Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia’s mixed AI stacks: Pragmatic but not risk-free

Regional initiatives such as Singapore’s SEA-LION and Indonesia’s Sahabat-AI show that Southeast Asia can combine technologies from American, Chinese and regional sources. But mixed AI stacks do not automatically reduce dependence. ISEAS academic Zenobia Chan tells us more.

Zenobia Chan

08 Oct 2026

Shifting tides: Why global approval is swinging from US to China

China is surging past the US in global approval ratings from Latin America to Southeast Asia. Lianhe Zaobao China news editor Yang Danxu explains why Beijing’s popularity stems less from shared ideological values and more from growing dissatisfaction with US foreign policy.

Yang Danxu

07 Oct 2026

Are China and Indonesia model Global South partners?

China and Indonesia are partnering to reshape the world order as key members of the Global South amid a deteriorating Western liberal order and weakened US leadership. However, ISEAS researcher Lye Liang Fook notes that their differing national interests would limit the relationship.

Lye Liang Fook

07 Oct 2026

[Big read] Can ASEAN continue to reap economic benefits from the US-China rivalry?

Southeast Asia once benefited from China-US rivalry as companies shifted supply chains into the region. Now, tighter US rules are forcing countries to account for their Chinese links — and putting their strategic neutrality to the test. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zhou Yifei finds out.

Zhou Yifei

06 Oct 2026

The road north: From Cambodia’s farms to China

Existing infrastructure is converging into an emerging Cambodia-Laos-China agricultural corridor, bringing farmers into regional trade, observes researcher David Okoronkwo, after weeks of field study in Kratie, northeastern Cambodia.

David Okoronkwo

30 Sep 2026

Chinese TV producers rewrite the script for global streaming

Chinese TV dramas are shattering Netflix records and demanding record fees, with producers pivoting to high-margin global remakes and direct streaming deals to escape a brutal domestic slump and claim mainstream international dominance.

Caixin Global

25 Sep 2026

Chan Chun Sing: Winning the world requires example, not force

Speaking at the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing urged nations to build trust, embrace interdependence, and lead by the “power of example” to ensure global stability. This is an edited transcript of his speech.

Chan Chun Sing

21 Sep 2026

[Big read] As Asia’s food delivery giants rejig the pie, who will win the market?

Asia-Pacific’s food delivery ecosystem is shifting as Delivery Hero retreats and giants like Grab and Meituan fight for the market. Lianhe Zaobao business journalist Thomas Li Tao speaks with market insiders to find out more.

Thomas Li Tao

17 Sep 2026

Can China burn away Indonesia’s waste crisis?

Indonesia awarded 11 waste-to-energy (WtE) projects in under a year. It should not come at a surprise that Chinese firms won most of them, and are also making inroads in other Southeast Asian capitals. But WtE comes with tradeoffs, say researchers Kevin Zongzhe Li and Genevieve Donnellon-May.

Kevin Zongzhe Li, Genevieve Donnellon-May

15 Sep 2026

Can Southeast Asia survive Pinduoduo’s price onslaught?

Competing with Chinese e-commerce giants on price is a losing battle for Southeast Asia. Entrepreneur Simon Lim proposes a new model that leverages global supply chains, distributed local retail networks and AI to help it gain the strategic edge.

Simon Lim

11 Sep 2026

Can ASEAN export growth survive US trade scrutiny?

As the US scrutinises structural excess capacity across economies, ASEAN must distinguish legitimate export-oriented production from state-supported overcapacity, while ensuring that more technology, value added and income from its exports remain within the region, notes Japanese academic Sukegawa Seiya.

Sukegawa Seiya

07 Sep 2026

China’s new AI export: Tokens, not chips

Soaring costs, tightening semiconductor restrictions and the near-parity performance of Chinese AI models are driving some Southeast Asian countries to bypass the “build data centres” route in favour of outsourcing and purchasing inference results, says commentator Imran Khalid.

Imran Khalid

01 Sep 2026