Territory & Conflict

Rakhine State, in western Myanmar, is facing one of its darkest periods in decades. Long plagued by poverty, weak infrastructure, and ethnic tensions, the region has slipped deeper into crisis since Myanmar’s military coup in 2021.   Fighting between the military junta and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group rooted in Rakhine, has intensified. Although the Arakan Army now controls much of the state, its advances have slowed, prolo...

China has agreed to prioritize backchannel talks with the Philippines as confrontations in the West Philippine Sea continue to strain relations. The commitment came after a meeting between Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan and Philippine Senator Erwin Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.   Both sides signaled a preference for quieter diplomacy over public exchanges. The purpose of this is to reduce media escalation, reopen ...

The melting ice at the edge of Antarctica could reshape Southeast Asia far sooner than expected. New research shows that fast underwater turbulence is accelerating the loss of two of the world’s most fragile glaciers — and the consequences may hit the Philippines and its neighbors hard.   Underwater Storms Cutting Into Antarctica’s Ice Scientists have discovered that when warm and cold waters collide deep in the Southern...

A burst of online claims has pushed the Indonesia-Malaysia border dispute back into public debate in 2026, with rumors suggesting that thousands of hectares of land near Sabah and North Kalimantan were “handed over” in a secret deal. At the center of the debate are three villages in Indonesia’s Nunukan district and claims involving 5,207 hectares of land.   Leaders in both Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta have moved quickly to ca...

The Philippines took major defense steps in 2025 and early 2026. Manila expanded military alliances, signed new security deals, and strengthened old partnerships. These moves signaled a clear shift in defense strategy and a willingness to prepare for a more contested region.   China’s rising military activity in the South China Sea influenced nearly every decision. Analysts say Beijing’s pressure has accelerated Manila’s ...