China
Chinese VP pledges to deepen China-Qatar cooperation. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, meeting Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Doha, conveyed President Xi Jinping’s greetings and backed Qatar’s hosting of the Second World Summit for Social Development. Han proposed elevating ties through energy, artificial intelligence, and digital-economy cooperation. The emir reaffirmed the one-China principle and sought closer alignment with China’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan. Global Times, November 3
Xi-Trump meeting ‘a historic moment’ that will help avoid missteps, China’s top envoy says. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called the recent Xi-Trump summit in Busan a “historic moment” that could stabilize bilateral ties and reduce misjudgments. The meeting yielded agreements on soybeans, fentanyl, and rare earths, while paving the way for more regular talks. Xi confirmed Shenzhen will host APEC in 2026. Vanessa Cai, South China Morning Post, November 3
China extends visa-free policy to end-2026, adds Sweden to scheme. China will extend visa-free entry for 45 countries through December 31, 2026, and include Sweden in the program starting November 10. The policy covers 32 European nations along with Australia, Japan, South Korea, and others, allowing 30-day stays. The move aims to revive tourism and boost engagement amid strained global trade relations. Xiuhao Chen, Liz Lee and Ethan Wang, Reuters, November 3
Japan
Takaichi says no time to consider dissolving the Lower House. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ruled out dissolving the Lower House, citing economic policies and coalition agreements as more pressing priorities. She emphasized the importance of fulfilling promised reforms, including a bill to reduce Diet seats, and highlighted recent diplomatic achievements in revitalizing Japan’s regional and global partnerships. The Asahi Shimbun, November 3
Japan has conveyed hope to N. Korea to hold summit: PM Takaichi. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan has formally expressed interest in a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to resolve the long-standing abduction issue. At an event in Tokyo, she pledged to achieve concrete results and highlighted U.S. President Trump’s support. Takaichi called resolution essential for future Japan–North Korea ties. Kyodo News, November 3
South Korea
Lee says summit with China’s Xi put bilateral ties back on track. President Lee Jae Myung said his summit with Xi Jinping marked a full restoration of South Korea–China relations, renewing strategic cooperation and mutual prosperity. The leaders agreed to strengthen financial ties through a renewed currency swap and pledged progress on service and investment trade talks. Lee expressed hopes to visit China soon. Yoo Jee-ho, Yonhap News Agency, November 3
Main opposition PPP decides to boycott Lee’s budget speech. South Korea’s People Power Party announced it will boycott President Lee Jae Myung’s budget speech in protest of a special counsel’s move to arrest Rep. Choo Kyung-ho over alleged obstruction during Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law attempt. The PPP condemned the arrest as political retaliation and will hold a rally at the National Assembly. Yi Wonju, Yonhap News Agency, November 4
Military chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. conduct first-ever joint commander’s flight. South Korea’s Gen. Jin Yong-sung and U.S. Gen. Dan Caine jointly led a combined formation flight aboard KF-16 and F-16 fighter jets following the 50th Military Committee Meeting in Seoul. The historic flight, the first between allied military chiefs, flew over key sites including Osan, Chuncheon, and Camp Humphreys. Lee Haye-ah, Yonhap News Agency, November 3
North Korea
North Korea says former ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam dies. Kim Yong Nam, former chairman of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly and the country’s nominal head of state from 1998 to 2019, has died at 97. State media said Kim Jong Un paid respects at his bier. A long-time diplomat, Kim held key foreign affairs roles and uniquely avoided purges under three leaders. Joyce Lee and Josh Smith, Reuters, November 4
Thailand
Thailand and Cambodia begin withdrawing heavy weapons from border, Thailand says. Thailand and Cambodia have started removing rocket systems and launching de-mining operations as part of a three-phase border demilitarization deal signed in Kuala Lumpur. Thai officials said the process, expected to finish by year-end, follows a deadly five-day conflict in July. Thailand will not release 18 detained Cambodian soldiers until compliance is verified. Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat, Reuters, November 3
