Thailand-Cambodia conflict: The trap of a long war
ASEAN must prepare for a long contest of wills, not a sudden peace.
Phar Kim Beng
ASEAN has a better chance in any US-China trade war
As ASEAN has been able to overcome many issues in the past, often by learning from the best practices of the West and itself, it stands to reason that ASEAN has the diplomatic…
ASEAN’s misunderstood ‘Retreat Diplomacy’
At the Langkawi Retreat in January 2025, for instance, the tradition was not to immediately lock into a list of talking points and formal notes that must be discussed in…
A broken rules based order: Why Malaysia is staging a come back?
Although PM Anwar could have rested on his laurels to lead Malaysia as the Chairman of Asean and the East Asian Summit in 2025, he chose to pitch Malaysia's aspiration to join…
Understanding Anwar from the Islamic international relations lens
The writer says that PM Anwar has always attempted to be relevant in the Islamic world and the conventional mold of the Westphalian nation states.
Does democracy have a future in ASEAN? Not yet
The writer says unless the leaders of Asean have enough confidence and conviction, the dawn of the Asean Community in 2025 can only make more fireworks and traditional music,…
Stronger relationships between Indonesia, Malaysia and Turkey can promote world peace
As a pan Asia-Pacific power, Indonesia is trying its level best to prevent the United States and China from coming to blows, both militarily and metaphorically.
New Japanese defense spending faces domestic resistance
The truth is, every solution facing Kishida seems to have its own problem, as Japan is no longer a country capable of solving its public finances by adopting an easy monetary…
A mute secretary-general undermines ASEAN centrality
The writer says Asean secretary-general Lim Jock Hoi's refrain from saying anything substantive on the Ukraine-Russian conflict is unacceptable.
Pyongyang’s missile tests weaken Asean’s hand on Myanmar
In failing to highlight the threat posed by North Korea, Asean as a regional organization cannot speak up on any other country’s egregious behavior.