When Donald Trump was taking aim at all things made in China,he left a back door open. It now appears likely that Joe Biden will slam it shut.
President Xi Jinping launched the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013,immediately winning over many foreign governments with promises of unprecedented investment.
Singapore’s “unfriendly” exclusivity deal with Taylor Swift has upset some country leaders.
Anwar Ibrahim also warned Western nations not to try to pit South-East Asian countries against Beijing after meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will release the government’s South-East Asia Strategy,which contains 75 recommendations for improving economic ties with the region,during a trip to Jakarta on Wednesday.
A stronger alliance between India and Australia serves mutual economic and security interests.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese will bring a package of South-East Asia policies to a meeting of the Quad grouping next week if he is elected prime minister.
Home to 650 million people,the region risks “being left behind if we do not act now”,says a report by Bain and Co,Microsoft and Singapore’s Temasek.
The package will include measures to counter China's Mekong River dam-building exercises,which last year exacerbated a severe drought in countries downstream.
It’s easy to assume international co-operation has ground to a halt because of COVID-19 travel restrictions and closed borders.