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Sebastian Strangio

Sebastian Strangio

Foreign Policy

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US Official Reassures Asia of Commitment, Calls for Greater Burden Sharing

Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby told an audience in Manila that U.S. interests are "more engaged than ever in the Indo-Pacific."

tuesday 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Indonesia’s President Nominates Central Bank Deputy as New Governor

The rupiah rose slightly on news of Destry Damayanti's nomination, which will now pass to the House of Representatives for approval.

tuesday 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Myanmar Rejects ASEAN Call for Suu Kyi’s Release, Questions Need For Special Envoy

The military-backed government is pushing for full readmission to ASEAN, while rejecting outright the bloc’s Five-Point Consensus initiative.

10.08.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Myanmar Nationals Face Deportation From US After Court Ruling

The ruling follows a Supreme Court decision in June that limited courts' ability to challenge TPS designations.

10.08.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Thailand Pledges to Work Towards Myanmar’s Full Reintegration With ASEAN

The pledge came as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul hosted the country's military-appointed president, Min Aung Hlaing, in Bangkok.

07.08.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Vietnam’s Top Leader To Lam to Pay State Visits to Australia and New Zealand

The visits are likely to build on the momentum created by the Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships signed recently with both countries.

07.08.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Vietnam to Build Memorial to North Korean War Dead Outside Hanoi

The memorial will be built at an existing ⁠cemetery that commemorates 14 North Korean fighter pilots shot down while battling the U.S. Air Force in...

06.08.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Malaysia Says It Will Not Deport Rohingya if There Are Risks to Their Safety

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government has announced plans to repatriate around 5,000 Rohingya with Myanmar's assent.

06.08.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Myanmar’s Detained Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Meets Red Cross Official

The move is intended to weaken ASEAN's determination to hold Myanmar to the Five-Point Consensus and widen the divisions between the bloc's member...

04.08.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Malaysia’s DAP to Hold Vote on Whether to Remain in Anwar’s ‘Unity’ Government

The announcement follows the Pakatan Harapan coalition's bruising defeat in the Negeri Sembilan state election on Saturday.

04.08.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Anwar Ibrahim’s Coalition Suffers Another State-level Electoral Defeat

In Negeri Sembilan, the Pakatan Harapan coalition was washed away by a wave of Malay unity that could determine the outcome of the next general...

03.08.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Myanmar Leader Criticizes Five-Point Consensus, Accuses ASEAN of ‘Discrimination’

Marking his 100th day as president, Min Aung Hlaing told parliament that his administration would pursue its own “solution” to the country’s conflict.

03.08.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

US Aircraft Carrier USS George Washington Arrives in Vietnam on Friendship Visit

The port call, the fourth by a U.S. carrier group since 2018, is a sign that relations between Washington and Hanoi remain healthy, despite ongoing...

31.07.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

EU Announces New Sanctions Targeting Southeast Asia-Based Online Scam Networks

Cambodia's Prince Holding Group and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, a Myanmar-based rebel group, were among the targeted groups.

31.07.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Resignation of Bank Indonesia Governor Shocks Markets, Raises Independence Questions

Perry Warjiyo, who has served as governor of the central bank since 2018, said that he was stepping down for "personal reasons."

28.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Malaysian Authorities Detain More Than 100 Rohingya Asylum Seekers Outside UNHCR Office

The detention of the group, who were reportedly driven out of a settlement in Penang on Sunday, comes amid rising public hostility toward Rohingya...

28.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Philippines Holds Joint Exercises With US, Japan in South China Sea Amid Tensions With China

Manila and Beijing continue to trade accusations about a series of clashes at two disputed features in the South China Sea last week.

27.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Vietnam Planning Social Media Restrictions for Children Under 16

The proposed rules would would bar minors from posting, sharing, or commenting on social media platforms.

27.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Malaysia Orders UN Agency to Pause Registration of New Refugees

With the creation of a new refugee agency in January, the country has asserted its control over the processing of asylum-seekers.

24.07.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Myanmar’s Readmission to ASEAN Summits Still ‘Far Off,’ Special Envoy Says

Ma. Theresa Lazaro said that the bloc wants to see more progress on the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus for resolving the country's...

24.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Philippine, Chinese Foreign Ministers Exchange Protests Over South China Sea Clash

Both nations have accused the other for instigating the incident at Second Thomas Shoal, which has overshadowed this week's ASEAN meetings in Manila.

23.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

ASEAN Foreign Ministers Call for ‘Immediate Cessation’ of Middle East Hostilities

The fighting between Iran and the United States is set to have “immediate and long-term effects” on Southeast Asia and its people, the ministers said.

23.07.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Philippine Marine Injured in Clash With China Coast Guard at Disputed South China Sea Shoal

The two sides traded accusations over the confrontation at Second Thomas Shoal, a long-standing focus of maritime tensions between Manila and Beijing.

21.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

ASEAN Foreign Ministers Convene Meeting Under the Shadow of Iran War, Regional Crises

The bloc's foreign ministers are set to call for "the restoration of the safe, unimpeded, and continuous transit passage of vessels and aircraft in...

21.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Australia Updates Travel Warning For Laos After Announcement of Methanol Poisoning Charges

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that she was “deeply frustrated and bitterly disappointed" at the leniency of the charges announced on Friday.

