The South Korean military reported on Tuesday ( Apr 8 ) that it had fired warning shots after violating the military demarcation line before returning. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) warned the military to send warning broadcasts and warning shots in the eastern demilitarized zone ( DMZ) around 5pmContinue Reading
On Tuesday ( Apr 8 ), leading contenders began to throw their hats in the ring as South Korea officially declared a snap presidential election that would take place on June 3 following Yoon Suk Yeol’s removal from office last week. Seoul’s attempts to deal with US President Donald Trump’sContinue Reading
According to audit results released on Monday ( Apr 7 ), the Hong Kong company whose management of two ports at either end of the Panama Canal sparked US President Donald Trump’s ire flouted the terms of its contract. The audit found “many breaches” of the concession granted to aContinue Reading
“ECONOMIC BULLYING” According to Commerce Department statistics, the US exported US$ 144.6 billion in products to China in 2024, which is significantly less than the US$ 439.7 billion it imported. Important industries included in its exports include electrical and electronic equipment, as well as oilseed and grains, and several fuels.Continue Reading
SEOUL:  , South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Friday ( Apr 4 ) decided to oust President Yoon Suk Yeol, upholding parliament’s impeachment motion over his short-lived imposition of martial law last year that sparked the country’s worst political crisis in decades. ” We hereby pronounce the following judgement, with theContinue Reading
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Shein and Temu reportedly made up 30 % of the total size of the more than 1 billion boxes that China imported into the US in 2023, according to a report from the US parliamentary committee on China.  ,
According to US Customs and Border Protection statistics, roughly 1.36 billion Chinese goods entered the nation in 2024.  ,
Analysts anticipate that the move may be particularly problematic for smaller sellers who operate through Foreign e-commerce platforms, which directly target US consumers and consumers. This business model relies on ultra-fast, low-cost shipping to devalue US retailers.  ,
These items are subject to customs delays, compliance challenges, and higher shipping costs as a result of the new regulations.
Exporters will likely see their packages being stopped at the border for a very long time as a result, according to Guo, adding that it will undoubtedly slow down the ( parcel screening ) process. They originally didn’t really care about this, which may cause a bigger pain.
According to EIU’s Su, who claims that the new levies may “ultimately possibly be passed on to US buyers half after part of the price is absorbed by US retailers, Chinese companies that already have “razor-thin” profit margins would have little space to bear extra costs.  ,
Some Chinese companies have used free trade agreements and integrated production chains to avoid US tariffs over the years by rerouting shipments through Southeast Asian nations.
However, because nations in the region are also facing significant US tariffs today hitting both ends of this supply chain, that exit route will likely no longer be a” cost-effective solution.”  ,
Rerouting Chinese imports may crash in nations like Vietnam, where they were originally partially rerouted and are now suffering greatly, according to Josef Gregory Mahoney, professor of politics and international relations at East China Normal University.
In the months to come, Mahoney said, Taiwanese companies will probably make moves to new markets.  ,
Taiwan’s government announced on Thursday ( Apr 3 ) that the island’s government’s tariffs were unreasonable and that it would discuss them with Washington, partly on account of US tech restrictions being used by China in its first term to cause the trade imbalance. Trump made the broad-based import tariffs,Continue Reading
Beijing: On Thursday ( Apr 3 ), China declared it had “destroyed” an intelligence network established by the Philippine espionage agency and detained three spies from the nation. The news comes as the two nations continue to argue over disputed territory in the South China Sea and as hostilities growContinue Reading
Interviewees from Indonesia found that China’s aid was the strongest, followed by those in Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, and Laos, as a result of “deep economic relationships, business dependencies, as well as growing dissatisfaction with US policies.”  ,
Following the re-election of President Donald Trump, the ISEAS review claimed, trust in Washington had increased further in the area.  ,  ,
However, it cited concerns about President Trump’s unstable nature from more than half of survey respondents, who claimed it had “add confusion to US wedding with the area.”  ,
China, however, continues to be the most potent economic and political-strategic force in Southeast Asia despite Washington’s tight lead, “outpacing the US by major margins, albeit with some drop in its total monetary and political-strategic influence.”  ,
According to the ISEAS report,” China continues to be the best choice among respondents across ASEAN, with the exception of the Philippines, where the US is still perceived as the most powerful political and corporate power.”
The nation is also the most powerful financial strength, generating 56.4 percent of elections among those surveyed in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.  ,
According to ISEAS, China’s rating highlights its “deep economic ties with the region,” mainly through industry and infrastructure investments under the Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI), adding that Beijing’s” corporate influence continues to be strongly rooted in the region.”
Despite good views, concerns about Beijing’s political and corporate influence in the region continue to grow, with nearly seven in ten ASEAN respondents saying they are unsure.
According to recent research, Laos, a nation that once regarded China as the region’s dominant economic power, took a” significant hit” - , dropping to 49 % from 77.5 % in 2024.  ,
A majority of ASEAN-10 respondents ( 61.9 % ) are concerned about China’s declining regional influence, down from 67.4 % in 2024, according to the report.  ,
Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines are most emphatic about this. Cambodia, Brunei, and Malaysia are the most loving nations in terms of China’s economic impact.