A superpower diminished: Trump’s chaotic foreign policy is undermining US credibility in Asia

Written by Hunter Marston

Despite the opportunity presented by American retrenchment, China lacks the soft power to step in as a natural leader and its economic and political influence continue to be met with suspicion by regional elites.

India’s critical role in safeguarding undersea cables

Written by Arun Teja Polcumpally

To safeguard its internet infrastructure, India must invest in indigenous undersea cable maintenance capabilities, including commissioning Indian-flagged vessels for rapid response within its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.

Discover the May issue of The Navigator – out now

This month we cover the India-Pakistan flare-up that reignited nuclear concerns, followed by a burst of regional diplomacy. Our briefs examine how China and India are turning foreign policy into a tool of domestic control — through maritime coercion in Beijing’s case, and treaty-based pressure from New Delhi.

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News9DLMay 30, 2025Trump, ASEAN, Taiwan, The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, Russia, tariffs, Indus Water Treaty, South China Sea, India-Pakistan, India, Pakistan, Kashmir, Nuclear, France, New Caledonia, Macron, Mu Sochua, Cambodia

Navigating the middle: Japan-Cambodia relations and the challenge of geopolitical competition

Written by Dr Sophal Ear

Cambodia offers a litmus test: if Japan can sustain influence there, it may do so across mainland Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia, East Asia9DLMay 29, 20259DASHLINE, Sophal Ear, Navigating the middle: Japan–Cambodia relations and the challenge of geopolitical competition, Khmer Rouge, Cambodia, Japan, United States, China, diplomacy, development, peacebuilding, foreign policy, agency, Great power rivalry, Tokyo, liberal values, Southeast Asia, defense diplomacy, Cambodia’s Ream base, 1991 Paris Peace Agreements, United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), Official Development Assistance (ODA), aid, bilateral donor, Sihanoukville, soft infrastructure, authoritarianism, Phnom Penh, Strategic Partnership, international norms, rule of law, maritime security, ASEAN, South China Sea, Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) framework, Yōko Kamikawa, human resource development, digital connectivity, climate change, US tariffs, transhipment, public debt, United Nations Human Rights Council, debt trap, European Union, “Everything But Arms” scheme, sanctions, democratic backsliding, Hun Manet, “multi-vector” diplomacy, Beijing, alignment, national interest, liberal internationalism, Belt and Road Initiative, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), civil society, Cultural diplomacy, Japan-Cambodia Kizuna Festival, Japanese pop culture, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, State of Southeast Asia surveys, Ream Naval Base, Vietnamese People’s Navy, South China Sea (SCS), multilateralisation, Cold War, Soviet, balancing, non-alignment, middle power, FDI, The Asia Foundation, Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC), Navigating the middle: Japan-Cambodia relations and the challenge of geopolitical competition

New episode - Xi Jinping in Southeast Asia: Implications for Europe and the Indo-Pacific + Eurovision!

This month, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy and Richard Heydarian are joined by Stephen Nagy to unpack the significance of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Southeast Asia. Together, they explore what this heightened diplomatic outreach reveals about Beijing’s evolving regional strategy—and what it means for the Indo-Pacific at large, including Europe’s strategic positioning.

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News9DLMay 23, 2025EPinASEAN, 9DASHLINE, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Richard Heydarian, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, European Parliament, The Bridge, New episode - Xi Jinping in Southeast Asia: Implications for Europe and the Indo-Pacific + Eurovision!, Stephen Nagy, Eurovision, Southeast Asia, Xi Jinping, China

New partners for the Indo-Pacific: Turkey-ASEAN relations amid increasing geopolitical uncertainties

Written by Dr Selçuk Çolakoğlu

As the economic centre of gravity shifts from the North Atlantic to the Pacific, Turkey's increasing emphasis on its Asian identity is a strategic move to benefit from the economic rise of East Asian countries and organisations.

