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Infrastructure Watch

ASEAN 2026-2031: Accelerated Regional Integration and New Pattern of Industrial Upgrading

ASEAN is accelerating market integration and industrial upgrading. The upgrade of ATIGA, the DEFA agreement, and energy cooperation plans are injecting new momentum into the regional economy. This article analyzes investment trends and opportunities for the next five years from the perspective of regional synergy.

Sarah Lim3 min read
Regional Outlook

Eliminate Scam Centers: The Key to Cambodia's Investment Confidence in the Eyes of Trump's Ambassador Nominee

Christopher Anderson, the candidate for U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia nominated by Trump, pointed out that eliminating scam centers is key to restoring investor confidence. This article analyzes the far-reaching impact of the scam industry on Cambodia's investment environment, regional image, and capital flows from an ASEAN regional perspective.

Somsak Phumin3 min read
ASEAN Briefing

Cambodia explores new path for manufacturing upgrade: how industry-led skills training cooperation reshapes ASEAN human capital landscape

SCAN Industrial Services and Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor have launched an industry-led skills training cooperation, directly linking vocational training with manufacturing employment. This initiative not only concerns Cambodia’s own industrial upgrading but also reflects the human capital competition in the ASEAN region against the backdrop of manufacturing relocation.

Sarah Lim4 min read
Regional Outlook

Cambodia's economic slowdown: How government stimulus and tourism recovery determine short-term prospects and regional role

According to an MSC report, Cambodia's 2026 GDP growth forecast has been downgraded to 2.5%, with government stimulus and tourism recovery becoming key to avoiding the slowest growth in nearly two decades. This article analyzes the roots of Cambodia's economic slowdown, the impact of tourism on regional connectivity, and the potential long-term industrial transformation driven by policy stimulus from the ASEAN regional perspective.

Budi Santoso4 min read
Infrastructure Watch

Vietnam Mobilizes Financial Resources to Accelerate Energy Infrastructure Transformation: Regional Implications for ASEAN Energy Security and Green Finance

Vietnam plans to mobilize approximately $134.7 billion for power projects from 2021 to 2030, and drive the development of smart grids and renewable energy through diversified financing such as credit and green bonds. This move not only concerns its own energy security but also provides an important reference for ASEAN's regional energy transition, green financial cooperation, and industrial chain restructuring.

Budi Santoso5 min read
Manufacturing Hub

Vietnam's economic rise: ASEAN supply chain restructuring and the challenge of the middle-income trap

Vietnam's economy is leading ASEAN with an 8% growth rate, but to leap from a manufacturing and assembly base to a middle-income country, it still needs to address structural issues such as investment efficiency, human capital, and deepening the local value chain. This article analyzes Vietnam's transformation path from the ASEAN regional perspective and its impact on the division of regional industrial chains.

Budi Santoso5 min read
Infrastructure Watch

Northern Vietnam's industrial belt welcomes carbon management platform: an ASEAN model for green supply chain transformation

Korean carbon management company Glassdome has partnered with Vietnam's KBC and HOUSELINK to provide a carbon management platform for industrial parks in northern Vietnam, helping companies address global carbon regulations such as CBAM. This collaboration highlights the critical role of ASEAN manufacturing in the green transformation of supply chains, as well as the trend toward standardization of regional carbon management.

Sarah Lim4 min read
Manufacturing Hub

Vietnam will still be the growth engine of ASEAN, but the real test lies in "what comes after high growth"

The World Bank has raised its medium-term growth forecast for Vietnam, highlighting its central role in ASEAN manufacturing relocation, supply chain restructuring, and foreign capital inflows; however, external shocks, shortcomings in domestic enterprises, and the capacity to implement reforms are determining whether this round of growth can be translated into more solid regional competitiveness.

Sarah Lim9 min read