Asean foreign ministers are shifting their Myanmar strategy, moving from collective pressure to bilateral engagement with Naypyidaw. This recalibration acknowledges the five-point consensus's limitations and explores direct talks, potentially including Myanmar's contested government in future discussions.
Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong met Russian President Vladimir Putin, balancing the city-state's sanctions against Moscow with its role in Asean and regional energy security needs. Analysts view the move as pragmatic, given Singapore's condemnation of Russia's Ukraine invasion and its upcoming Asean chairmanship.
Singapore's PM Lawrence Wong met Putin in Russia, balancing sanctions against Moscow with Asean responsibilities. Experts say this pragmatic approach maintains diplomatic channels while upholding sovereignty principles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Kazan on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN summit. This marks Marcos Jr.'s first visit to Russia, and the two leaders are co-chairing the summit, with the Philippines set to head ASEAN in 2026. The Kremlin views the Philippines as a key partner in the Asia-Pacific.
Southeast Asian leaders are revitalizing plans for a unified electricity grid, first conceived in 1997. The initiative aims to enable seamless cross-border energy flow, requiring system redesign to integrate new technologies and manage renewable energy variability, according to a new Ember report.
Indonesia proposed an Asean oil storage hub to bolster regional fuel reserves amid supply disruptions from the Middle East. Analysts cite political distrust and Asean's history of untested mechanisms as potential obstacles.
Canada aims to conclude separate free trade agreements with ASEAN and the Philippines by the end of the year, with a $2 million investment in the Luzon Economic Corridor.
Deeper economic cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will hinge on whether a code can be laid down to govern maritime territory and activity in the South China Sea, Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has said. “We cannot institutionalise any of those things until the code of conduct is finalised,” he told a press conference on Friday at the close of the 48th Asean summit in Cebu, when asked about aspects that held the most potential in relations between...
Sentiment is warming among some Southeast Asian members towards easing Myanmar’s isolation five years after a coup, with diplomats signalling a possible opening to bring the crisis-torn nation back into the fold. Southeast Asian foreign ministers have agreed to a virtual meeting with their Myanmar counterpart, according to Asean’s secretary general on Thursday. In an interview during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in the Philippines on Thursday, Kao Kim Hourn said Myanmar had...
Indonesia appears to have ceded its position as Asean’s natural leader to Singapore in a new survey of regional opinion leaders, with analysts pinning the shift on President Prabowo Subianto’s preference for pursuing Jakarta’s ambitions outside the regional bloc. More than 2,000 policymakers, researchers and business figures from across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were polled by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute for its latest annual State of Southeast Asia survey. When asked which...
