Amid Hun Sen’s growing tensions with the West, Cambodia’s already warm relations with China has reached new heights. After a recent three-day visit to Beijing, Hun Sen announced that China has pledged almost US$600 million in aid to Cambodia.According to Hun Sen’s official Facebook page, the US$600 million aid will run for three years, from 2019 to 2021.

2018 proved to be a tumultuous year for the region. Some ASEAN countries faced major challenges. For example, Indonesia was struck by disasters multiple times from earthquakes to a tragic plane crash to a devastating tsunami. Elsewhere, countries were navigating their respective democratic paths. Cambodia and Thailand saw its institutions challenged with Hun Sen winning an allegedly rigged election in Cambodia while Thailand’s junta continued to delay elections it promised to hold.

From farm to fork, the international community is facing growing challenges in eradicating hunger and malnutrition. And yet while some parts of the world are obviously better endowed than others in terms of climate, soil, water, and geography, there is plenty of food to go around. So why is food insecurity a problem for so many people in so many countries?What is missing are conditions ensuring that healthy and nutritious food can reach those who need it.

In many dimensions, today’s West is not at its best. Many people are challenging the values of liberal democracy (individual rights and majority rule) and even those of the Enlightenment (reason, science, and truth). Populist parties are channelling such sentiments with considerable electoral success, capitalizing on economic malaise, widening inequality, and rising immigration.Technology is often blamed for the social ills underpinning the populist surge.

Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia to have never been colonised. It is perhaps a testament to the strength and resilience of the country in doing away with any foreign interference on its shores. However, Thailand has had interactions with colonial powers before, as can be seen when the United States of America (US) established relations with then Siam in 1818. The Treaty of Amity and Commerce, which formalised diplomatic relations, was also signed by both countries in 1833.

The Philippines is fast becoming a hub for foreign banks looking to expand and establish their presence in Southeast Asia. A steady banking system coupled with an educated citizenry are some of the factors drawing international financial institutions to its shores. The presence of these foreign banks mostly comes in the form of representative offices that are particularly focused on marketing. These offices are important in drawing investment into the country.