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ASEAN Raises 2026 Economic Growth Forecast Amidst Global Challenges

ASEAN Raises 2026 Economic Growth Forecast Amidst Global Challenges

ASEAN Raises 2026 Economic Growth Forecast Amidst Global Challenges

ASEAN Prioritizes AI Regulation and Digital Economy Framework at 49th Summit

ASEAN Prioritizes AI Regulation and Digital Economy Framework at 49th Summit

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is set to make artificial intelligence (AI) a central topic at its 49th Summit in November. According to Dominic Xavier Imperial, Executive Director of the DFA ASEAN Office, AI is prominently featured in discussions under the Philippine chairship. The summit is expected to include the signing of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), a legally binding, region-wide agreement aimed at establishing common rules for digital trade and data flows. Discussions will also cover a statement on AI-powered growth for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and the application of AI in healthcare, including medical diagnosis, and its role in addressing climate change. While AI is a high-priority agenda item, current reports do not indicate the adoption of a binding AI law or a licensing regime for frontier AI models at this summit. ASEAN's current AI governance framework primarily consists of voluntary guides, such as the 2024 Guide on AI Governanc...

Philippines Seeks Emergency Oil Access Through Indonesia and Thailand Amid Geopolitical Tensions

Philippines Seeks Emergency Oil Access Through Indonesia and Thailand Amid Geopolitical Tensions

The Philippines has initiated preliminary agreements with Indonesia and Thailand to secure emergency access to oil supplies. This move comes as the country aims to bolster its energy security in response to disruptions stemming from the US-Israeli conflict involving Iran. State-run Philippine National Oil Company–Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) signed separate letters of intent with Indonesia’s Interport Mandiri Utama and the Shell Company of Thailand Limited. These agreements were finalized during the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Manila. The initiatives, supported by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and the Indonesian Business Council, will explore oil ticketing mechanisms. This system would allow the Philippines to utilize existing oil storage facilities in Indonesia and Thailand during emergencies, circumventing the need to construct new infrastructure or pre-purchase large volumes of oil. The Philippines has been under a state of national energy emergency since Marc...

ASEAN keeps Myanmar restrictions but opens path to political return

ASEAN keeps Myanmar restrictions but opens path to political return

By Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores MANILA, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian leaders said on Sunday they may consider gradually restoring Myanmar's full political representation in the regional bloc, if the country makes progress on their longstanding plan to resolve its five-year-old crisis.

ASEAN reaffirms engagement with Myanmar, seeks to advance peace plan

ASEAN reaffirms engagement with Myanmar, seeks to advance peace plan

MANILA, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian leaders reaffirmed the need to keep engaging with Myanmar while sticking with a plan calling for an immediate end to violence in the war-torn country, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Sunday.

Southeast Asian Nations Face Escalating Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure

Southeast Asian Nations Face Escalating Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure

Southeast Asian nations are experiencing a significant increase in cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure, prompting heightened alert levels and urgent calls for enhanced cybersecurity measures. Malaysia recently elevated its National Cyber Security Threat Level from Low to Medium, citing concerns over critical infrastructure. Simultaneously, Indonesia's banking, financial, and insurance sectors reported over 1.2 million detected cyberattack attempts within a 24-hour period, leading the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to coordinate preventive actions with banks. In Singapore, telecommunications providers like Singtel, StarHub, M1, and SIMBA were targeted by the cyber-espionage group UNC3886 in February 2026, although no service disruption or sensitive customer data theft was reported. These incidents reflect a global trend of rising cyberattacks, with Check Point Research noting a 36% increase in weekly attacks per organization between May and September 2026.

France and Malaysia Strengthen Bilateral Ties with Five 'Sovereignty Partnerships'

France and Malaysia Strengthen Bilateral Ties with Five 'Sovereignty Partnerships'

French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit Malaysia on November 16 and 17, ahead of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations in 2027. This visit aims to elevate the bilateral relationship through five interconnected 'sovereignty partnerships' focusing on security, critical resources, energy, aerospace, and digital technologies. These partnerships are designed to enhance industrial and technological capabilities, secure strategic supply chains, and preserve the independence of both countries. France, an Indo-Pacific nation with a significant presence in the region, views Malaysia as central to its 2025 Indo-Pacific strategy, which emphasizes international law, freedom of navigation, and ASEAN centrality. Malaysia's strategic location along the Strait of Malacca and its growing role in global supply chains and as a digital hub make it a key partner. Bilateral trade reached RM22.4 billion in 2025, with over 300 French subsidiaries operating in Malaysia, supporting appro...

Asian Development Bank Completes $30 Billion ASEAN Pledge with New Initiatives for Resilient Rivers and Digital Economy

Asian Development Bank Completes $30 Billion ASEAN Pledge with New Initiatives for Resilient Rivers and Digital Economy

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda announced two new initiatives aimed at mobilizing up to $13 billion by 2030 for resilient rivers and the digital economy across Southeast Asia. These announcements fulfill ADB's previously made $30 billion pledge to support the development priorities of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The initiatives were unveiled during Mr. Kanda's address at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Manila, which coincided with the 49th ASEAN Summit. During the summit, a new five-year memorandum of understanding was also signed, formally designating ADB as the primary bank for the region. The ASEAN Resilient Rivers Initiative seeks to secure up to $8 billion in public and private financing by 2030 to enhance water and food security and mitigate flood and drought damage. Concurrently, the ASEAN Regional Platform for AI and Digital Economy aims to mobilize up to $5 billion by 2030 to support the implementation of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framewo...

Southeast Asian leaders, with US and Chinese counterparts, will renew alarm over online scams

Southeast Asian leaders, with US and Chinese counterparts, will renew alarm over online scams

Southeast Asian leaders and key counterparts, including from the U.S. and China, are raising alarms over online scams

Southeast Asian leaders will call for peaceful resolutions of conflicts. Trump will join final talks

Southeast Asian leaders will call for peaceful resolutions of conflicts. Trump will join final talks

Southeast Asian leaders will gather in the Philippine capital this weekend for the annual ASEAN summit that will focus on global conflicts

Southeast Asian leaders denounce violence in Myanmar and extend ban on its leader

Southeast Asian leaders denounce violence in Myanmar and extend ban on its leader

Southeast Asian leaders say Myanmar has failed to comply with a 2021 peace plan and its military and armed groups continue to attack civilians

Nvidia fallout throws spotlight on Southeast Asia's AI boom

Nvidia fallout throws spotlight on Southeast Asia's AI boom

By Xinghui Kok and Rozanna Latiff SINGAPORE, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Southeast Asia's chip and data centre industries expect greater scrutiny after news of former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's affair with a suspected Chinese spy put the spotlight on Singapore and Malaysia, executives and analysts said.