From an annual rate exceeding 30 per cent in 2023, Laos successfully brought inflation down to about 7.7 per cent in 2025. Yet while lower inflation marks an improvement in macroeconomic stability, it ...

When former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in February 2026, the question was not only whether he would face trial. It was whether ...

Kuomintang Chairperson Cheng Li-wun’s April 2026 visit to Beijing has exposed a deepening divide within the party between those who favour closer cross-strait engagement and those who worry the move ...

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will visit Australia in early May 2026 — on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation and almost 70 years on from the ...

Japan's moves to revise its pacifist constitution and expand defence exports signal a more active security posture, with Australia emerging as a key partner in this transition. But the energy crisis ...

Victor Crochet is Partner at Nishimura & Asahi. He is also a PhD student at Cambridge University where he conducts research on international trade and investment law. Victor also regularly teaches and ...

Rice production is central to Vietnam’s economy and food security, but it also contributes significantly to national emissions. While low-emission farming techniques are already available and tested, ...

ASEAN has long framed trade diversification as a strategic priority, but in practice its economic ties have become more regionally concentrated, with engagement with the Gulf Cooperation Council ...

The Middle East conflict is straining Indonesia’s economy through higher oil, gas and fertiliser prices, widening fiscal and external vulnerabilities. Limited policy space and heavy energy import ...

Indonesia’s central bank is facing renewed scrutiny following the appointment of President Prabowo Subianto’s nephew, Thomas Djiwandono, as Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia, raising concerns about ...

Crackdowns on Southeast Asia’s online scam industry have exposed the scale of exploitation within it, leaving many trafficked workers stranded and highlighting a growing humanitarian crisis. Yet these ...

Kazakhstan’s expanded nuclear cooperation with the United States reflects growing US involvement in a renewed nuclear ‘Great Game’, but does not signal a strategic shift. Astana continues to pursue a ...