Southeast Asian foreign ministers gathered Sunday for their first meeting this year under the regional bloc's new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar’s drawn-out civil war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers hold a closed-doors retreat in Malaysia on Sunday, as the country hosts its first meeting as chair of the regional bloc ASEAN amid an intensifying civil war in Myanmar and confrontations in the South China Sea.

Southeast Asian nations told Myanmar's military government on Sunday its plan to hold an election amid an escalating civil war should not be its priority, urging the junta to start dialogue and end hostilities immediately.

At the meeting, the bloc discussed transnational crimes including online scam syndicates, and called for closer cooperation with China to combat the issue, according to media reports. The theme of this year's meeting was "Secure,

Southeast Asian foreign ministers convene in Malaysia to address pressing regional issues including Myanmar's civil unrest and tensions in the South China Sea. As ASEAN chair, Malaysia pushes for progress amid skepticism about resolving conflicts swiftly.

The regional bloc ASEAN and China should make headway on a protracted code of conduct for the South China Sea by tackling thorny "milestone issues", including its scope and if it can be legally binding,

News of the joint crime-fighting effort comes after top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi urges Asean countries to crack down on cross-border fraud.

The National Unity Government needs a proactive strategy for gaining recognition from the region’s two superpowers.

The possibility of escalating violence underscores the precarious nature of the joint venture security project, necessitating careful evaluation of its long-term consequences.

Over 360 media workers were behind bars in the final month of 2024, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported on Thursday, highlighting China and Israel as jailing the highest number. In its annual census the New York-based organization counted 361 people as

China has worked with authorities in Myanmar to crack down on scam centers in northern Shan state, near the Chinese border. In 2023, as ethnic rebel groups gained ground against Myanmar’s ruling ...

Chinese authorities have said they had cracked down on criminal syndicates in joint operations with neighboring countries that led to thousands of people being returned to China, but those campaigns did not include arrests of ring leaders in Myanmar.