ASEAN: China releases first white paper on security cooperation in Asia-Pacific, warning small and medium-sized countries to not take sides In the six-point proposal, reproduced in full by Xinhua, Beijing, stated that ‘small- and medium-sized countries need not and should not take sides among big countries’ It added that China…

Hanoi plans to install new air monitoring stations Billions of dong have been spent on automatic air monitoring stations in Hanoi, but most of the stations have stopped operations. Hanoi will have to set up new stations in the time to come The major problem is the lack of reasonable…

Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos foster anti-drug partnership In the first nine months of 2016, Cambodia detected 3500 drug trafficking cases, 45% higher than the same time last year As drug production and trafficking in the region and the globe still remained complicated and showed no signs of decline, the Cambodian Prime…

Malaysia to set up new tech trade hub in the UK Britain’s post-referendum drive to seek new markets outside the EU Britain is the second biggest technology investor in Malaysia after the US Malaysia is one of the key targets for the UK in the tech space The MoU signings…

IS setting up base in the Philippines The group, which is currently falling back in Iraq and Syria against internationally backed anti-IS forces, is building its base in the southern Philippines The persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar could escalate the security threat in the region as IS could use it…

Thailand Announced Startup Stock Exchange The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) is planning to set up a new exchange for listing startups in 2017 Up to now, back-door listings or reverse listings have been the only ways startups have been able to list on stock exchanges Emerging as a lively…

Singapore’s ‘Silver Tsunami’ – City-state depends on its elderly workforce With a growing aging population (By 2030, one in five people in Singapore will be over 60), the elderly is encouraged to exchange retirement for arduous jobs that often pay badly In 2012, Singapore introduced the policy of “re-employment” to…

Indonesia’s Aceh Province shaken by fatal earthquake A strong undersea earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Aceh province, killing at least 97 people and sparking a frantic rescue in the rubble of dozens of collapsed and damaged buildings The earthquake was another terrifying reminder of their region’s vulnerability to natural disasters (More than…

Myanmar bans workers going to Malaysia Tensions between the two countries have been growing following the pro-Rohingya rallies encouraged by Malaysian Prime Minister and the counter-protests held in Myanmar The move came after Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak lashed out at Myanmar’s de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi for allowing…

Vietnam Vietnam sees stability in ASEAN Given the increasing volatility in the global political climate, Hanoi hopes the Asian Regional organisation can provide some calm Strategic partnership between Philippines and Vietnam (Joint Vision Statement) places ASEAN at the centre of the relationship between the two nations in order to maintain…