On July 22, the Philippine Navy (PN) participated in the Photograph Exercise (PHOTOEX) during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2026, joining naval forces from 13 countries in a joint fleet formation aimed at demonstrating interoperability and maritime cooperation.
Category: Politics
Thai-Cambodian Maritime Settlement Remains Uncertain despite UNCLOS Conciliation
On July 19, Cambodia confirmed that it had reached an agreement with Thailand in regard to both countries’ maritime dispute around Koh Kut Island to allow additional time for the appointment of the Conciliation Commission under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), describing the delay as “modest and entirely appropriate.” The extension followed a joint request by the four appointed conciliators and backed up by the Cambodian government that it will not affect any prescribed timeline or procedural step under the UN-backed process.
Beyond Regime Type: VAWP as the Threat for Women in Southeast Asia
Women’s representation in government is fundamental to achieving good governance and, to some extent, substantive democracy. The importance of women in politics stems from the hypothesis that shared identity leads women politicians to care more about women’s issues in policymaking than their male colleagues. Some studies support this hypothesis, showing that female member of parliaments (MPs) tend to prioritise issues related to women, such as abortion, domestic violence and rape.
US’ Secretary of State Arrives in Manila for ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Manila from July 19 to 23 to participate in the ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meetings (FMM) and related meetings, as well as to pay a courtesy call on the Philippine President and ASEAN Chair, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
No, China should not help Indonesia’s Free Meals Programme with AI
Chinese Ambassador Wang Lutong’s latest offer to help Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals (MBG or Makan Bergizi Gratis in Indonesian) programme with artificial intelligence (AI) may appear to be a welcome example of technological cooperation.
Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan Heads to Snap Polls Following State Assembly Dissolution
The Negeri Sembilan state of Malaysia will head to the polls on August 1 in a snap state election following the early dissolution of its legislative assembly. This contest forms part of a series of state polls ahead of the country’s next general election scheduled for February 2028.
Defending Maritime Rights Doesn’t Take a Warship, Just a Sheet of Paper
A single sheet of paper may seem insignificant against coast guard ships, offshore bases and competing territorial claims. Yet, for former Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, that sheet of paper could make all the difference in the South China Sea.
Cambodia Plays Down Delay in UNCLOS Gulf Case Against Thailand
On July 19, Cambodia confirmed that it has made an agreement with Thailand to allow additional time for the appointment of the Chairperson of the Conciliation Commission under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), playing down the delay as “modest and entirely appropriate.” Phnom Penh has staked a great deal on theUN-backed process, as it tries to compel reluctant Bangkok to join, in an attempt to resolve amaritime dispute around Koh Kut Island that the two governments do not yet agree is even about the same thing.
Laos Adopts 2027-2030 Rural Development Agenda, Reforms Treasury Rules to Fund It
The First Extraordinary Session on the 10th Lao National Assembly concluded its five-day session from July 6 to 10 with adoption of the 2027-2030 National Agenda on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication, alongside the approval of adjacent fiscal measures by near-unanimous vote. The Agenda sets out what Vientiane intends to deliver to the countryside by 2030, while the two finance laws govern the framework that will have to pay for it.
South China Sea Ruling Still Worth Defending, Experts Tell Jakarta Conference
July 12 of this year marks a decade of the Arbitral Award, where the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague found no legal basis for China’s nine-dash line claim, a statement it handed down under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on 2016. Beijing rejected it then and ignores it now, leaving Southeast Asia to manage a verdict that is binding in law but unbacked by any mechanism to compel compliance.