Articles by Ngeow Chow Bing

The politics of mainland spouses in Taiwan

China-born politician Li Chen-hsiu was recently expelled from Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan and the Taiwan People’s Party, highlighting the plight of mainland spouses in Taiwan. The existing legal framework provides ambiguity and thus some flexibility, but the status quo is changing under a government that increasingly defines Taiwan in opposition to China. Malaysian academic Ngeow Chow Bing explores the implications of this development.

Ngeow Chow Bing

08 May 2026

Hainan Free Trade Port: A game changer?

In December 2025, Hainan became an independent customs zone from the rest of mainland China, advancing its aim of becoming a globally influential free trade port by 2050. Other factors, not just favourable tariffs alone, will determine the success of this project, says academic Ngeow Chow Bing.

Ngeow Chow Bing

07 Jan 2026

Malaysia’s high-stakes ASEAN chairmanship amid global turmoil

All eyes are on Malaysia as it approaches the climax of its ASEAN chairmanship in late October, marked by the second ASEAN summit of 2025 and a series of key meetings, including the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Plus Three. These events could draw some of the world’s most prominent leaders. Malaysian academic Ngeow Chow Bing gives an assessment of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship thus far. 

Ngeow Chow Bing

07 Oct 2025

Can the Ambalat deal be a model for the South China Sea?

The Malaysia-Indonesia Ambalat deal, if well implemented, will further reinforce the practice of joint development as a pragmatic and effective way and a diplomatic norm to handle territorial and maritime disputes, and could offer some lessons for dealings with China in the South China Sea disputes. Malaysian academic Ngeow Chow Bing explains.   

Ngeow Chow Bing

22 Jul 2025

From Cambodia to Myanmar: Can ASEAN and China broker another peace?

ASEAN played a significant role in dealing with the decade-long Cambodian crisis in much of the 1980s and early 1990s. Could this experience help it play a greater role in resolving the Myanmar crisis? Malaysian academic Ngeow Chow Bing examines the issue.

Ngeow Chow Bing

21 Apr 2025

China and South Korea’s growing Southeast Asia footprint in BIMP-EAGA

Once overlooked, the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area is now attracting the attention of major players like China and South Korea, according to Malaysian academic Ngeow Chow Bing. What’s behind this newfound interest?

Ngeow Chow Bing

03 Dec 2024

China’s soft power: Alumni of China’s universities fostering closer ties in Southeast Asia

Malaysian academic Ngeow Chow Bing looks at the outreach efforts of Chinese university alumni groups in Malaysia, observing that while not all organisations are equally effective or dynamic, together they form a vast network of organisations and associations that constitute a vibrant component of the social foundation that sustain Malaysia-China bilateral relationship.  

Ngeow Chow Bing

08 Oct 2024

Taiwan President William Lai steering Taiwan away from ‘China’

Academic Ngeow Chow Bing notes that judging by Taiwan President William Lai’s inauguration speech, Lai appears to be a more committed leader in steering Taiwan away from not just Beijing and the People’s Republic of China, but the whole notion of “China”. Beijing will find Lai an even tougher and more determined opponent compared with Taiwan’s previous president.   

Ngeow Chow Bing

21 May 2024

Anwar's China trips: Is Malaysia putting China before the West?

Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made his second visit to China in September to attend the 20th China-ASEAN Expo just months after his last visit in March. While Anwar has repeatedly insisted that Malaysia's relations with the US and other Western countries remain strong, his active engagement of China draws questions over Malaysia's emphasis in foreign policy.

Ngeow Chow Bing

02 Oct 2023

What US and China can learn from the Sino-Soviet Cold War

The most common analogy for the US-China rivalry is the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, but Malaysian academic Ngeow Chow Bing thinks that the Sino-Soviet rivalry in the 1960s could also offer a lesson or two for the US and China, especially in staying ideologically flexible and maintaining communication between competing nations.

Ngeow Chow Bing

14 Aug 2023

PM Anwar's civilisational approach to the Malaysia-China relationship

Given the "civilisational lens" through which Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim views Malaysia-China relations, Anwar probably agrees more with the pluralistic vision contained in China's Global Civilizational Initiative than the binary vision of "democracy versus autocracy" popular in Washington today.

Ngeow Chow Bing

09 May 2023

Anwar's China policy

While it is still unclear if the Anwar Ibrahim administration has a clear China policy in place, the general trajectory is a positive posture towards China. Even so, the relationship can be expanded and strengthened beyond economic numbers to channelling the benefits of cooperation to local SMEs, and broadening cooperation to areas where the prime minister has shown great personal interest, such as inter-civilisational dialogue.

Ngeow Chow Bing

13 Feb 2023