- Obama’s visit to Malaysia (26 April) and the Philippines (28 April) is on all Southeast Asia watchers' lists this week. The Trans-Pacific Partnership and regional security are likely to be high on the agenda. For the embattled Malaysian government, his visit will be a boon internationally, but for Obama it may be difficult. He will require a similar diplomatic dexterity in the Philippines, according to the Brookings Institution.
- Aung Din gives us a succinct look at Myanmar’s 2015 elections, and why the ruling USDP may support a change to the constitution.
- Carl Thayer looks at why Vietnam chose to commit forces to UN peacekeeping after two decades of deliberation.
- In an insightful ISEAS paper, Lo Hong Hiep asks: will development lead to democratisation in Vietnam and China?
- The Lower Mekong could be ‘the next South China Sea’, argues CSIS's Phuong Nguyen.
- Vietnam has withdrawn from hosting the 2019 Asian Games citing a lack of financial resources and experience. The Indonesian Olympic Committee has said it would be ‘proud’ to hold the games.
- The 20th China-ASEAN Senior Officials' Consultation is meeting this week (21-22 April) to discuss relations and regional issues. High on the agenda will be the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea.
- Malaysia and Turkey signed a FTA last week that will bolster trade and KL’s bid to be a key hub of the global Islamic economy.
- Vietnamese border guards opened fire on Chinese migrants in a scuffle on the border last week. Five Chinese migrants and two Vietnamese border guards were killed.
- Earlier this month, an LSE Asia Forum in Kuala Lumpur looked at the topic of ‘ASEAN leadership in a leaderless world’. Here’s the plenary discussion: