Indonesia’s high-speed rail hits a money crunch — can it pull through?

As US dominance fades and a sharper US–China bipolarity takes shape, Southeast Asia enters a more turbulent strategic landscape. How will the region adapt? Academic Ryan Hass offers his take.

From the latest US National Security Strategy document released by the Trump administration, it is clear that the US is intent on excluding China, limiting its global influence, not least in its own backyard of the western hemisphere. Commentator Deng Yuwen gives his take. 

Japan’s bold “Taiwan contingency” message divided Taipei’s leaders: some cheered, some fretted, but all moved cautiously. The island now faces a high-stakes political and diplomatic tightrope, says Taiwanese academic Wen-Hsuan Tsai.

Under President Lee Jae-myung, South Korea is anchoring its future with the US, strengthening security and economic ties while limiting strategic depth with China. Beijing faces shrinking influence as Seoul’s long-term orientation shifts westward, says academic Jin Kai.

China’s newest hit dramas celebrate unstoppable heroines — generals, tycoons, and perfect all-rounders. But scholars and viewers question whether this surge in “superwomen” reflects real empowerment or just another comforting illusion. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Liu Sha speaks to viewers, academics and those in the industry to find out more.

The race for innovative drugs has become a defining front in US-China competition. While the US leads in original innovation, China is rapidly advancing through strategy, scale and efficiency, shaping the future of global pharmaceutical development, says NUS Emeritus Professor Ong Choon Nam.

Trump’s revival of the “G2” idea highlights Washington’s search for leverage amid deep domestic challenges. But in a multipolar world, China-US cooperation can only work through inclusive coordination — not a return to two-power dominance, says academic Gu Qingyang.

In the past, literary pursuits might have been the preserve of the elite. In modern-day Shanghai, however, the creation and appreciation of literature has been democratised, buoyed by the advent of social media. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang explores Shanghai’s burgeoning literary scene.

The Lubumbashi dam collapse exposes the human and environmental toll of Chinese mining in Africa. Weak oversight leaves communities and forests at risk — a warning spotlighted at COP30. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May unpacks the stakes.

Central Asia is courted by the West but sustained by Beijing and Moscow. The region uses Western attention to lift its value — yet its survival still hinges on China and Russia. How long can this price-raising game last? Academic Hao Nan explains.

China is quietly reshaping Myanmar’s battlefield through economic pressure, while Western trade and sanctions backfire. Without a rethink, the West risks losing the country entirely. ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute visiting fellow Jared Bissinger analyses the future outlook.

In the city of Prato in Tuscany, Italy, incidents of crime involving the Chinese mafia are on the rise, not least in the the textile industry where feuds such as a “hanger war” among Chinese manufacturers have taken place. While the key fight is in the logistics arena, the overall atmosphere of tension has local officials on the alert. Italian academic Alessandro Albana surveys the situation.

The tragic fire at Wang Fuk Court has highlighted the Hong Kong spirit of community, with touching scenes of animal rescue. However, the disaster has also stirred the deep-seated pain lying beneath Hong Kong’s collective psyche. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong shares her reflections.

The gender imbalance in China, especially in the rural areas, has resulted in many men not being able to find a partner. Some are still looking; others have given up and are resigned to being single. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang speaks to some of these single men about their views.

Within the US-led rare earth alliance, Malaysia has emerged as a crucial processing and manufacturing hub, strategically positioned to help build a supply chain outside of China. But it remains to be seen if China’s dominance in this field can be easily broken.

Although Singapore’s history has been extensively documented, the experiences of impoverished communities are often forgotten. In his new historical picture book, historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao looks at the process of nation building from the perspective of the poor, emphasising the spiritual and social forces that shaped Singapore’s transformation.

Although the Russia-Ukraine war and Taiwan Strait situations are different, strategic alignment between China and Russia on issues involving Japan and the “one China” principle during critical moments means there is room for linkages and even mutual restraint between the two “battlefields” in Eurasia, observes Lianhe Zaobao’s associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei. 

As the son of Chinese intellects that were “sent-down” to the coal mines during the Cultural Revolution, AvePoint co-founder Jiang Tianyi knows the value of education. Lianhe Zaobao associate business editor Hu Yuanwen speaks with Jiang to learn more about how he went from being a humble paperboy to the co-founder of a cyber security company listed on NASDAQ and the Singapore Exchange.