February 12, 2025 TOKYO – Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoàng Xuân Chiến represented Việt Nam at the 14th Japan-ASEAN Defence Vice-Ministerial Forum in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday. In his speech, Chiến stressed that the world is undergoing era-defining transformations. Against this backdrop, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) has proven … Read more
February 11, 2025 JAKARTA – The government says it is not interested in replacing the United States dollar as the primary currency for international trade, amid US President Donald Trump’s threat to apply 100 percent tariffs to BRICS members contemplating alternative currencies and de-dollarization. Members of BRICS, an informal grouping of emerging economies founded by … Read more
February 11, 2025 BEIJING – China has lodged solemn representations with Japan over its recent negative moves in Washington, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. On Monday, Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Asian Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry, summoned Yokochi Akira, chief minister of the Embassy of Japan in China, in Beijing to express … Read more
[Photo/VCG] Indonesia officially became a full member of BRICS on Jan 6, as announced by Brazilian foreign ministry. While Indonesia”s accession to BRICS has sparked debates at home, the decision by the Prabowo Subianto administration should be acknowledged as a strategic move to strengthen Indonesia’s position in global geopolitics. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, chairman of the … Read more
February 10, 2025 JAKARTA – As 2025 dawns, the world seems to be entering an age of anxiety, reminiscent of one hundred years ago, the period between the two World Wars. That period saw the German hyper-inflation of 1923, the rise of Hitler, and the Great Depression that caused jobs to vanish and incomes to … Read more
An investigation by Thansetthakij newspaper revealed that the JSCCIB and the Ministry of Commerce have discussed the impact on these 23 sectors, covering the effects on imports, production, and employment. The most heavily affected include: Electrical appliances and electronics: Impact from imports on the computer and component sector, including electrical and electronic … Read more
US-China Trade War: 30 Thai Industries Face Significant Threat A recent investigation by Thansetthakij newspaper has shed light on the alarming impact the US-China trade war is having on the Thai economy. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) and the Ministry of Commerce have identified no fewer than 30 industrial sectors … Read more
February 5, 2025 KUALA LUMPUR – Timor-Leste is on the verge of attaining full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Timor-Leste Ambassador to Malaysia Lisualdo Gaspar. Talking to Malaysian news agency Bernama, the ambassador said Timor-Leste has actively participated in ASEAN affairs since being granted observer status in 2022. In 2023, … Read more
Trump’s Secretary of Defense Nominee: Ignorance of Southeast Asia Raises Concerns The potential return of Donald Trump to the White House in 2025 has sparked widespread concern, particularly regarding his appointments for key positions. Among the most alarming picks is Pete Hegseth, nominated for Secretary of Defense. His blatant lack of knowledge about Southeast Asia … Read more
January 28, 2025 STANFORD – Nearly 700 million people live in Southeast Asia. Insulting all of them in less than a minute seems an impossible task. But not for Pete Hegseth, the utterly unqualified person Donald Trump wants to be his obedient secretary of defense for the coming four years of Trump’s second stretch as … Read more