Most Popular, Europe and the Indo-Pacific9DLMay 16, 20259DASHLINE, SELÇUK ÇOLAKOĞLU, Turkey, ASEAN, Ankara, Black Sea region, Central Asia, Turkey's Asian identity, Turkic, Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), Turkey's Eurasian identity, dialogue partner, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, sectoral dialogue partner, Asia Anew, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, trading partners, trade, G20, MIKTA, Australia, South Korea, Mexico, middle powers, Global South, Turkey-ASEAN relations, Turkey-ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partnership, 43rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), Hanoi, Manila, ASEAN-Turkey Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (AT-JSCC), Trilateral Meeting, ASEAN secretary, Laos, Vientiane, Practical Cooperation Areas, transnational crime, terrorism, good governance, human rights, investment, sustainable development, economic cooperation, defence industry, connectivity, NATO, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Sino-US strategic rivalry, second Trump administration, Trump, humanitarian aid, development support, mediator, International Contact Group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Timor-Leste, UN Security Council, Rohingya, Bangladesh, neutrality, maritime disputes, ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), East Asian Summit, ASEAN Plus Three, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Liberal International Order, New partners for the Indo-Pacific: Turkey-ASEAN relations amid increasing geopolitical uncertainties, New partners for the Indo-Pacific - Turkey-ASEAN relations amid increasing geopolitical uncertainties

Waves of waste: Addressing Vietnam’s marine plastic pollution challenge

Written by Thu Nguyen Hoang Anh

Based on estimates from the Vietnam National Plastics Action Partnership, if the country’s current systems are not improved, the volume of plastics in its waterways could double by 2030.

Emerging Issues, Southeast Asia9DLMay 13, 20259DASHLINE, Waves of waste: Addressing Vietnam’s marine plastic pollution challenge, THU NGUYEN HOANG ANH, Vietnam, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, G7, marine plastic pollution reduction, plastic, plastic pollution, pollution, environmental pollution, marine pollution, waste, global marine plastic pollution, waste management, consumption, international cooperation, coastal, island, marine resources, marine ecosystems, fisheries, plastic debris, climate change, urbanisation, marine litter, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, soft law, National Action Plan for Management of Marine Plastic Litter by 2030, 2020 Law on Environmental Protection, People’s Committees, recycling, reuse, single-use plastic, transnational, ASEAN, Australasian Recycling Label (ARL), Japan’s Plastics Smart campaign, Thu Nguyen Hoang Anh

Discover the April issue of The Navigator – out now

This month we explore rising economic tensions in Northeast Asia, as Japan and South Korea respond to a new wave of US tariffs. We also turn to Myanmar, where a devastating earthquake has worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis. Despite urgent calls for aid, the junta is blocking relief efforts while pushing ahead with its plans for elections amid ongoing conflict.

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News9DLApril 25, 2025Trump, ASEAN, Taiwan, The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, USAID, Myanmar, Russia, Myanmar earthquake, tariffs

China is hedging in Myanmar by leveraging its influence

Written by Chetan Rana

Even though Myanmar’s international isolation appears to push it further closer to China, the Sit Tat and the EAOs are simultaneously engaging and contesting with China in different sectors. Beijing will be key in the execution and acceptance of elections planned by the junta.

New episode - Earthquakes: The ICC visits Duterte, budget cuts hit RFA, and devastation in Thailand and Myanmar

This month, Zsuzsa and Richard are joined by Kristina Kironska, a human rights expert with firsthand experience in Myanmar. Together, they unpack these seismic developments — from the arrest warrant for Duterte to attempts to silence outlets like Radio Free Asia — and examine their implications for international accountability and media freedom.

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Discover the March issue of The Navigator – out now

This month, alongside our usual roundup of events, we examine how India is balancing oil imports amid geopolitical pressures and the impact of defunding Radio Free Asia on US soft power in the Indo-Pacific.

Both developments underscore the shifting balance of influence, where economic choices and media narratives are shaping global power dynamics.

News9DLMarch 28, 2025Trump, ASEAN, Taiwan, The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, USAID, Chetan Rana, David MacSweeney, Radio Free Asia, Voice of America, Myanmar, Russia, Soft Power

New episode - After America: Europe’s role in a shifting Southeast Asia

As Trump's America redefines its global role, Southeast Asia faces uncertainty. Hunter Marston joins us to discuss developments in Washington and their potential impact on the region. We also explore whether Europe can help fill the strategic void—from security to economic ties. And, inspired by the vibrant Art Fair Philippines, Zsuzsa and Richard examine how culture can strengthen connections between Europe and Southeast Asia during this period of profound change.

