17 Dec 2024 Fan Bingbing: Tourism Ambassadorship and China’s Soft Power Peter T. C. Chang China’s soft power comes in various guises. Fan Bingbing’s appointment as Melaka’s tourism ambassador represents a new, private-sector driven form that will likely grow. China China-Malaysia Relations Malaysia Tourism
16 Dec 2024 Weaknesses in Mekong River Governance: The Case of the Funan Techo Canal Pham Vu Thieu Quang Cambodia’s Funan Techo Canal, which aims to connect Phnom Penh to the Gulf of Thailand, has sparked regional concerns, particularly from Vietnam, due to potential environmental impacts and geopolitical implications. Cambodia Mekong River Vietnam
16 Dec 2024 Fraud with Danger: The Rise of Cyber Scams in Southeast Asia Lance Wu Lance Wu investigates the prevalence of cyber scams in the region and the challenges in responding to them while protecting ASEAN’s digital transformation. ASEAN ASEANFocus Crime Cyber Security Digitalisation
16 Dec 2024 Addressing the Philippines’ Education Crisis JC Punongbayan The education system in the Philippines is floundering. It is time to implement some urgent reforms, such as addressing the spending gap and decentralisation. Education Philippine
13 Dec 2024 The State Administration Council and the Restyling of Myanmar’s Economy Jared Bissinger This article reviews the complex drivers of post-coup business performance and the factors that have contributed to business survival under Myanmar’s State Administrative Council. Not all of the reasons stem from having close links with the military regime. Myanmar Myanmar Economy Myanmar Military
13 Dec 2024 Thailand and the Chinese Import Surge: Possible Policy Responses Archanun Kohpaiboon|Prasert Vijithnopparat Apart from tariffs and import bans, there are more reasonable options to address the surge of Chinese imports into Thailand. China Thai Economy Thailand Trade
13 Dec 2024 Prabowo Subianto Now President with New Cabinet but Speculation Still Rampant Max Lane The new president has been in power nearly two months but many questions remain unresolved. Indonesia Indonesian Politics
12 Dec 2024 Outlook 2025 ASEAN’s 2025 Chair: Navigating Tricky (Economic) Shoals Kristina Fong Siew Leng As ASEAN’s chair next year, Malaysia is well-placed to pilot ASEAN through economic turbulence, particularly at a time of intense geopolitical flux. ASEAN Economy Malaysia Outlook 2025
11 Dec 2024 Making Carbon Trading Work: Exploring Collaboration between Japan and ASEAN Countries Julie de los Reyes|Katrina Navallo Julie de los Reyes and Katrina Navallo suggest several strategies to make carbon trading between Japan and ASEAN effective. ASEAN ASEANFocus Japan Japan-Southeast Asia Relations
10 Dec 2024 Reclaiming the ‘Resilient Filipino’: From Romanticised Climate Narratives Towards Resilience-Focused Climate Policy in the Philippines Ariel Macaspac Hernandez Climate change is clearly affecting the Philippines. Whether it can transform a long-held national attribute into successful climate adaptation will determine what the future holds. Climate Change Philippine Economy Philippines
