The Latest Breaking News from Asia

At Asia security forum, Chinese defence chief says Beijing seeks dialogue with US and warns against NATO-like alliances.

Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu told Asia's top security summit on Sunday that conflict with the United States would be an "unbearable disaster" but that his country sought dialogue over confrontation.

Top officials from Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Britain said on Saturday that their 52-year-old Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) pact helped keep things in balance amid regional tensions.

The Shangri-La Dialogue attracts military officers, diplomats, arms makers and security analysts from around the globe.

Trafficking of synthetic drugs in East and Southeast Asia is surging, with new smuggling routes for methamphetamine emerging and ketamine production expanding, the United Nations said on Friday.

China has refused to let its defense minister meet formally with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. However, the two defense chiefs did briefly exchange words and shook hands before Friday's dinner.

Heatwave continues in southern and eastern Asia as temperatures exceed 40C in vast swathes of region

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday called for greater engagement between the United States and China, saying a breakdown in dialogue between the superpowers could have devastating consequences for the world.

As the United States and China vie to establish new partnerships and expand influence with Asia-Pacific nations, the top defense officials from both nations are preparing to try to win support this weekend from their regional counterparts, diplomats and leaders at a security forum in Singapore

The United Nations anti-drug agency is warning that the huge trade in illegal drugs such as methamphetamine from Southeast Asia's ‘Golden Triangle’ shows no signs of slowing down

May 26-June 1, 2023