Speaker urges unity on charter rewrite. Thai House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha called on lawmakers to cooperate on launching a new constitution-drafting assembly, warning that continued division could derail the charter amendment bill. His remarks came amid rising political tensions as the opposition considers a censure motion against the Bhumjaithai-led government, which could accelerate a possible House dissolution. Aekarach Sattaburuth, Bangkok Post, November 4
People’s Party and Bhumjaithai relieved as Constitutional Court throws out MOA case. Thailand’s Constitutional Court unanimously dismissed two petitions claiming that a pact between the People’s Party and Bhumjaithai to back Anutin Charnvirakul for prime minister violated Article 49. The Court found no evidence the agreement subverted the constitutional monarchy, ruling it was a political declaration without intent to undermine democratic governance. The Nation, November 3
Vietnam
14th Party Congress’s draft documents highlight Vietnamese culture, people. Vietnam’s draft documents for the 14th Party Congress emphasize the role of culture and people as a key pillar of sustainable development, alongside politics, economy, and society. New concepts such as digital culture, cultural industries, and heritage economy are introduced, reflecting a shift in development strategy. Feedback is being collected nationwide. Vietnam News, November 4
Myanmar
Myanmar junta silences election criticism with mass arrests. Myanmar’s military regime has arrested at least 88 people under a new Election Protection Law for criticizing its upcoming vote, which opposition groups and foreign governments deem a sham. The law imposes severe penalties, including the death sentence. Recent detainees include artists who interacted with social media posts critical of a pro-junta propaganda film. Myo Pyae, The Irrawaddy, November 3
Laos
Cambodia
U.S., Cambodia agree to resume joint military exercise. The United States and Cambodia will restart the “Angkor Sentinel” joint military exercise, suspended since 2017, following a bilateral meeting between Defense Minister Tea Seiha and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during the ASEAN defense summit in Kuala Lumpur. The US will also lift its arms embargo on Cambodia, citing its commitment to peace. Ben Sokhean, Khmer Times, November 3
Philippines
DPWH partners with PhilSA to monitor gov’t projects. The Department of Public Works and Highways signed an agreement with the Philippine Space Agency to use satellite data for monitoring 25,000 to 30,000 ongoing infrastructure projects. Officials said the partnership will help reduce fraud through tools requiring minimal human intervention. Archived imagery and free satellite data will be used to boost transparency. Gillian Villanueva, Philippine Daily Inquirer, November 4
Marcos Jr. aims for transparent 2026 budget, highlights savings in Congress. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Congress has identified potential infrastructure savings as it resumes 2026 budget deliberations. He confirmed bicameral meetings will be livestreamed to ensure transparency and prevent secret amendments. A construction cost-cutting directive is projected to save 30–45 billion Philippine pesos, which will be reallocated to health, education, and food security. The Manila Times, November 3
Taiwan
Only some of 66 fighter jets ordered from U.S. may be delivered on time: Koo. Defense Minister Wellington Koo said production issues have delayed Taiwan’s F-16 Block 70 order, though some jets could arrive next year. Fifty are in assembly, with 10 expected to roll off the line this year for test flights. Taiwan has deferred further payments since early 2024, having paid about $4.87 billion of the $8 billion deal. Sean Lin, Focus Taiwan, November 3
U.S.-China ties entering ‘managed rivalry,’ Taiwan’s ex-envoy says. Former envoy Stanley Kao said the US and China are shifting into a phase of “managed rivalry,” marked by compromises on minor issues while preserving major policy divides. Experts described the current dynamic as a “strategic truce,” predicting continued economic decoupling and a rise in bilateralism amid declining multilateral frameworks in Asia. Chao Yen-hsiang, Focus Taiwan, November 3
Nepal
Nepal’s top court stays recall of envoys, setback to interim PM. Nepal’s Supreme Court blocked Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s attempt to recall 11 ambassadors, ruling the interim government failed to justify its decision. The halted dismissals, which targeted envoys appointed by former leader K.P. Sharma Oli, followed pressure from Gen Z protesters. The court’s move deals a political blow to Karki’s short-term administration. Gopal Sharma, Reuters, November 3
East Asia
