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Asia - South China Morning Post

Breaking news, analysis and opinion from the SCMP"s Asia edition.

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‘Our neighbour will help us’: Australia, Indonesia...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/12

Australia and Indonesia agreed on Wednesday to sign a new security treaty, which includes closer military cooperation, the two countries’ leaders said following talks in Sydney. Canberra has drawn ever nearer to long-time ally Washington, bolstering its military in an attempt to deter the might of a rising China in the Asia-Pacific region. Jakarta has walked a more neutral path, wary of drawing too close to Washington and far less willing to needle Beijing. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese,...

Chen Zhi’s firm breaks silence, denies tycoon’s...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/12

A Cambodian conglomerate whose founder has had more than US$15 billion of allegedly ill-gotten assets seized said it “categorically rejects” claims he amassed his fortune running an internet scam empire. A frenzy of asset confiscations in Europe, the United States and Asia has targeted Cambodia’s Prince Holding Group – with authorities alleging its founder Chen Zhi was running a transnational criminal organisation. The US Justice Department in October unsealed an indictment against the

‘Prolong his power’: South Korea’s Yoon accused of...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/12

Yoon Suk-yeol’s former spy chief was arrested on Wednesday on charges of concealing evidence, intensifying the fallout from the ex-president’s failed martial law decree. Cho Tae-yong, who led South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) until Yoon’s impeachment and removal from office earlier this year, was taken into custody after the Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant citing the risk of evidence destruction. His arrest marks a major milestone in prosecutors’ efforts to hold...

Rapper Namewee and influencer Iris Hsieh had ‘special...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/12

Malaysian rapper Namewee and the late Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh had a “special relationship”, according to police. “They are friends and they have other relationships that I will not get into,” Kuala Lumpur police chief Commissioner Fadil Marsus said when he met reporters after a Deepavali celebration at contingent headquarters on Tuesday. “I do not need to reveal the full extent, but it is a ‘special’ relationship.” He added that her body has yet to be claimed and police were still...

South Korea gets tough on hate-spewing influencers,...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/12

Foreign content creators planning to film about South Korea are getting a new cautionary note: their words now carry higher stakes. During a cabinet meeting this week, Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho said the government may restrict entry for foreigners who make hateful or derogatory comments about the country. “We will review comprehensive measures to restrict entry for foreigners who express hate towards South Korea from overseas,” Jung said. Under this new enforcement, an influencer whose...

East Timor’s membership marks a new chapter for Asean

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/12

On October 26, East Timor officially acceded to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) at the opening of the annual summit, as the 11th member of the regional bloc. Known officially as Timor-Leste, the country gained full independence on May 20, 2002, after a United Nations-supervised referendum in 1999. With a population of 1.4 million and its capital in Dili, East Timor is rich in oil and natural gas reserves located in the Timor Sea. The country also exports coffee, vanilla and...

Returning expats fuel Hong Kong’s luxury rental...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/12

Hong Kong’s luxury residential rents are likely to climb another 3 to 5 per cent next year as growing numbers of returning Western expatriates and home-grown professionals drive demand for high-end accommodation, according to Savills. Deals were expected to exceed the 660 last year, said Jack Tong, the property consultancy’s director of research. “The outlook remains cautiously positive,” he added. For next year, Savills expected “stable to gently rising luxury rents as the supply of prime

‘Could’ve come from anywhere’: why did spiders appear...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/12

More than 3,500 venomous spiders – including black widows and redbacks – have been exterminated at a US military base in western Japan, alarming residents and officials already struggling with a rise in invasive species across the country. The record number of spiders, found between July and October at the US Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, included three known venomous species and prompted local authorities to demand urgent action to prevent the infestation from spreading beyond the

Carney’s Canada finally gets real about China

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

What a difference an administration change makes in Ottawa, even though both the current and preceding governments are from the Liberal Party. Three years ago, Canada under Justin Trudeau labelled China a “disruptive global power”. Last month, his successor Mark Carney reached agreement with Beijing to revive the strategic partnership the two nations signed in 2005, with Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand saying the framework would be “renewed and refocused”. “We must be nuanced in our...

‘Lone wolf’ Jakarta mosque bombing suspect inspired...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

The student suspected of detonating blasts that injured dozens of people at a mosque in Indonesia’s capital last week was motivated by vengeance and inspired by attacks carried out by white supremacists and neo-Nazis, police said on Tuesday. The blasts, which hit a mosque at a school complex in the capital Jakarta’s Kelapa Gading area during Friday prayers, left 96 people injured. Police said on Tuesday that seven home-made explosives had been found by Indonesian authorities in and around the...

