Category: South-East Asia

War on terror in Southeast Asia

The ongoing siege of Marawi City in the Philippines marks the start of a volatile new phase in the region's long battle with violent Islamic extremism By David Hutt, @davidhuttjourno When Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law over the southern island of Mindanao to combat an Islamic State-linked militant attack on Marawi City, it … Continue reading War on terror in Southeast Asia

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Jakarta Traffic Problem – No fast tracks in Indonesia

Jakarta’s epic traffic jams cost the economy US$3.4 billion in losses per year, a tangle even massive infrastructure building could take decades to unsnarl By John McBeth Over the past two decades, Bangkok has made great strides in public transport, building the so-called Skytrain and a subway in the expectation it would relieve the once-canal-laced … Continue reading Jakarta Traffic Problem – No fast tracks in Indonesia

Cambodia dumps US military aid, echoing trend in Southeast Asia

The move comes as the region continues to drift toward China By Asia Unhedged Without giving an explanation, the Cambodian government has asked the US to end a military aid program in the country. The US Navy Mobile Construction Battalion, or Seabees, has provided humanitarian assistance throughout the country for almost a decade. The decision to … Continue reading Cambodia dumps US military aid, echoing trend in Southeast Asia

A Chinese war in Myanmar

Recent intense fighting between Myanmar military forces and China-equipped Kokang rebels has eroded the two countries' once strong bilateral ties By Bertil Lintner   Some of the heaviest recent fighting in Myanmar has taken place in the ethnic Chinese populated Kokang region, one of the least known and most misunderstood parts of the war-torn country. … Continue reading A Chinese war in Myanmar

Australia-Indonesia Relationship

By Helen Clark Australia-Indonesia ties are still at bay despite a recent public show of restored defense relations and moves afoot to deepen economic ties   Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s official visit to Australia in late February was trumpeted for the full restoration of defense ties after a brief severance over hurt sensibilities. But Widodo’s … Continue reading Australia-Indonesia Relationship