ARTICLES

23 Oct 2026

ASEAN@60 Special Edition

Countering Misinformation: Where ASEAN Can Make a Difference

Dien Nguyen An Luong

Dien Nguyen An Luong suggests that Singapore’s 2027 ASEAN Chairmanship could strengthen regional cooperation on countering misinformation by helping member states identify links between seemingly isolated incidents and investigate coordinated cross-border networks.

22 Oct 2026

Mary Jane Veloso and Transnational Crime: Lessons for ASEAN

Aaron Mallari

Mary Jane Veloso was treated as a criminal before she was recognised as a victim. Her case shows why victims of forced criminality need an integrated regional response, not just a national one.

ASEAN Crime Human Trafficking Philippine

21 Oct 2026

Southeast Asia Should Double Down on the AI Supply Chain

Robert Walker

AI-related exports are a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy global economy. This represents an opportunity for Southeast Asia.

Artificial Intelligence ASEAN Southeast Asia Supply Chains

21 Oct 2026

Expanding the Diplomatic Toolbox: Southeast Asia at the New Delhi BRICS Summit

Gurjit Singh

Four ASEAN members attended the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, in different capacities. This shows the region preserving strategic autonomy, avoiding binary choices and expanding options.

ASEAN BRICS Indo-Pacfic

16 Oct 2026

ASEAN@60: Special Edition

What ASEAN Mediation Can and Cannot Do

Melinda Martinus|Fannesa Adisty Laksmita

Melinda Martinus and Fannesa Adisty Laksmita argue that ASEAN's strength lies in convening and facilitating dialogue but that without follow-through, different parties' political will and sufficient leverage, its mediation efforts will struggle to deliver results.

ASEAN ASEANFocus

14 Oct 2026

Will Greater Defence Spending by ASEAN Countries Compromise Their Economic Growth?

João Tovar Jalles|John Beirne|Donghyun Park

As geopolitical tensions push Southeast Asian governments to spend more on defence, the economic consequences will depend heavily on domestic conditions, the composition of spending and regional circumstances.

ASEAN Defence Economic Development Economy

14 Oct 2026

Japan’s “Silent Diplomacy” in Myanmar: A Partner for ASEAN’s Peace Process?

Hirokazu Omatsu|Kyi Sin

Japan is stepping up its regional mediation push. This will be relevant to Myanmar.

ASEAN Japan Myanmar Myanmar Politics

13 Oct 2026

Haze Chokes Plants Too: Air Quality as a Food Security Issue

Paul Teng

Southeast Asia must address the damage of the haze on agriculture, especially food crops.

ASEAN Climate Change Haze Pollution

9 Oct 2026

ASEAN@60 Special Edition

ASEAN’s Economic Future in an Age of Geoeconomic Competition

Mari Elka Pangestu

Over the past two decades, since the ASEAN Economic Community was envisioned, ASEAN has benefited from an increasingly open global economy. Its strategy of remaining open to all major economies, attracting investment, integrating into global supply chains and avoiding choosing sides has served the region well, but this model is now under pressure. The intensifying US-China strategic rivalry and tariff wars, export controls and competition over semiconductors and critical minerals are reshaping the global economic landscape.

ASEAN ASEANFocus Economic Development Global Value Chains

5 Oct 2026

Southeast Asia Needs AI Exit Options, Not AI Independence

Zenobia Chan

The region cannot eliminate its dependence on foreign chips, clouds and models. It can, however, ensure that essential AI systems remain affordable, locally effective and replaceable when suppliers or access conditions change.

Artificial Intelligence ASEAN Southeast Asia Technology