Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy
The development of ASEAN Single Window in the past 15 years has demonstrated the importance of digitalizing trade procedures to reduce trade costs and boost competitiveness in ASEAN. The enlargement of the ASEAN Single Window to include the grouping’s dialogue partners will reduce trade costs further.
Nyi Nyi Kyaw
Myanmar’s November elections are still a way away, but partisan warfare between the so-called “reds” and “greens” has already erupted on Facebook.
Syafiq Hasyim
Islamist groups have been on the up on up in Indonesia. However, a failure to foster unity in the ranks will not bode well for their political fortunes.
Francis E. Hutchinson|Kevin Zhang
UMNO’s thumping victory in the recent Chini by-election was not unexpected. The solid Malay support displayed during the poll, however, presages a deeper fissure within the Perikatan Nasional coalition.
Termsak Chalermpalanupap
Thailand will soon be looking at another cabinet reshuffle. But there is more than meets the eye. The prime minister’s relationship with the ruling Phalang Pracharat Party remains tenuous.
William Choong
Rising Sino-US rivalry and a rapidly changing geopolitical environment means that smaller states in the Asia-Pacific are increasingly compelled to “choose sides” between the two major powers. They are, however, not short of options.
Malcolm Cook
Australia’s recently-released defence update may be the most consequential document in terms of Canberra’s defence relations with Southeast Asia. Australia is asking its Southeast Asia partners to do more, while offering them more in return.
Nyi Nyi Kyaw
Some political parties have called on the ruling National League for Democracy to form a coalition government come the November polls. Such a tactic is premature.
Tham Siew Yean
A historic slump in Malaysia’s exports has been attributed to the coronavirus sweeping across the region. But the fall is indicative of a deeper, structural weakness in the economy.
Leo Suryadinata
Indonesia has recently taken a firmer position vis-à-vis China on the South China Sea. Those who think that Jakarta is assuming the leadership mantle of ASEAN on the issue will be disappointed; the more assertive stance derives from Jakarta’s own interests.