20.07.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Philippines’ Lazaro Dismisses Criticisms Over ASEAN’s ‘Informal Meeting’ With Myanmar FM

Last week, the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar said that agreeing to the meeting was a sign of the ASEAN special envoy's "timidity and poor...

20.07.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

More Than 500 Feared Dead After Reported Shipwrecks Off Myanmar’s Coast, UN Says

The reports come on top of the 300 people already reported missing or drowned in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal in 2026.

17.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Philippines Issues Formal Protest to China Over ‘Dehumanizing’ State Media Video

The Department of Foreign Affairs demanded the "immediate takedown” of the AI-generated video, in which the Philippines was depicted as a monkey.

17.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Myanmar Military and Some Rebel Groups Ready For Talks, Thai FM Says

ASEAN special envoy Ma. Theresa Lazaro held separate talks with military-backed negotiators and six rebel groups in Pattaya earlier this week.

16.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Bloomberg Ordered to Pay $357,000 in Damages After Losing Singapore Defamation Case

The High Court ruled that a 2024 article on the city-state's luxury real estate market maliciously defamed ministers Tan See Leng and K. Shanmugam.

16.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Antonia Mulvey on the Pursuit of Justice in Myanmar

"In the short term, the likelihood of Myanmar’s military leadership appearing before a court is low, but not impossible."

14.07.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Ratings Agency Maintains Indonesia Credit Rating, Predicting Economic Recovery

The news will no doubt come as a relief for the Prabowo administration, whose economic policymaking has spooked international investors.

14.07.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Myanmar’s Leader Min Aung Hlaing to Visit Thailand Next Month, Report Claims

The visit comes amid a campaign by Naypyidaw to normalize its relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states.

14.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Malaysian PM’s Coalition Suffers Significant Defeat in Johor State Election

Barisan Nasional, the Grand Old Party of Malaysian politics, has been aided by a growing disillusionment with Anwar's leadership and discord among its...

13.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

ASEAN Foreign Ministers Hold ‘Icebreaker’ Meeting With Myanmar Counterpart

The Southeast Asian bloc reaffirmed its adherence to its Five-Point Consensus initiative, which was last week rejected by Myanmar’s...

13.07.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

ASEAN Foreign Ministers to Meet Myanmar Foreign Minister This Weekend

Tin Maung Swe is likely to press the case for diplomatic normalization between ASEAN and the military-backed government in Naypyidaw.

10.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Philippine Defense Chief Dismisses Chinese Scholars’ Claim Over Northernmost Province

The scholars described the Batanes Islands as a “natural geographical extension” of Taiwan, which therefore belonged to China.

10.07.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

India’s PM Winds Up Visit to Indonesia, Hails ‘New Avenues’ For Cooperation

The two sides signed 14 agreements, including a landmark deal for the provision of BrahMos supersonic missiles to the Indonesian armed forces.

09.07.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Cost of Car Ownership in Singapore Hits a New Record High

The price of a "certificate for entitlement" for a small vehicle rose to nearly $100,000 in the latest round of bidding.

09.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Philippine Senate Opens Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

The 48-year-old faces charges of corruption, bribery, and an alleged plot to assassinate her rival, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

07.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte Responds to Impeachment Allegations

The 48-year-old faces charges of corruption, bribery, and an alleged plot to assassinate her rival, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

07.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Indonesia and Singapore Pledge That Malacca Strait Will Remain ‘Open to All’

The affirmations come after an Indonesian minister raised the idea of imposing a levy on vessels passing through the vital chokepoint.

07.07.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Myanmar to Push Ahead With Suspended Myitsone Dam Project, Officials Say

China's government is pushing hard for the resumption of the $3.6 billion project, which was suspended in 2011 amid widespread public opposition.

03.07.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Indonesia Recovers Body of American Pilot Killed by Papuan Separatists

The West Papua National Liberation Army has a history of targeting aircraft servicing remote parts of the Papuan highlands.

03.07.2026 40

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Myanmar Denies ASEAN Chair’s Request for Meeting With Aung San Suu Kyi

In late May, the military announced that it had transferred the 81-year-old former leader from prison to house arrest.

02.07.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Malaysia Extends Search for Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370

The maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity will have an additional year to locate the wreckage of the Boeing 777 airliner, which vanished without...

30.06.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Arrests Spike as Vietnam Sees New ‘Wave of Repression,’ Rights Group Says

The Bangkok-based advocacy group Project88 documented 56 political arrests last year, the most in any year since 2018.

30.06.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Bangkok’s Voters Hand Chadchart Second Term as Governor By Decisive Margin

Chadchart Sittipunt, an independent, has replicated the landslide victory that delivered him to the governor's office in 2022.

29.06.2026 20

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Indonesia Says Tech Firms Have Wiped 4.7M Child Accounts Since Govt Ban

Jakarta is one of a growing cohort of nations seeking to safeguard under-16s from cyberbullying, online fraud, and pornography.

29.06.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

MSCI Extends Review on Indonesia ‘Emerging Market’ Status Review

The reprieve led to a brief rally on the Indonesian stock market, but the longer-term outlook is less certain.

25.06.2026 30

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio