Asia - South China Morning Post

Chinese tourism to South Korea has remained strong this week despite a rash of anti-China protests in Seoul, with no violence reported and tour groups taking advantage of a new visa-free policy – though analysts warn arrivals could dampen once the extended “super golden week” holiday ends.

Scheduled flights between the two Asian countries are operating as expected, according to the regional head of an aviation intelligence firm. A travel marketing firm also said South Korea remains a top...

India’s Air Force chief on Friday claimed the military destroyed both Chinese-made jets and US-built F-16s during clashes with Pakistan earlier this year, offering New Delhi’s first detailed account of its rival’s losses.

“As far as air defence is concerned, we have evidence of one long-range strike … along with that five fighters, hi-tech fighters between F-16 and JF-17 class, our system tells,” Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh told reporters, referring to the four days of fighting in May...

The Philippine military is now 3D-printing drones in preparation for future warfare and strengthening foreign partnerships, with Manila recently being recognised by Indo-Pacific defence ministers as a “frontliner” in keeping the region “free and open”.

Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff General Romeo Brawner Jnr told the Foreign Correspondents Association on Friday that the 3D initiative had been in place since last year, acknowledging it was still not on a large or sophisticated scale as the objective...

As the Philippines grapples with the fallout of a deadly earthquake and two destructive typhoons in less than a fortnight, analysts have criticised officials for their poor disaster management, comparing the damage with the flaws exposed by the ongoing flood-control scandal.

The latest disasters have highlighted shortcomings ranging from weak enforcement of building codes to chronic underfunding of related scientific programmes, according to the analysts.

Those weaknesses were on full display...

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India in December, a trip that could test New Delhi’s delicate balancing act between Moscow and Washington amid escalating pressure from the United States over oil and weapons purchases from the sanctioned country.

Analysts say the visit is likely to deepen India’s defiance of Western demands as it strengthens energy and defence ties with Russia. But it could also complicate Delhi’s strategic ambitions – including a potential trade deal with...

The death toll in an Indonesian school collapse rose to 13 on Friday, officials said, but dozens were still believed buried under the rubble without signs of life days after the disaster.

Distraught families have been waiting anxiously near the site in the town of Sidoarjo, on Indonesia’s island of Java, hoping to receive any news of their loved ones since the building collapsed on Monday.

On Friday some argued with rescuers, angrily calling for them to speed up the desperate rescue operation,...

A new diplomatic protest from Tokyo over suspected marine surveys by a Chinese vessel in contested waters has renewed focus on a long-standing unresolved issue: the lack of agreement between Japan and China on their maritime boundaries in the East China Sea.

At the centre of the row is a clash of interpretations. While Japan insists the Chinese survey ship violated its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by conducting underwater research without getting its prior consent, analysts point out that China...

As the milestones to limit global heating crumble and America – the world’s second-largest consumer of fossil fuels – abandons climate goals, policymakers from Asia have gathered at Bangkok’s Climate Action Week to discuss ways people can protect their region from the coming storm.

Climate scientists have warned global temperatures are likely to exceed the 1.5 degree Celsius rise above pre-industrial levels at some point over the coming five years.

That is well on track to hit 2 degrees,...

Indonesia said it had suspended TikTok’s registration status as an electronic system provider after it failed to hand over all data relating to the use of its live stream feature, though the social media app was still accessible to users on Friday.

Alexander Sabar, an official at Indonesia’s communications and digital ministry, said in a statement that some accounts with ties to online gambling activities used TikTok’s live stream feature during recent national protests and monetised...

A Thai gunman was sentenced to life in prison on Friday for the murder of a Cambodian opposition politician in Bangkok, a judge said.

French national Lim Kimya, a former opposition lawmaker in Cambodia, was shot dead on January 7 by Ekkalak Paenoi as the ex-MP visited Bangkok with his wife.

Cambodian opposition figures have accused the country’s powerful former leader Hun Sen of ordering the shooting. This week, Lim Kimya’s widow called for a full accounting of who was behind it.

“The actions of...