Vietnam’s Mekong challenge: balancing ties with China amid build up of dams, canal projects

China-backed projects on the Mekong River may complicate ties with Vietnam, analysts warn, as Hanoi navigates the delicate balance of cooperation with Beijing while maintaining a strategic presence in neighbouring Cambodia and Laos. At a recent online forum on Tuesday, the discussion centred on Vietnam’s complex security challenges and how Hanoi can maintain relations with … Read more

Can Southeast Asia be part of a new world order amid US-China tug of war?

Southeast Asia can be part of a new international order if China plays its cards right amid a “free fall in geopolitics” sparked by mounting uncertainty over the United States’ regional role. Panel speakers at the “China Conference: Southeast Asia” in Kuala Lumpur on Monday gave an overview of changing power dynamics and how this … Read more