Asia - South China Morning Post

Officials from the Philippines-claimed Kalayaan group of islands within the disputed Spratly Islands archipelago plan to expand its civilian population amid a war of words with the Chinese embassy in the country.

Local authorities in Kalayaan, which falls under the jurisdiction of Palawan province, were working on plans to grow the population beyond its current outpost on Thitu Island, known locally as Pagasa, and to the six other land masses under its administration, Vice-Mayor Maurice Phillip...

A stricter control measure is being enforced on Chinese nationals to curb any abuse of the visa-free facility under the Malaysia-China mutual visa exemption agreement, according to Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Saifuddin explained that while Chinese nationals are permitted visa-free entry for up to 30 days per visit, they are subject to a cumulative stay limit of 90 days within any 180-day window.

“The provisions under this agreement do not grant continuous 90-day visa-free...

The arrest of nearly 40 Indian nationals in Bali for allegedly running an online gambling operation has renewed concern about Indonesia’s tourist visa regime, which analysts warn is vulnerable to abuse by foreign criminal groups posing as travellers.

The case highlights the scale of Indonesia’s struggle against online gambling, an industry that authorities say continues to generate billions of rupiah in transactions each month despite repeated crackdowns.

Bali police said the suspects entered...

Some public and private sector employees need a change of attitude if Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) is to succeed, according to Tiong King Sing.

The tourism, arts and culture minister said he has received numerous complaints from both foreign and domestic tourists about the rudeness they faced when making inquiries.

“Some officers think they have a lot of power. But when people don’t understand certain issues, we must explain,” Tiong said when launching the Mesra Malaysia campaign in KL Sentral...

Japan’s fledgling opposition alliance is scrambling to regroup after a bruising election defeat that has left its future in doubt, raising broader questions about whether the country can sustain a credible parliamentary counterweight to the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

The Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) is set to elect a new leader on Friday, just days after voters delivered a resounding blow in Sunday’s House of Representatives poll, prompting the resignation of its joint...

Japan’s House of Representatives election on February 8 delivered more than a decisive result. It produced a domestic political configuration with direct and lasting consequences for Sino-Japanese relations. The scale of the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) victory under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has altered both Tokyo’s internal balance of power and the incentives shaping Japan’s strategic posture towards China.

The LDP secured 316 seats in the election, surpassing the two-thirds threshold...

A leaked letter from the Philippines’ foreign secretary has exposed a fault line in the country over how to publicly confront Beijing in the South China Sea, days before the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) created its own maritime spokesman role.

The new position was in addition to existing voices from the Philippine coastguard, armed forces and the National Maritime Council.

The episode has cast a spotlight on a delicate balancing act in President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s China policy:...

The persistent tuberculosis cases in Malaysia are indicative of an outbreak that could be under-reported for a disease that is easy to diagnose and treat, according to medical experts.

Malaysia had detected 10 active TB clusters nationwide as of February 7, with a total of 2,571 cases.

Four of these clusters – defined by health authorities as two or more epidemiologically linked cases identified within a specific setting or time frame – were found in Selangor, Malaysia’s most populous state. The...

As Washington redraws the global map for critical minerals, Malaysia is pitching itself to the United States as a “trusted” link in the supply chain while making clear it will not serve as a quarry shipping out unprocessed resources.

Analysts say the stance reflects a careful balancing act: Kuala Lumpur wants US capital and technology to build downstream industries at home but is wary of being seen as taking sides in an intensifying US–China contest over strategic resources.

A ban on raw rare...

For many Thais, a meal does not feel complete without an iced coffee or tea so sugary it could pass for dessert. The government, concerned about the health consequences, wants them to dial it back.

Starting on Wednesday, nine major coffee chains across the country have pledged to cut the default sugar content in some of their drinks by half in a government initiative aimed at tackling excessive sugar consumption.

According to the Health Department, Thais consume an average of 21 teaspoons of...