Asia - South China Morning Post

As Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office, she wasted no time extending an olive branch to South Korea, calling it an “important neighbour” and praising its culture.

But how long will the goodwill last? Concerns linger in South Korea that Takaichi, known for her nationalist leanings, may eventually adopt a more hawkish stance, risking again straining ties over long-standing issues such as Japan’s wartime history and territorial disputes.

“I would say there is optimism about the...

With an eye to transforming Cambodia into a Southeast Asian travel and cargo hub, a new US$2.3 billion airport – developed by a venture affiliated with one of the country’s wealthiest men – was opened at a grand ceremony near Phnom Penh, where officials and business leaders praised the project for enhancing regional connectivity and deepening links with Hong Kong and mainland China.

Techo International Airport (TIA), which has replaced the Cambodian capital’s previous facility, has been forecast...

Experts and officials at a major cybersecurity summit in Singapore have called for deeper collaboration between governments and tech giants, warning that fragmented efforts are no match for increasingly sophisticated digital threats.

Speaking at the Singapore International Cyber Week, policymakers and industry leaders said closer partnerships were essential to sharing threat intelligence, innovating jointly and mounting coordinated responses to cyberattacks.

These partnerships were crucial as...

Thai immigration officials have denied claims that a Belarusian model was abducted while in Bangkok and forcibly taken to Myanmar, where tabloids claim she was reportedly killed by a criminal gang.

The unconfirmed death of 26-year-old Vera Kravtsova has gained international attention in recent days after Russian and British tabloids reported that, following her arrival in Thailand, she was kidnapped and brought to northern Myanmar, where she was tortured and had her organs harvested while being...

Bangladesh’s pursuit of the death penalty against the country’s ousted former leader, Sheikh Hasina, has emerged as a key obstacle in efforts to bring her back from exile in India, with analysts saying the demand is likely to stall extradition talks and may even strengthen her bid for political asylum.

The case centres on Hasina’s alleged role in a brutal crackdown on student protesters that marked the end of her 15-year rule – violence that a United Nations report said claimed 1,400 lives,...

Thailand’s deputy finance minister resigned on Wednesday following allegations linking him to Cambodia-based cyber scam centres.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered Vorapak Tanyawong, a veteran financier who took office just last month, to submit a written explanation this week over the accusations.

Vorapak came under scrutiny after a report this week tied him to an alleged foreign fraudster linked to cross-border scam operations in Cambodia.

The “Whale Hunting” newsletter alleged that...

Indonesia is opening the door for foreigners to lead state-owned enterprises (SOEs), a landmark move that President Prabowo Subianto has said will bring international expertise to the country’s corporate sector, even as critics warn about a lack of oversight and accountability.

Speaking during the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Jakarta last week, Prabowo said a law on SOEs had been revised to allow non-Indonesians to assume top positions in the sector with roughly 1,000 state firms.

“I’ve...

Victoria Police have charged a 40-year-old man with theft and burglary after dozens of the globally sought-after Labubu dolls were recovered during a property search in a Melbourne suburb.

During the search, Australian police recovered 43 of the sought-after Labubu dolls, the collectible plush creatures known for their distinctive googly eyes and pointy teeth.

The seized haul, which included several limited-edition figures valued at an estimated A$500 (US$325) each, had a collective worth of...

The Philippines will revive its electronic visa programme for Chinese tourists next month, nearly two years after its abrupt suspension, as part of a broader push to boost lagging visitor arrivals and regain lost ground in the regional tourism race.

The Philippine embassy in Beijing confirmed in a statement issued on October 15 that Chinese citizens – including those from Hong Kong and Macau – would again be able to apply for short-stay e-visas online for up to 14 days of travel for tourism or...

Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore on Tuesday defended the actions of a clinical team that attended to one of its patients after the woman claimed that she was mistreated at the hospital.

“We are aware of recent online posts by a patient alleging that her treatment at our hospital was insensitive and inappropriate. We take the allegations seriously,” the hospital said in a social media post.

“Our clinical team’s actions were guided by our foremost duty to ensure the safety and well-being of the...