Written by Eerishika Pankaj and Rahul Karan Reddy
The concern Beijing has with an India-Philippines strategic partnership lies in its signalling of the rise of layered, maritime-centric, military cooperation emerging in China’s periphery — designed to reinforce a rules-based order and deter unilateral changes to the status quo in the global commons.
Read MoreWritten by Ophelia Yumlembam
Given the Quad’s and the EU’s ongoing efforts to build resilient and diversified critical mineral supply chains, a more proactive and coordinated approach with other like-minded global actors is urgently needed — before China further consolidates its dominance over Myanmar’s REE resources and, by extension, the global REE supply chain.
Read MoreWritten by Aristyo Rizka Darmawan and John Bradford
Ratification of the EEZ agreement provides a good opportunity for Indonesia to clarify its position by denying the validity of China’s Nine-Dash Line claim while simultaneously preserving its interests and advancing good relations with an important neighbour.
Read MoreWritten by Shin Kawashima
Japan and other US allies must strengthen ties with Southeast Asian countries to address US retrenchment, positioning themselves as credible alternatives for countries seeking to avoid over-reliance on China.
Read MoreWritten by Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy and Julia Gurol-Haller
Together, the EU, Taiwan, and ASEAN can redefine connectivity not as a geopolitical tool for influence, but as a platform for empowerment, resilience, and strategic autonomy in the Global South.
Read MoreWritten by Dr Apila Sangtam
Crucially, reinvigorating key connectivity initiatives such as the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway would serve as both a symbolic and practical demonstration of India’s commitment to regional integration.
Read MoreWritten by Hunter Marston
Southeast Asian anxieties with the Trump administration’s turn toward protectionist trade policies were evident in the May 2025 ASEAN Summit, when the regional bloc expressed ‘deep concern’ with US tariffs.
Read MoreWritten by Dr 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.
Read MoreWritten by Dr Sophal Ear
Cambodia offers a litmus test: if Japan can sustain influence there, it may do so across mainland Southeast Asia.
Read MoreWritten 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.
Read MoreWritten 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.
Read MoreWritten by Dominique Fraser and Dr Premesha Saha
Indonesia will need to ensure that it carefully balances its commitments to BRICS alongside its responsibilities and obligations within ASEAN and its existing relationships with Western nations like the US and the EU.
Read MoreWritten by Chhay Lim
Policies that force Cambodia into a binary choice risk deepening its reliance on China and undermining US efforts to maintain influence in Southeast Asia.
Read MoreWritten by Hunter Marston
While sanctions alone are unlikely to change the military’s behaviour, they are more likely to be effective when part of a broader diplomatic strategy, which is required to resolve the current crisis.
Read MoreWritten by Tran Thi Mong Tuyen
To establish itself as a semiconductor hub Vietnam needs a bold strategy that leverages its ‘latecomer’ advantages. Vietnam should set clear goals and concentrate resources on developing its semiconductor industry, with milestones for 2030 and 2050.
Read MoreWritten by Farwa Aamer
Economic marginalisation, including limited access to higher-paying jobs and decision-making roles, often constrains women's ability to advance politically, creating a cycle where economic disadvantages also feed into underrepresentation in political leadership.
Read MoreWritten by Meghan Murphy and Bryanna Entwistle
Unable to stop a deadly civil war within its member states, halt transnational crime that crosses its borders, deliver solutions on maritime rights, or mitigate superpower relations, the bloc feels to many as an increasingly irrelevant mechanism in which to conduct foreign affairs.
Read MoreWritten by Aniello Iannone
The persistent influence of the military and entrenched oligarchies continues to subvert the will of the electorate, creating a hybrid political system where democratic processes are overshadowed by authoritarian interventions.
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