China's Trade Slowdown in November Sparks Concerns Amid Imminent U.S. Trade Risks

Trump’s Tariffs Jolt Southeast Asia: A Region Reconsiders Its Future Between Washington and Beijing

Until early April 2025, Southeast Asian capitals seemed almost relaxed about Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Unlike European leaders bracing for another transatlantic breakdown, or East Asian allies fretting about security commitments, governments in ASEAN were relatively sanguine....
Türkiye’s KAAN Fighter Jets

Southeast Asia Turns to Ankara: Why Turkish Arms Deals Are Reshaping Regional Defense Architecture

From drones to frigates, missile systems and even fifth-generation fighter jets, a new supplier in Southeast Asia’s defence landscape has been making headlines: Türkiye. Announcements of Turkish arms contracts, deliveries, and deployments by Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines over the past two years...
Turkish-made KHAN tactical ballistic missile system

Indonesia’s Deployment KHAN Missile System Marks a Strategic Shift in Southeast Asia’s Military Landscape

Indonesia has officially inducted the Turkish-made KHAN tactical ballistic missile system into operational service. With this move, Indonesia becomes the first nation in the region to deploy such a weapon—an achievement that propels Jakarta into the upper echelon of regional...
EU-China summit

EU-China Relations at Crossroads: How Summit Frictions Create Strategic Openings for Southeast Asia

In a climate of rising geopolitical instability and fracturing global trade norms, European Union leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang for a high-stakes summit that marked 50 years of EU-China diplomatic relations. The summit, held...
Türkiye KAAN Stealth Fighter

Indonesia Becomes First Foreign Buyer of Türkiye’s KAAN Stealth Fighter, Sealing $10 Billion Aerospace and Defense Pact

 In a monumental leap for Türkiye’s defence industry and Indonesia’s strategic modernization efforts, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has inked a historic $10 billion (RM46.8 billion) agreement to supply 48 KAAN fifth-generation stealth fighter jets to Jakarta, marking the largest defence...
Thai F-16 Strikes Deepen Deadly Clashes with Cambodia

Border Inferno: Thai F-16 Strikes Deepen Deadly Clashes with Cambodia Amid Rising Diplomatic Breakdown

In one of the most dangerous escalations between two Southeast Asian neighbors in decades, a Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed military targets inside Cambodia on Thursday, as fierce fighting erupted along the disputed Thai-Cambodian border. At least 12 people –...
Thailand-Cambodia border

Thailand Bans Tourists from Entering Cambodia Amid Escalating Border Dispute

Southeast Asia: Thailand has imposed sweeping restrictions on all travel into neighboring Cambodia, citing security concerns, political instability, and the need to curb cross-border criminal activity. The decision follows deadly clashes along the disputed border region in May, where a...
Vietnam Economic

Vietnam’s Crackdown on Counterfeits: A Country Under Pressure From United States Faces Economic and Cultural Reckoning

In Vietnam’s bustling markets, where imitation luxury fashion was once sold in the open with cheerful transparency, the silence of shuttered shops now echoes the country’s growing economic anxiety. The United States, Vietnam’s top export destination, has accused the Southeast...
F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet

Malaysia Set to Boost Air Combat Capabilities with Acquisition of Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornets: A Strategic Leap in Indo-Pacific

Southeast Asia: The United States has formally approved the transfer of used F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets from the Kuwait Air Force to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). The deal, now gaining substantial momentum, marks a pivotal chapter in Malaysia’s...
Cambodia-Thailand Border Conflict

U.S. Ally and China’s Strategic Partner Exchange Fire in Southeast Asia: Cambodia-Thailand Border Skirmish Raises Fears of Renewed Regional Instability

On May 28, 2025, a brief but deadly exchange of gunfire between Cambodian and Thai soldiers in the Emerald Triangle—a tri-border area shared by Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos—resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier. The incident occurred near Morokot...
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