asia rose by double-digit percentages in the first five months of the year to satisfy growing consumer markets, feed offshore factory investments and offset losses from high US tariffs. Shipments to factory-magnet Vietnam increased by 18.8 per cent from January to May, compared with the same period in 2024, according to official data released on Monday. Meanwhile, exports to Thailand grew by 20.9 per cent, and Indonesia took 16.8 per cent...

Events

5 d. ago L’Oreal sees Middle East and Southeast Asia as next growth engines as China slows: ‘Eventually demographics have to win’

L’Oreal sees Middle East and Southeast Asia as next growth engines as China slows: ‘Eventually demographics have to win’  Fortune

Politics

1 week ago China boosts Southeast Asian populations overlooked in Human Genome Project

For more than two decades, the Human Genome Project (HGP) – a landmark scientific endeavour led by Western nations – mapped humanity’s genetic blueprint, yet the rich diversity of Southeast Asia was overlooked. Despite being home to nearly 300 million people, including the world’s largest indigenous population, mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA) contributed a mere 1.57 per cent to global genomic databases, with most data derived from diaspora communities rather than local populations. Chinese...

Politics

1 week ago Will Indonesia’s Whoosh extension to Surabaya be derailed by Chinese debt?

Indonesia is reviving plans to extend its Chinese-backed high-speed rail network, with ambitions to connect Jakarta with Surabaya, the nation’s second-largest city. But analysts say familiar complications could stall the project, from regulatory hurdles to the mounting debt owed to China. The proposed extension would build on Whoosh – Southeast Asia’s first high speed rail line – a US$7.3 billion project connecting capital Jakarta to Bandung in West Java province. The 142km (88-mile) railway,...

Events

2 w. ago Saudi Arabia looks to take partnership with China and Southeast Asia beyond AI: ‘There’s so many untapped areas’

Saudi Arabia looks to take partnership with China and Southeast Asia beyond AI: ‘There’s so many untapped areas’  Fortune

Politics

2 w. ago ANALYSIS: Unpacking China’s Offer to Southeast Asia and the Middle East

ANALYSIS: Unpacking China’s Offer to Southeast Asia and the Middle East  The China-Global South Project

Politics

2 w. ago Macron touts defence ties in Indonesia, backs Prabowo’s push for Palestine

President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed France’s deepening defence and economic ties with Indonesia during a visit to Jakarta, where the two countries signed a raft of major agreements and pledged to expand cooperation in areas ranging from arms procurement to nutrition and investment. The war in Gaza was also discussed, with President Prabowo Subianto signalling a potential diplomatic shift by stating that Indonesia could recognise Israel – if it first acknowledges a sovereign Palestinian state –...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Asian alliance’: how China is forging a new power centre amid the trade war

China is pushing to forge a powerful new economic bloc with countries across Southeast Asia and the Middle East to counteract rising US protectionism, with some analysts suggesting a prototype for an “Asian Union” may be taking shape. Premier Li Qiang attended the opening of a new forum bringing together leaders from China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Tuesday, where he remarked that the current global tensions offered an...

Events

2 w. ago South China Sea tensions ‘won’t stop’ Asean’s blue economy growth: official

Southeast Asia’s plans to grow its blue economy – especially its fisheries sector – will not be hindered by tensions in the South China Sea, according to a senior Asean official, despite warnings from observers that ongoing maritime disputes with China could threaten the region’s economic and environmental progress. Satvinder Singh, deputy secretary general of the Asean Economic Community, said disputes involving claimant states such as the Philippines and Vietnam would not hamper the bloc’s...

Politics

2 w. ago Asean aims for more investments from GCC as US tariffs spur diversification

Southeast Asian economies have signalled their readiness to allow more investments from the Gulf region in sectors such as technology, artificial intelligence and renewable energy, as they look to diversify growth and shield themselves from the impact of US tariffs. In return, the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council is seeking partners beyond the Middle East to tap its oil wealth as part of its efforts to play a greater role in global growth. Southeast Asia’s economies have been reeling since...

Economics

2 w. ago Hong Kong embraces data trading as economic engine, finance chief says

Hong Kong is ramping up efforts to become an international data-trading hub by forging ties with mainland China and Southeast Asia, as cross-border data sharing is a new engine of an AI-driven economy that will benefit people and businesses, said Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. “We are also committed to opening and sharing data that the private sector and academia can use,” Chan said on Tuesday at the inaugural International Data Industry Alliance (IDIA) Global Summit in Hong Kong. The...

Economics

2 w. ago Southeast Asia and Gulf leaders meet with China as governments look to coordinate in the face of Trump tariffs

Southeast Asia and Gulf leaders meet with China as governments look to coordinate in the face of Trump tariffs  Fortune

Politics

2 w. ago China’s Pop Mart conquers Middle East with Labubu plush toys

After a meteoric rise in the US and Southeast Asia, Pop Mart International’s latest iteration of its hit Labubu character is winning deep-pocketed fans in the Middle East, a fresh sign that the Beijing-based toymaker’s ambition to become a “truly global company” is gaining momentum. Google trend data shows that interest in the character surged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the April 25 launch of the latest Big Into Energy series. Among the largest emirates, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah...

Politics

2 w. ago Li Qiang’s Indonesia visit highlights rapid change in world order

The United States’ global tariff war has done no harm to trade and cooperation between other countries. It has prompted and energised them to nurture and develop their own relations. The uncertainty that has riled markets and troubled business has therefore had a silver lining. There is no better example in this part of the world than China – the world’s second-largest economy – and Indonesia, the biggest economy in Southeast Asia, which is also China’s biggest market. Premier Li Qiang has just...

Politics

2 w. ago Shirtless man detained in Vietnam for vandalising historic throne

The man broke an arm off the 200-year-old royal seat. He was ‘screaming, talking nonsense’ and showed signs of psychosis, officials said.

Politics

2 w. ago French President Macron hopes for defence, energy and tech deals as he starts Asia trip

Macron arrived in Vietnam on Sunday and will then go to Indonesia and finish up in Singapore, where he will speak at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Politics

2 w. ago France’s President Macron arrives in Vietnam, kicking off Southeast Asia tour

Macron, who is also to visit Indonesia and Singapore, will pitch his country as a reliable alternative partner to the US and China.

Politics

2 w. ago France’s president kicks off Southeast Asia tour seeking deals in Vietnam

Emmanuel Macron, who is also to visit Indonesia and Singapore, will pitch his country as a reliable alternative partner to the US and China.

Politics