Showing 1 - 10 of 31
Lancang-Mekong 'soft connectivity'
Asia focus, Duan Haosheng and Liu Yunkang, Published on 30/05/2022
» China has collectively consulted, contributed to and shared in the development of the Lancang-Mekong region with the five Mekong countries -- Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam -- over the past five years, helping to promote economic sustainability and connectivity.
Climate action urgency growing
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 28/03/2022
» Summertime has arrived in this part of the world, with temperatures rising considerably although we are not yet in April, normally the hottest month in Thailand.
Asean needs a Middle Path
Asia focus, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 17/01/2022
» Despite the economic downturn during the Covid-19 pandemic, China-sponsored infrastructure, trade and cooperation initiatives with Southeast Asian nations have been moving forward consistently -- amplifying the presence of Beijing in one of the world's fastest growing regions.
What a waste
Asia focus, Apiradee Treerutkuarkul, Published on 11/10/2021
» Crates of paper, metal, plastic and unwanted rubbish from developed countries are piled up at ports in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, while vast toxic wastelands of imported plastics have emerged across Malaysia.
Connecting with Laos
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 20/09/2021
» Landlocked but rich in natural resources and geographically diverse, Laos has a lot to offer. Significant investments from neighbours including China have helped the country achieve economic growth of 6-7% a year over the past decade. Yet, inadequate infrastructure and the absence of a skilled workforce are among the reasons Laos has yet to fulfil its potential.
Shaping the Asean identity
Asia focus, Apiradee Treerutkuarkul, Published on 20/09/2021
» The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has come a long way in building its identity in the 54 years since it was founded. The concept of a regional community is well developed in areas such as trade and economic cooperation, but the cultural dimension remains a challenge.
Best foot forward for sustainability
Asia focus, Minli Zhao, Published on 06/09/2021
» With the tangible effects of climate change -- record-setting temperatures, devastating floods and other ecological disasters -- clearly being felt by people around the world, consumers are increasingly making sustainability part of their everyday lives.
'Old normal' is good for Asean-US relations
Asia focus, Ong Bo Yang, Published on 16/08/2021
» During an Asean-US foreign ministers' meeting last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed Asean's importance as a strategic partner. The United States, he said, remains committed to fighting the coronavirus pandemic, achieving economic growth, and addressing the climate emergency together with its regional friends.
In search of the middle ground
Asia focus, Apiradee Treerutkuarkul, Published on 31/05/2021
» As the African proverb goes, when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. The intensifying China-US rivalry is putting mounting pressure on smaller countries, and Southeast Asian economies are no exception.
Sharing the Mekong
Asia focus, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 29/03/2021
» "The Mekong River is the source of prosperity," an old saying goes, and it was once true for Pongsak Saitongmart. The 69-year-old former fisherman and his family of five largely depended on income from fishing and a vegetable farm fed by water from the Mekong.