Government
International relations
China's construction activities on Paracel Islands reef condemned
Vietnam’s foreign ministry has demanded that China stop its construction activities in the Paracel islands, saying they are a violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty. “China’s continuation of activities in the Hoang Sa [Paracel] Islands is a serious violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty, goes against the common perceptions ...
Asean 'may have to choose between US, China'
Southeast Asian nations may soon have to “choose sides” between the US and China in their ongoing trade war, the political heir to Cambodia’s strongman ruler Hun Sen warned Wednesday in rare public comments. Impoverished Cambodia has become an unlikely staging ground for geopolitical influence ...
Japan’s Foreign Policy in the Mekong Region
The tenth Japan-Mekong Summit was held on October 9 in Tokyo. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ...
China Focus: Seven years on, joint patrols on Mekong stabilize region
At 8 a.m. Tuesday, ships horns echoed through the river valley as the 76th joint patrol of the Mekong River by law enforcement from China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand set sail, marking its 7th anniversary. Wearing uniforms, helmets and life jackets, rows of police officers ...
Lancang-Mekong tourist cities forum to be held in Sanya
A tourism cooperation forum featuring tourist cities in countries along the Lancang-Mekong River will be held in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province, local authorities announced on Saturday. Delegations from 26 tourist cities in China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam will participate in the forum, ...
Cambodian PM says no China naval base being built
Cambodia will not allow foreign military bases on its soil, strongman premier Hun Sen said on Monday (Nov 19), swatting away United States concerns about a possible Chinese naval site near hotly contested seas. China has lavished billions of dollars in soft loans, infrastructure and ...
Study to shed light on air connectivity in Mekong region
New research will soon shed light on the challenges and opportunities in boosting the number of air links between Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and China. Carried out as part of the Mekong Lancang Cooperation Framework, the study, which was launched in April and is expected to ...
Vietnam helps Laos build topographic database
Vietnam has helped Laos complete the building of a digital topographic database and a topographic map of its northern and central region, serving the country’s socio-economic development and environmental management. The information was announced at a conference, co-organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources ...
The tussle with China in the Mekong Basin
Countries in the Mekong Basin, notably those located in the lower part of the river – Asia’s seventh longest – are in need of a collective strategy to secure their future, given China’s control of the upstream part and ongoing changes in global geopolitics. The ...
India-ASEAN Summit: PM Narendra Modi calls for greater maritime cooperation; Mekong-India Economic Corridor also discussed
India has reaffirmed its cooperation in the maritime domain and centrality of trade and investments towards the prosperity of India-Pacific region during India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Breakfast Summit in Singapore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “India is committed to enhancing cooperation in the ...