Singapore-based AI start-ups draw most funding in...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

Singapore is leading the AI race in Southeast Asia, a region emerging as an artificial intelligence hotspot as start-ups draw significant investments and major players seek expansion, according to an industry report. Some 680 AI start-ups attracted more than US$2.3 billion of investments across Southeast Asia in the 12 months to June, accounting for 32 per cent of private funding in the region, research from Google, Singapore’s state investor Temasek and management consultancy Bain & Company...

Panda-monium in Penang as foreign artist paints over...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

What first appeared to be an act of vandalism by a Chinese tourist at a Unesco-listed heritage site in Malaysia has turned out to be a sanctioned artistic collaboration that has nonetheless sparked a fierce public debate over cultural preservation and creative freedom. The controversy began when a tourist, known as “Shi Shi” on the Chinese social media platform RedNote, uploaded a video of herself painting a panda on a well-known street mural at Chew Jetty in Penang’s George Town on October

Indonesia’s Bali seeks consulates’ help to curb...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

The Bali police are asking consulates to support them in making foreign tourists toe the line on the Indonesian holiday island. “Bali is a global destination. Security is our shared responsibility to ensure tourism continues to operate smoothly and benefit all parties,” Bali police chief Daniel Adityajaya said at a meeting in Denpasar with 24 consulates on the island, the Bali Sun reported on Friday. Representatives from all the major consulates – including Australia, China, Japan, the US and...

Islamabad court blast kills 12 as Pakistan Taliban...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

A suicide bomber struck outside the gates of a district court in Islamabad on Tuesday, detonating his explosives next to a police car and killing 12 people, Pakistan’s interior minister said, the latest in an uptick in violence across the country. Witnesses described scenes of mayhem in the immediate aftermath of the explosion, which also wounded 27 people. The blast was heard several kilometres away and came at a busy time of day when the area outside the court is typically crowded with...

Why Indonesia’s hero status for ‘successful autocrat’...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

Indonesia’s move to name Suharto a national hero has revived debate over the country’s uneasy relationship with authoritarianism and whether the legacy of a brutal yet transformative ruler should be celebrated. President Prabowo Subianto, Suharto’s former son-in-law, conferred the honour on Monday, drawing sharp criticism from historians, academics and human rights organisations, who argue the move sanitises one of Southeast Asia’s most repressive regimes. But the muted public reaction also...

Are US-India ties set for a rebound after Trump’s...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

A potential visit by US President Donald Trump to India could provide the impetus to conclude trade talks between New Delhi and Washington, analysts say, amid doubts about his commitment to the Indo-Pacific due to uncertainty over a proposed Quad security summit in the Indian capital. Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday that his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were “going great” and that a visit to Delhi could take place next year, though he declined to specify

South Korea’s growing crisis of illegal puppy sales...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

A YouTube livestream recently drew attention after a host promoted the sale of puppies in real time, saying, “We only have four dogs left. You’ll be surprised at how cheap they are, prices are completely down. Anyone looking to raise a Samoyed? Take them home for a low price.” Viewers quickly flooded the chat with comments such as “Do you have smaller dogs?” and “Show us the bichon!” The replay of the broadcast has since garnered over 20,000 views. During the stream, the host continued to...

‘Worried’ lawmakers urge Japan’s new PM to get some...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, secured her party’s nomination by vowing to “work like a horse”. Since taking office on October 21, she has kept her word – but her relentless workload is raising questions about her health. Takaichi arrived at her office at 3am on Friday to prepare for her first parliamentary debate, a budget committee hearing that was due to convene at 9am. Even by Japan’s workaholic standards, such an early start raised eyebrows. “My jaw dropped when I...

Thais give cold shoulder to US$927 tax break aimed at...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

The southern Thailand coastal province of Trang boasts lush islands and an emerald cave but has long been overshadowed by neighbouring foreign tourist hotspots Phuket and Krabi. The government, as part of an effort to stimulate the economy, wants to change that by providing tax incentives to jump-start domestic travel, particularly to second-tier provinces. Sagging foreign visitors to Thailand is compounding woes caused by US tariffs and a relatively high baht. To offset some of the softness,...

Storm in a takeaway cup: Malaysia’s Zus Coffee backs...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/11

Malaysia’s largest coffee chain has thrown its support behind a barista involved in a viral confrontation with a customer, saying it has launched a full investigation and will stand by the employee while reviewing the incident. Zus Coffee confirmed on Monday that it had begun an internal investigation after a 14-second video of the altercation, believed to have taken place on Sunday at one of its outlets, drew millions of views on TikTok and sparked intense online debate. In the video, a

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