Politics

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects artillery launchers ahead of a military drill on April 25, 2017.
Politics

Politics will again steal the Asian limelight in 2018

World awaits resolution to thorny issues that plagued the region throughout last year

31 December 2017
The Port of Singapore, the largest in Southeast Asia by cargo volume, is facing a stronger challenge from regional rivals.
Business trends

Southeast Asian countries vie for port supremacy

China's 'Belt and Road' may tip balance from Singapore to newcomers

31 December 2017
Officials attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the rail project linking Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, on Dec. 21 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. (Photo by Yukako Ono).
Economy

China's high-speed train plans in Southeast Asia stumble

Disagreements over costs and land procurement are adding years to schedules

28 December 2017
Broadcom CEO Hock Tan announces the repatriation of his company's legal base from Singapore to the U.S. at the White House on Nov. 2.
Economy

US corporate tax cuts unnerve Asian economies

Region frets as Broadcom becomes first US company planning to move home

28 December 2017
Xiang Xiang plays in a tree as she is introduced to the media at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo on Dec. 18. (Photo by Maho Obata)
Politics

Panda diplomacy grows with China's ambitions

Public needs to look beyond the furry animal's cuteness and see what's really at play, experts say

27 December 2017
Broadcom has decided to relocate its legal base from Singapore to the U.S.
Economy

US tax cuts unnerve Asian economies

Broadcom quits Singapore as region frets over competitiveness

22 December 2017
Bitcoin has almost topped $20,000. The cryptocurrency's meteoric rise this year has Asian central bankers worried.
Economy

Asian central bankers on high alert over bitcoin frenzy

BOJ's Kuroda warns of the crypto's 'undoubtedly abnormal' rise

21 December 2017
Members of Nahdlatul Ulama, a large Indonesian Muslim group, protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta on Dec. 8. (Photo by Simon Roughneen)
Politics

Trump's Jerusalem move sparks a backlash in Southeast Asia

Indonesia, Malaysia a lead chorus of criticism as Muslims protest US decision

14 December 2017
Buddhist monks protest the visit of a U.N. official in Yangon on Jan. 16, 2015. According to local media reports, they were angry that the international organization had urged the government to give members of the Rohingya minority citizenship.
The Big Story

Religious extremism poses threat to ASEAN's growth

Aided by social media, hardliners gain mainstream support

13 December 2017
A Twitter logo is seen in front of a computer screen displaying an Islamic State flag. Twitter says it has shut down tens of thousands of terrorism-related accounts.
Politics

Ugly social media wars fueling intolerance in Asia

Similar tactics are cropping up across different areas and different faiths

13 December 2017
Transport trucks cross the bridge connecting China and North Korea.
North Korea Crisis

Forty-nine nations breached North Korea sanctions: report

US think tank lists China, Malaysia, Japan as enablers of illicit trade

8 December 2017
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, front row, center, poses alongside vice-president Jusuf Kalla at the opening of the Bali Democracy Forum in Tangerang, Indonesia, on Dec. 7. (Photo by Simon Roughneen)
Politics

Asia's Muslim leaders slam Trump's decision on Jerusalem

Indonesian foreign minister vows to stand 'with the Palestinian people'

7 December 2017
Surin Pitsuwan, then secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, speaks during a lecture in Kuala Lumpur in 2012.
Politics

Michael Vatikiotis: The statesman who raised Southeast Asia's profile

As secretary-general of ASEAN, Surin Pitsuwan fought the odds to do good in the region

7 December 2017
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un following a missile test earlier this year.
Politics

North Korea loses friends in Africa and Asia

As Pyongyang's isolation grows, China remains its most important link

7 December 2017
Surin Pitsuwan gives an exclusive interview to the Nikkei Asian Review on Nov. 30, just hours before his death. (Photo by Yukako Ono)
Politics

Remembering former ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan

Gifted speaker who fought for a more unified bloc dies at age 68

7 December 2017
Singaporean insurance policy management app provider PolicyPal, headed by founder Val Yap, left, obtained a regular business license after taking advantage of the regulatory sandbox.
Politics

Southeast Asia letting startups play in the fintech sandbox

Insurance vendor, AI-based asset manager testing new business models

6 December 2017
Surin Pitsuwan, then secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, speaks during a lecture in Kuala Lumpur in 2012.
Politics

Statesman who raised ASEAN's international profile

Former Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan sought reform and cohesion

1 December 2017
The Doha skyline
Economy

Qatar looks to build Asia ties as Gulf isolation drags on

World's top LNG producer wants to import more food and sell more gas

25 November 2017
Matsusaka beef, a type of wagyu, on display at a meat shop in Tokyo.
Politics

Japan to make wagyu easier for Americans to take home

Streamlined process aims to boost demand among travelers

25 November 2017
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, and ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh shake hands after signing the migrant worker deal in Manila on Nov. 14. (Photo by Simon Roughneen)
Economy

ASEAN migrant worker deal gets cautious welcome

Critics cite limitations, such as ability of nations to opt out of key provisions

24 November 2017
The planned missile is seen being equipped on the cutting-edge F-35 stealth fighter used by Japan's Air Self-Defense Force. (Courtesy of ASDF)
International relations

Japan and UK to collaborate on missile development

Tokyo's first non-US partnership would develop an air-to-air weapon

24 November 2017
APEC leaders pose for a group photo in Danang, Vietnam, on Nov. 11.
Economy

Trump's tour of Asia shows just how powerful Xi has become

'America first' takes second place to trade deals being crafted by China

23 November 2017
China has created concrete landscapes on reclaimed islands in the South China Sea that were previously little more than reefs and sand bars. REUTERS/Erik De Castro
International relations

China, ASEAN still far from South China Sea code of conduct

Leaders endorse framework after 17 years, but the 'legally binding' question remains

17 November 2017
Singapore has announced a complete embargo on trade with North Korea as Southeast Asia steps up pressure on Kim Jong Un's government over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.
Politics

Singapore's ban on North Korea trade highlights tougher line

Southeast Asia hardens its stance toward Pyongyang over nuclear development

16 November 2017
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the final day of the APEC CEO Summit in Danang, Vietnam on Nov. 10.
Politics

Can an 'America first' approach restore US leadership in Asia?

Trump embraces Indo-Pacific vision but remains fixated on 'fair' bilateral deals

16 November 2017