Economy

A ceremony for the first China-ASEAN Maritime Exercise, held in October 2018: Many Southeast Asians say China and the U.S. are on a collision course in the region.
Trade war

Southeast Asians feel caught in US-China fight for hegemony

Survey of opinion leaders finds skepticism of Belt and Road runs deep

7 January 2019
Insurance is still uncommon in Myanmar, with the penetration rate even for auto policies hovering at around 10%.
Economy

Myanmar ready to open door to foreign insurers

Long-awaited plan set in motion as government seeks industry know-how

3 January 2019
The European Union is threatening to end Myanmar's trade preferences over the Rohingya issue, which would deal a major blow to the economy. (Photo by Yuichi Nitta)
Economy

EU's threat to scrap trade preferences spurs Myanmar's reforms

Naypyitaw fights to win back investors in wake of Rohingya crisis

16 December 2018
The container terminal, whose completion was celebrated Dec. 14, will serve soaring shipping volumes in Myanmar. (Photo by Yuichi Nitta)
Economy

Myanmar container yard backed by Japan nears opening

New logistics hub near Yangon will handle rising volumes in country

15 December 2018
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is under pressure from the European Union to reverse a ban on more than 100 opposition politicians.
Hun Sen's Cambodia

Hun Sen pressured to reverse ban on opposition politicians

Cambodia mulls concessions to avert harsh EU sanctions

7 December 2018
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina predicts that her government will boost growth as high as 10% if she is re-elected this month. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Interview

Exclusive: Bangladesh aims for 10% annual growth

PM Hasina says nation will seek bids for a second nuclear plant next year

6 December 2018
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3 December 2018
The trade war with the U.S. raised the cost of pig feed in China -- right before a virulent swine fever began tearing through what is largely a backyard industry in the country.
Economy

African swine fever closes in on Southeast Asia

Thailand, Vietnam and neighboring countries scramble to prevent contagion

29 November 2018
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen announces her resignation as chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party after the party's heavy losses in Saturday's midterms
Politics

Beijing likely meddled in Taiwan elections, US cybersecurity firm says

Chinese hackers probably used cyber operations to help pro-China Kuomintang

28 November 2018
Workers inside a Korean-owned garment factory in Yangon, Myanmar's commercial capital (Photo by Simon Roughneen)
Economy

Myanmar tops poor nations' FDI league as China cash flows in

Cambodia and Bangladesh make top five of the global economy's lowest tier

21 November 2018
Japan wants to help Southeast Asian nations train more specialists in information technology.
Economy

ASEAN to groom 80,000 tech specialists with Japan's help

Tokyo will also assist with the construction of smart cities in Southeast Asia

15 November 2018
Workers load a Chinese boat at a Thai Mekong river port in the Golden Triangle region, where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. 
Belt and Road

China to create trade zone with Thailand and Laos as tariffs bite

Beijing looks to boost ties with the two Mekong nations amid a trade war escalation

12 November 2018
Many hydropower projects being built on Mekong with funds loaned from China. (Getty Images)
Economy

Chinese dams ramp up Lao external debt

Analysts predict increasing difficulty with mounting loans from China

2 November 2018
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1 November 2018
A villager walks by a geothermal power plant in Central Java Province. Indonesia is rich in geothermal reserves.
Environment

Southeast Asia to double renewables with help of experts

International agency to steer ASEAN away from coal

31 October 2018
Cambodia's minimum wage, which determines the pay of many garment workers, has risen sharply in recent years.
Economy

Minimum wages surge across Southeast Asia

Favoring protectionism over productivity risks discouraging foreign investment

28 October 2018
BRI in progress: A freight train bound for Malaszewicze, Poland leaves the railway port in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, China.
Economy

China's Belt and Road investment hits high as overall FDI falls

Record sum poured into initiative in 2017 looks set to be beaten this year

8 October 2018
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1 October 2018
Cambodia Securities Exchange struggles with low liquidity as it only has five companies listed. (photo by Masayori Ishikawa)
Markets

Cambodia Securities Exchange seeks to lure foreign investors

Fledgling market to extend operating hours and allow custodian banks

27 September 2018
Construction of dams in Laos is threatening the livelihood of fishermen, like these shown in the southern Mekong region of Champasak.
Economy

Laos' hydropower ambitions threaten Mekong fishing villages

Effects of dwindling fish stocks and rising prices are felt nationwide

4 September 2018
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3 September 2018
Foreign students at the Narita campus of the International University of Health and Welfare. Since its launch in April 2017, the university has accepted 40 foreign students from nearly 10 Asian countries and regions.
Economy

Japan's first new medical school in four decades aims to be Asia hub

In a system resistant to change, a maverick doctor challenges the status quo

13 August 2018
Wattay International Airport in the Laotian capital has been expanded with loans from Japan. (Photo by Marimi Kishimoto)
Economy

Laos airport can now handle 820% more foreign travelers

Southeast Asian country seeks to boost its status as tourist destination

10 August 2018
A man walks on a street during the flood after the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam collapsed in Attapeu province, Laos on July 26, 2018.
Economy

Laos dam builders under scrutiny for rushing project

Civil society groups urge Korean and Thai investors to take responsibility

10 August 2018
Shoppers check produce at a Yangon supermarket. Domestic retailers are wary of competition from foreign-owned stores. (Photo by Yuichi Nitta)
Economy

Myanmar clarifies foreign ownership rules for retail sector

Green light to sell clothes, electronics and furniture attracts Japan's Aeon and rivals

7 August 2018