Asia Specific

Myanmar’s military-backed government is seeking legitimacy from its neighbours, more than five years after troops overthrew a democratically-elected government and triggered a bloody civil war.

So does this mean the imprisoned former leader and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi will be released?

Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing pulled off a huge diplomatic victory with a red carpet welcome from influential neighbour Tha...

If you’ve ever booked a flight across Asia for less than US$100, you might have asked the question many travellers are now wondering: was that a temporary golden age, or can cheap travel make a comeback?

Asia used to be the home of ultra-cheap flights, but many travellers say those days are fading fast. Rising fuel prices, aircraft shortages and heavy post-pandemic debt are putting pressure on budget airlines across the region...

In a highly unusual move, the US has stepped in to back Japan's currency, the yen. Donald Trump calls it a "signal of friendship" but what is Washington hoping to achieve? And what does the move reveal about Japan's economy, after years of deflation and ultra-low interest rates? In this special bonus episode, Asia Specific podcast host Mariko Oi joins as guest of the BBC Business Daily podcast hosts Rahul Tandon and Will Bain to as...

A record 12.7 million university students in China are about to enter the workforce, putting an already strained job market under unprecedented pressure.

China’s youth unemployment rate has been relatively high, hovering around 15%, but the growing challenge of AI has some analysts forecasting a youth jobless spike.

Artificial intelligence is starting to replace an entire layer of entry-level positions that have traditionally b...

The worldwide counterfeit and pirated goods industry is estimated to be worth almost half-a-trillion US dollars, and Vietnam is one of the most significant players in the illicit trade. But now the country’s government is seeking to change that. In May 2026, Vietnam was named by the US government as one of the worst offenders for Intellectual Property right violations. Combined with fresh threats of renewed tariffs from...

China is famous for making products the world wants to buy, but inside the country, consumers are spending far less than the government would like.

A property slump, high youth unemployment and weak confidence have left many households choosing to save instead of spend, making it harder for China to shift its economy away from relying on exports.

The Chinese government has introduced a range of measures to encourage spending, from co...

For the first time in 20 years, a major global survey conducted between February and May of 2026 has found that more countries favour China over the US. The Pew Research Center, a non-partisan, US-based think tank, found that China’s global image is eclipsing that of the US, with 25 out of 36 countries surveyed preferring China over the US – a reversal from previous years.

The shift comes as President Donald Trump's fore...

Humanoid robots are suddenly everywhere - dancing, boxing, running marathons and even attempting surgery. China is leading the charge, producing the vast majority of the world's humanoid robots.

But beyond the viral videos, are these machines actually useful?

Why has China emerged as the global leader in robot manufacturing? How is AI transforming what robots can do? And can countries like the US, Japan, and Germany keep pace?

In thi...

Multiple families in Singapore are facing an unimaginable possibility that the children they legally adopted from Indonesia may have been victims of an alleged baby trafficking network.

A major trial is underway in Indonesia involving 19 defendants accused of buying babies, forging documents, and arranging adoptions of the children, including at least 12 babies who were brought to Singapore. The defendants deny the allegations.

The c...

On July 2, separatist rebels released a video saying that they had shot dead a US pilot and set his plane on fire in Indonesia's far eastern Papua region.

The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) said they killed 29-year-old Nicholas F Gosselin after he landed in the Highland Papua province, and claimed that the pilot had been transporting Indonesian troops into the region.

Indonesia’s military rejects those claims, ...

The Japanese imperial family is running out of members — with only 16 royals remaining, questions are growing about the future of the world's oldest hereditary monarchy. So what is the Japanese government's plan to safeguard the imperial line, and why is it proving so controversial? Japan is facing a royal succession dilemma. With a shrinking imperial family, fewer members are available to carry out official duties, while the...

The murder of a 17-year-old girl in the coastal city of Pattaya, allegedly by a 45-year-old Australian man has sparked a discussion about whether legalising sex work in Thailand could make it safer.

Tunchanok Donhomla’s body was found stuffed in a suitcase in late June near a railway track. The man accused of killing her, Simon Peter Carman, has been charged with murder and abducting a minor for indecent purposes, along with ...

If you’re on TikTok, Instagram or Facebook, chances are you’ve come across microdramas: 30 to 90-second videos with over-the-top and emotional plots. Every episode ends on a cliffhanger. It’s easy to get addicted.

Microdramas first started in China around 2018, and in 2024 the microdrama industry surpassed China’s film box office for the first time.

The success of this multibillion dollar model has since sprea...

This year Youtuber Logan Paul sold the world’s rarest Pokemon card for a record-breaking 16 million USD.

He isn’t the only one selling Pokemon cards for huge sums.

Cards from the 30-year-old Japanese game and animation franchise have become one of the most sought-after items for collectors, with both fans new and old getting in on the action.

What drives this market, and are these traders real Pokemon fans or profit-seekin...

North Korea and Russia are about to open their first road bridge connection, deepening a partnership that has rapidly expanded since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The growing relationship is helping fuel one of the most surprising stories in Asia today: North Korea's economy appears to be performing far better than many expected.

New housing projects are transforming Pyongyang, consumer activity has picked up and Russia has emerged ...

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says she wants a vote on amending Japan's constitution, reviving a debate that could reshape the country's Self-Defence Forces, its alliance with the US, and relations across Asia.

Japan's post-war constitution has remained unchanged since it came into force in 1947. Its famous 'Article 9' renounces war and appears to prohibit the country from maintaining armed forces.

Yet Japan today has one o...

Australia's government is winding back tax incentives for property investors in a bid to make housing more affordable - but will it work?

From Sydney to Seoul, Bangkok to Beijing, housing affordability has become one of the biggest economic and political issues facing young people across Asia Pacific.

In many major cities, home prices have risen far faster than incomes, leaving many first-time buyers feeling locked out of the mark...

A slight uptick in South Korea’s notoriously low fertility rate in the last two years has begged the question - are government policies to encourage dating, marriage and babies working?

It’s a question governments across Asia are asking, a region where fertility rates are at very low levels, particularly in Japan, China, Taiwan and Singapore.

Governments across the region have been rolling out initiatives to encourage da...