Southeast Asia Insights

The Philippines ended 2025 with its slowest economic growth in over a decade. Official data shows the economy expanded just 3% in the fourth quarter of last year, marking the weakest performance since 2009 outside of the COVID-19 pandemic.   Analysts say the slump was triggered by the massive flood control corruption scandal that hurt trust in the government and public projects, with businesses slowing down and consumers spending less. The...

The Philippines has surprised the region, and even its own citizens, with a bold tourism reset. Beginning January 16, 2026, Chinese citizens may now enter the Philippines without a visa for up to fourteen days for tourism and business trips. Officials say the new policy aims to bring back Chinese visitors, revive local jobs, and restore a major tourism market that collapsed during years of travel limits and political friction.   What makes...

At the 6th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting in Hanoi, held January 12-16 under the theme “Adaptive ASEAN: From Connectivity to Connected Intelligence,” Southeast Asian leaders discussed how artificial intelligence could reshape economies, societies, and governance across the region. With major powers like the US and China racing to dominate AI technology, ASEAN is aiming to craft its own rules and strategies, ensuring Southeast ...

The 1MDB scandal, one of the largest financial frauds in modern history, continues to shape political and legal battles around the world. More than $4.5 billion was stolen from Malaysia’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund through corrupt officials, businessmen, and financial intermediaries like banks.   Global investigations revealed that Goldman Sachs, an American investment bank and financial services company, helped raise $...

ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is entering a decisive phase. As global politics and trade grow more competitive, the bloc is no longer just a neutral meeting space for major powers. Supply chain changes and global trade wars have placed Southeast Asia at the center of global economic planning. So far, the global economic changes have benefited both the region and individual ASEAN economies, as companies diversify production an...