In this episode of Southeast Asia Radio, produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Gregory B. Poling and Elina Noor discuss Greg’s section of the recent CSIS compendium, “Navigating Disruption: Ally and Partner Responses to U.S. Foreign Policy.” The podcast also covers the latest from Southeast Asia, from protests to contaminated shrimp.

In an article for East Asia Forum, Shiro Armstrong discusses Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs and ASEAN’s response, where the latter avoided retaliation, which would worsen economic consequences, and instead communicated a coordinated, non-retaliatory response to the tariffs.

In an article for WIRED, Matt Burgess writes about the Universe Browser, which promises to be the “fastest browser” and can avoid privacy leaks. However, research shows hidden elements of this browser include features similar to malware, with links to Chinese online gambling websites and Southeast Asia’s sprawling, multibillion-dollar cybercrime ecosystem.

In an article for BusinessMirror, Troi Santos highlights Noel Pangilinan, an educator, journalist, and member of the Fil-Am Press Club of New York, who recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his long service to education, journalism, and the promotion of Filipino heritage in the United States.

Haakon Huynh (Columbia University) is seeking collaborators for ongoing research on artificial intelligence (AI) governance in Southeast Asia. His recent working paper, “Digital Sovereignty or Dependency? The Political Economy of AI Infrastructure in Vietnam,” examines how Vietnam governs AI infrastructure amid growing foreign investment from firms like NVIDIA.

Haakon welcomes contact from scholars, practitioners, and students interested in AI policy, digital infrastructure, or the political economy of technology in the region.

In this paper published by NYSEAN Partner ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Angel Hsu and Silvia Landa discuss how the US government has withdrawn both domestically and globally from climate and clean energy engagement. This withdrawal has been marked by a dismantling of foreign development assistance, proposed rollbacks of the Inflation Reduction Act, and aggressive tariffs. They assert that these policy shifts undermine the possibility of bilateral clean energy and climate collaboration with Southeast Asian nations.

Senator Loren Legarda, a four-term senator and passionate environmentalist, has spent much of her years in the Senate authoring landmark laws for environmental protection. Speaking on how bold governance can unlock the Philippines’ vast potential for building a sustainable future, she touches on her role in enacting conservation measures in the country. She also elaborates on upcoming measures to safeguard the country’s oceans and coastal livelihoods, protect biodiversity, and facilitate compliance markets in the 20th Congress.

In this episode of Southeast Asia Radio, produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Gregory B. Poling and Elina Noor are joined by Ken Mathis Lohatepanont to discuss the latest updates from Thailand, including the new Bhumjaithai-led government, the fate of the Shinawatras, and the snap elections scheduled in early 2026.

In an article for the Torino World Affairs Institute’s Indo-Pacific Outlooks, Pongphisoot Paul Busbarat and Thanawit Wangpuchakane argue that the EU can play an indispensable role in reinforcing the agency of Indo-Pacific secondary powers, such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, and ASEAN.  Through a series of cooperative, inclusive, multilateral frameworks, the EU can help maintain the liberal order, stabilizing the region at a time of a growing leadership vacuum in the Indo-Pacific.

In an article for East Asia Forum, Gerhard Hoffstaedter discusses China's rising influence over area studies, particularly in Southeast Asia. What was once an area dominated by Western scholars has shifted, in light of funding cuts and shifting government priorities by the US, UK, EU, and Australia. The shift towards Chinese advancements in this area constitutes a fundamental rebalancing of global knowledge production with profound geopolitical implications.

In an article by East Asia Forum, Mari Pangestu and Julia Tijaja discuss the need for ASEAN to strengthen regional resilience in light of geopolitical tensions and the negative effects of US tariffs on the region's economy. By deepening regional integration, fully implementing RCEP, coordinating and addressing reforms and priorities, ASEAN may turn these issues into an opportunity for growth and leadership.