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News9DLMarch 3, 2025EPinASEAN, 9DASHLINE, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Richard Heydarian, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, European Parliament, The Bridge, Trump, Hunter Marston, After America: Europe’s role in a shifting Southeast Asia, New episode: After America: Europe’s role in a shifting Southeast Asia

Discover the February issue of The Navigator – Out Now

This month we examine Berlin’s economic and political challenges, a tough stance on China, and Southeast Asia’s reaction to the arrival of the Trump 2.0 presidency amid US policy uncertainty.

News9DLFebruary 28, 2025Trump, ASEAN, Hunter Marston, Roderick Kefferpütz, Taiwan, The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, US, United States, Ukraine, German, Friedrich Merz, Germany, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, USAID

Discover the January issue of The Navigator – Out Now

This month we look at how the ongoing Gaza conflict is reshaping global geopolitics, and intensifying the rivalry between the US and China in the Indo-Pacific. Our second brief argues for the (re)inclusion of Kenya — an important regional power strategically located along the Indian Ocean — as a key part of the Indo-Pacific.

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News9DLJanuary 31, 2025The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, The Bridge, EPinASEAN, European Parliament in ASEAN, China, India, Donald Trump, South China Sea, Scarborough Shoal, David MacSweeney, Taiwan, Gaza

South Korea’s martial law moment: constitutional crisis, and the regional order

Written by Dr Seohee Park

This crisis represents more than a domestic Korean political drama; it tests the resilience of regional alliances and could accelerate broader geopolitical shifts in an increasingly complex Northeast Asian landscape.

East Asia9DLJanuary 6, 20259DASHLINE, Constitutional crisis and regional order: South Korea’s martial law moment, Seohee Park, South Korea, Korea, Yoon, Yoon government, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon Suk-yeol, Yoon Suk Yeol, President Yoon Suk Yeol, President Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, martial law, First Lady Kim Keon Hee, stock manipulation, corruption, People Power Party (PPP), Han Dong-hoon, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, National Assembly, Mencian principle, authoritarian, collective memory, Syngman Rhee’s anti-communist crackdowns, Park Chung-hee’s military dictatorship, Chun Doo-hwan, 1980 Gwangju Democracy Movement, national psyche, military, Yeouido, lawmakers, opposition, South Korea’s democracy, democracy, Constitutional Court, impeachment, bipartisan, Democratic Party (DP), Donald Trump, White House, regional stability, Shigeru Ishiba, Japan, Northeast Asia, diplomatic realignment, diplomatic, Korea passing, Chinese President Xi, Seoul-Tokyo rapprochement, semiconductor, trade, restrictions, Camp David summit, security cooperation, Lee Jae-myung, constitutional crisis, Moon Jae-in, North Korea, America First, Tokyo, Asian NATO, Ukraine, Taiwan, ASEAN, allies, Korean Peninsula, US-Japan alliance, US-UK relationship, Quad, India, Australia, Official Security Assistance (OSA), Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia, Djibouti, semiconductor supply chains, emerging technologies, impeachment of Acting President Han Duck-soo (Prime Minister)

Discover the December issue of The Navigator – Out Now

As the year comes to a close, the Indo-Pacific continues to witness dynamic shifts across the political, economic, and strategic landscapes.

This month's brief explores how China may be attempting to connect disputes in the South China Sea with its declared objective of reunification with Taiwan.

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News9DLDecember 31, 2024The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, The Bridge, EPinASEAN, European Parliament in ASEAN, Fiji, China, AUKUS, India, Donald Trump, South China Sea, Scarborough Shoal, David MacSweeney, Taiwan

New episode: Leaning into 2025: India's influence, ASEAN and a Middle East ceasefire, and how the Philippines really love Christmas.

This month we look ahead to 2025. With insights from Manali Kumar and David MacSweeney, we explore how ASEAN might respond to a potential Middle East ceasefire, examine India’s growing role as a key partner in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and hear how the Philippines celebrates Christmas like nowhere else.

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News9DLDecember 27, 2024EPinASEAN, 9DASHLINE, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Richard Heydarian, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, European Parliament, The Bridge, Trump, David MacSweeney, Manali Kumar, Gaza

The Navigator's November issue is out now

This month has been defined by developments that highlight both challenges and frustrations on the global and regional stage. In this issue, we look at India’s pollution crisis and the evolving landscape of connected vehicles.

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News9DLNovember 29, 2024The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, The Bridge, EPinASEAN, European Parliament in ASEAN, Fiji, China, AUKUS, Pollution, India, Donald Trump, Connected vehicles