Laos

Vietnam’s quiet rise: The new diplomatic bridge to North Korea

Maintaining close ties with China and Russia has always been the cornerstone of North Korea’s diplomacy. However, relying solely on these two powers is not enough to lift the country out of international isolation. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan takes a look at the role ASEAN member states Vietnam and Laos can play.

Yu Zeyuan

10 Oct 2025

How BYD became the leading EV brand in Southeast Asia

The Chinese EV company BYD, after overtaking Tesla in selling more EVs in 2024, has ascended to the pole position in global green mobility. How did BYD rise so fast from a budding battery maker? And how did BYD expand its overseas markets? BYD senior specialist Huang Jiayi and US academic Chen Xiangming examine BYD’s success over the past three decades, with a focus on its footprint in Southeast Asia.

Huang Jiayi, Chen Xiangming

14 Jul 2025

China’s BRI problem: From builder to debt collector

China has embarked on very rapid and massive overseas lending since 2013, when it launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). But it has now become the world’s largest debt collector for developing countries’ debt repayments. EAI senior research fellow Yu Hong assesses whether China’s shifting role in global lending will undercut the BRI.

Yu Hong

24 Jun 2025

Why Chinese investors are racing to plant durians in Southeast Asia

With the growing popularity of durians in China, some Chinese are coming to Southeast Asia to start durian plantations to cater to demand. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting speaks to durian cultivators to find out more.

Lim Zhan Ting

21 May 2025

North Korea is a lonely country, even among ‘friends’

Japanese academic Atsuhito Isozaki explains why China and North Korea share less common ground than what is usually proclaimed in public statements. For that matter, North Korea’s plans of deepening relations with other socialist countries might be a tall order.

Atsuhito Isozaki

07 May 2024

Riding the China-Laos Railway: Landlocked Laos gets connected to China and beyond

As the China-Laos Railway (CLR) celebrates its second anniversary on 3 December, academic Chen Xiangming and postgraduate student Shaun Hoang offer a fresh account of the transformative consequences of the China-built railway. They ask: what happens when a small and landlocked country with hardly any railway history launches a new passenger-freight railway as its transformative transport artery?

Chen Xiangming, Shaun Hoang

04 Dec 2023

Is Laos able to make a difference in the Myanmar crisis?

ISEAS academic Joanne Lin looks at the crisis in Myanmar and recommends possible strategies for Laos to move the needle on the issue, ahead of its ASEAN chairmanship next year. Namely, Laos can make use of its strong relations with China and Russia to encourage them to work and coordinate closely with ASEAN.

Joanne Lin

24 Oct 2023

Chinese in the crosshairs of 'mushrooming' transnational cybercrime

Cybercrime scams and the related kidnappings have exploded since 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent economic downturn fuelled the number of such crimes, including fake online romantic ploys, bogus investment pitches and illegal gambling schemes. Scam centres were concentrated in Cambodia, but have now been found in Laos and Myanmar, and at least four other Asian countries have become human trafficking hubs.

Caixin Global

13 Oct 2023

Long-delayed Thailand-China high-speed train: A political game on two tracks

The beleaguered construction and murky progress of the proposed Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed railway are emblematic of deeper problems underlying Thailand's and China's infrastructural ambitions.

Sivarin Lertpusit

11 Jan 2023

The 'one China' policy of Southeast Asian countries

Academic Ngeow Chow Bing takes stock of the "one China" policy of Southeast Asian countries, noting changes in interpretations over the years and their subtle differences from China's "one China" principle and the US's "one China" policy. He warns that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan has exacerbated cross-strait tensions and could further limit Taiwan's international space in Southeast Asia.

Ngeow Chow Bing

12 Aug 2022

The China-Laos railway: How Laos can make the most of its hefty investment

The China-Laos railway linking China's Yunnan province to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, was officially opened in December 2021. This mega project under China's Belt and Road Initiative is expected to improve connectivity and stimulate the economy but Laos has incurred hefty external debt to achieve this, says EAI academic Yu Hong. The railway alone is also just the hardware; the Laotians will have to do more to make the best of its investment.

Yu Hong

04 Jan 2022

Laos hopes for economic boost with the opening of Laos-China Railway

ISEAS academic Nick Freeman says that Laos' first major railway, inaugurated on 3 December 2021, will create a new link with the Chinese market and has the potential to be a game changer for the Lao economy. This comes at a good time, as Laos seeks post-pandemic recovery in 2022. But the opening of the railway alone does not guarantee such a prospect. While the railway might boost industries such as tourism and exports, leading to a shift away from traditional sectors such as power generation and mineral mining, Laos needs to develop economic "muscle tissue" to ensure that the potential of the railway is translated into tangible results through investing in both hard and soft infrastructure.

Nick Freeman

07 Dec 2021