China globalises its pantheon of national heroes and martyrs. In September, China observed Victory over Japan Day and Martyrs’ Day, linking sacrifice to the long-term goal of national rejuvenation. Authorities are expanding and mobilizing the canon of heroes through new laws and a focus on peacetime exemplars such as first responders, doctors, poverty-alleviation workers and volunteers, paired with support for bereaved families to reinforce patriotism and social cohesion. The program extends overseas as embassies identify martyrs, maintain memorials and organise ceremonies. Chinese sources count more than 300 facilities in over 50 jurisdictions honouring upwards of 110,000 individuals. Diaspora outreach finds receptive audiences yet can unsettle host governments wary of political influence. The Nanyang Volunteers feature prominently, with Malaysia accommodating PRC-backed remembrance while Singapore limits official involvement. In Africa, memorials, including a major park in Zambia for TAZARA workers, align remembrance with aid diplomacy but draw limited local engagement. The diplomacy projects friendship while entrenching state narratives of strength and sacrifice, compelling host states to balance recognition with sovereignty concerns. Vincent KL Chang and Frank N Pieke, East Asia Forum, November 3
The mystery of China’s slumping investment. Fixed-asset outlays fell 0.5% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025 to 37.2 trillion yuan, with third-quarter spending down 6.6% and non-property investment sliding 3.5%. Officials’ campaign against “involution” and local deleveraging may be curbing projects, including debt repayment that displaced roughly 400 billion yuan of funding. A statistical mismatch complicates diagnosis: national accounts attribute nearly one-fifth of third-quarter growth to capital formation, implying real investment expansion rather than contraction. Recent policy remains restrained, with policy banks taking equity in 2,300 projects (about 500 billion yuan) and looser local bond quotas, leaving open whether weakness is real or underreported. The Economist, November 3
‘I don’t want to work; I want to join the party’: China’s viral cry for stability. A Douyin catchphrase channels fatigue with low-paid work and signals a preference for establishment stability, as short videos mock-pledge to “serve the people.” Applications and affiliation accentuate the pull: CCP membership reached 100.27 million and national civil-service candidates hit 3.41 million; for 2026, the age limit rose to 38 while planned intake fell by 1,600. Economic pressures intensify the tilt toward secure posts, with local finances diverting 4.16 billion RMB to cover debts and wages and public-sector pay cuts reported in several provinces. Private-sector churn and gig-work growth deepen insecurity, including large headcount reductions at major firms and a shift of displaced workers into ride-hailing. ThinkChina, November 4
Trump’s transactionalism turns Taiwan into a bargaining chip. Escalating US–China tensions expose Taiwan to transactional bargaining under a second Trump administration, moving it from priority to negotiable asset. The House introduced the Six Assurances to Taiwan Act in May 2025 to raise political costs for leveraging Taiwan in dealings with Beijing. After movement from strategic ambiguity toward clarity, Trump 2.0 withholds firm defence commitments while seeking a deal with China. Signals are mixed: a 20% tariff on Taiwanese semiconductors and a blocked Lai Ching-te transit coincide with plans for expanded arms sales, a cancelled Pentagon meeting and delayed deliveries. The proposed act serves mainly as a procedural stabiliser requiring notifications, lacking binding obligations or timelines. Beijing views Washington’s approach as negotiable, while Taiwan’s opposition questions US reliability and could gain in 2028. Converting reassurance into durable deterrence would require institutionalised congressional oversight, faster arms transfers and expanded joint training. Lee Chan Hui, East Asia Forum, November 4
Southeast Asia
Vietnam’s Memory Diplomacy: Curating the Past for an Uncertain Future. Memory diplomacy shapes Vietnam’s external relations by reinforcing comradeship with traditional partners while highlighting pre-war interactions and post-war reconciliation with the United States. Commemorations in 2025, joint parades with China, Laos, Cambodia, and Russia, plus new memorials for foreign allies, show loyalty and build “memory alliances” that support a multidirectional foreign policy. Engagement with Washington selectively “unshelves” earlier episodes of cooperation, reframing the past to facilitate deeper ties. Collaboration between the War Remnants Museum and USAID on a reconciliation exhibit further illustrates narrative co-production despite delays, signaling intent to align historical storytelling with present priorities. Phan Xuan Dung, FULCRUM, November 4