Energy

How Japan’s FOIP is reinforcing ASEAN’s strategic autonomy

The concept of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) was first proposed in 2016 by then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and now it has been updated under the Sanae Takaichi administration. Japanese academic Sukegawa Seiya notes that the FOIP is a channel for promoting regional cooperation with ASEAN, while respecting its autonomy.

Sukegawa Seiya

12 Jun 2026

‘China is beautiful’: What Trump saw — and what Beijing is building

In the wake of Trump’s recent visit to China, his comment on China’s beauty prompts a look at the Beautiful China initiative, referring to its efforts aimed at preserving and improving China’s ecological assets. EAI deputy director Chen Gang explores the issue.

Chen Gang

22 May 2026

How China sustains the illusion of equality with Russia

Amid its meetings with US and Russian leaders, academic Marcin Kaczmarski observes that China holds a firm upper hand in its relations with Russia, while continuing to massage Russia’s great-power ego.

Marcin Kaczmarski

22 May 2026

China may power Southeast Asia’s nuclear future

As Southeast Asian countries ponder the use of nuclear power, China looks set to be a key player, given its advantages in technology, delivery and support. Academic Zha Daojiong notes that selecting a partner in nuclear energy is a long-term decision that goes beyond financial considerations.

Zha Daojiong

21 May 2026

Deflation: Beijing’s blind spot or its strategy?

China’s deflation reflects both weak demand and deliberate industrial strategy. But the model depends on consumption eventually catching up, raising questions over sustainability and regional spillovers for Southeast Asia. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May explains.

Genevieve Donnellon-May

18 May 2026

China may be the biggest winner from UAE’s OPEC exit

The true drivers of the UAE’s decision to exit OPEC hinge on the shifting alliances of the Arabian peninsula, centred on the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, says Middle East Institute-NUS fellow Jing Lin. China stands to benefit, not only in oil supplies but in wider aims like the internationalisation of the RMB — but only if it plays its cards right in balancing between the two regional heavyweights.

Jing Lin

13 May 2026

Ahead of Xi-Trump talks: Middle East, trade, Taiwan loom large ​

While the battle for the Strait of Hormuz takes centre stage, it is merely a pawn in the intensifying China-US rivalry. The upcoming Xi-Trump summit looms as a decisive arena where the Taiwan issue, energy security, trade sanctions and the AI race will clash. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei tells us more.

Sim Tze Wei

07 May 2026

[Big read] Nuclear power plants: Energy security or wartime risk? 

Following major nuclear disasters including Chernobyl and Fukushima, safety measures have been ramped up on nuclear facilities, but mostly for accident scenarios during peacetime, and without internationally binding commitments. With energy needs increasing yet geopolitical tensions rising and nuclear power plants sited in potential conflict zones, what concrete steps can governments take to mitigate the risks? Lianhe Zaobao’s associate foreign editor So Geok Lan finds out more.

So Geok Lan

07 May 2026

Unravelled: How the Iran war triggers a global realignment

Beyond immediate economic chaos and regional instability, the US-Israeli conflict with Iran is catalysing a historic global realignment. From a fractured Middle East and a widening transatlantic rift to China’s burgeoning influence over energy and diplomacy, the war is forcing allies and rivals alike to redraw the map of 21st-century power, observes US commentator Ian Bremmer.

Ian Bremmer

06 May 2026

The seas are no longer free: Pirate kings and the emerging maritime order

With the Strait of Hormuz held hostage by players like Iran and the US, the notion of “state piracy” has returned to the debate, alongside rising scrutiny of countries along key waterways such as the Strait of Malacca. US academic Ma Haiyun argues that these “strait powers” may be able to convert control over maritime chokepoints into geopolitical leverage.

Ma Haiyun

06 May 2026

Is the Iran war weakening the dollar’s grip and lifting the RMB?

Geopolitical shocks from the Iran conflict are straining dollar dominance, as Gulf states explore swap lines and oil trade shifts toward alternative currencies, including the RMB. But questions remain over whether China’s currency is ready for a bigger global role. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei dives in.

Sim Tze Wei

05 May 2026

From Malacca to Taiwan: China’s chokepoint problem

Asia’s trade flows through a handful of narrow straits. From Malacca to Taiwan, rising geopolitical tensions and security risks are exposing China’s deep dependence on fragile maritime chokepoints, says academic Jasper Verschuur.

Jasper Verschuur

05 May 2026