Democrats won both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US midterm elections on November 3, with the new Congress due to be sworn in on January 3, 2027. The main questions amongst Southeast Asian governments and exporters is whether a divided government in Washington will soften the tariffs imposed on the region.
Category: ASEAN
Plastic Stools and Mobile Kitchens: Everyday Life Around Food Carts in Southeast Asia
If one were to select an image visible across almost every Southeast Asian metropolis, from Ho Chi Minh City at six in the morning to an alleyway in Yogyakarta at midnight or a market corner in Bangkok in the heat of mid-afternoon it would be neither a monumental architectural structure nor a government-sanctioned cultural emblem, but rather a mobile food cart alongside a stack of low plastic stools. Known in Vietnam as xe đẩy, in Indonesia as kaki lima, and in Thailand as rot khen.
Waves of Weave Showcases Southeast Asia’s Rich Textile Heritage
On October 26, Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) and its partners launched Waves of Weave, a cultural exhibition exploring Southeast Asia’s textile traditions and their role in shaping regional identities.
Ukraine’s Drone War Holds Lessons for Indonesia’s Maritime Defence
Russia’s war in Ukraine has undermined a long-held assumption of naval warfare: that the bigger fleet wins. Ukraine has no navy capable of matching Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Yet, with home-built missiles, uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and off-the-shelf commercial technology, it has inflicted heavy costs on a far stronger adversary.
ASEAN’s Energy Outlook Promises Security but Hides the Bill
On October 8, ASEAN energy ministers endorsed the 9th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO9) at their annual meeting in Manila. The ASEAN Centre for Energy report identifies stronger regional connectivity as a pathway towards a more secure energy future, but it leaves open the question of who pays for that connectivity and who benefits from it.
Philippines Leads the 20th AMMTC, Calls for “Concrete Steps” to Dismantle Transnational Crime
The 20th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) and its related meetings concluded on October 21. This conclave serves as the annual meeting of the highest policy-making institution specialised in dismantling transnational organised crime across the region.
Beyond Firefighting: Why Regional Pressure, Not National Reform, Will Stop the Haze
In the annual dry season, Indonesia faces a cyclical crisis: forests and peatlands burn, haze crosses national borders and, ultimately, neighbouring countries brace for the consequences. The recurrence of these fires raises a question that emergency responses alone cannot answer.
Red Residues on Ancestral Teeth: The Biochemistry of Betel Quid Chewing and the Collective Southeast Asian Body
In a covered market on the edge of a village in the Shan hills, Myanmar, an elderly woman sits behind a low tray of green leaves, pale nut slices and a small tin of white paste. With practised hands, she smears slaked lime along a betel leaf, folds a sliver of areca nut and a pinch of gambier inside it, and tucks the parcel into her cheek.
ASEAN Draws on European Experience to Advance Regional Power Grid
ASEAN is drawing on European expertise to advance its regional electricity grid following a study visit to France, Brussels and the UK from September 21 to 25, 2026 .
China’s Monopoly Over Rare Earths, What’s at Stake for BRICS?
On September 12-13, the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi brought together leaders from China, India, Iran, Russia and South Africa, joined by Southeast Asian delegations from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, with the Philippines attending as ASEAN chair.