AJA Newsbites is a curated roundup of major news and developments from across Asia, brought to you by members of Asia Journalist Association (AJA)
Lee Sang-ki, THE AsiaN, Korea
Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital ranked first in South Korea’s 2025 Patient Experience Evaluation, scoring 96.55 points among 376 hospitals. It retained the top position for the second consecutive survey. Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Dankook University Hospital and Yeungnam University Hospital followed. Seoul National University Hospital, however, scored 85.96 and ranked 45th among 47 tertiary hospitals. Of the country’s so-called “Big Five” hospitals, only Asan Medical Center entered the top 10, placing fifth. Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital ranked 12th, Samsung Medical Center 21st and Severance Hospital 37th. The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service surveyed 130,306 adult patients discharged from general hospitals between August and December 2025. The results suggest that major hospitals, despite strong medical expertise and facilities, need to improve communication, emotional support and services experienced directly by patients.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
The United States will continue strengthening its close relations with Malaysia, including in the defence sector, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said this was among matters highlighted during a courtesy call by US Ambassador to Asean Kevin Kim in conjunction with the 37th International Military Law and Operations Conference (Milops) 2026 on August 3. “They said they will continue to give further attention to enhancing and strengthening the close relations between the two countries, including in the defence sector,” he said when met after the meeting, as reported by the New Straits Times. Khaled said the meeting only focused on strengthening existing ties and did not involve policy discussions.
He also received courtesy calls from Asean Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn and Singapore Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Joseph Leong. During his meeting with Kao, Khaled said they discussed challenges faced by Asean and efforts to strengthen the defence sector’s role in upholding Asean Centrality, peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
In his meeting with Leong, Khaled said Singapore had expressed its commitment to further strengthening cooperation with Malaysia. “The cooperation would not only involve bilateral relations but also encompass multilateral cooperation at the Asean level as well as through the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA),” he said.
The 37th Milops Conference is being held in Kuala Lumpur from August 3 to 6, bringing together government officials and military representatives from more than 30 countries to discuss regional security challenges and enhance cooperation in military law and operations.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia has received a $250 million concessional loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the Resilience Intervention Program to Stabilize the Economy (RISE). The program falls under the ADB’s Countercyclical Support Facility (CSF) framework to support the Royal Government’s Comprehensive Intervention Program to Respond to Multi-Crisis Situations.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Phnom Penh on July 31, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Dr Aun Pornmoniroth said the RISE Program focuses on three key outcomes: mitigating the temporary impact of oil price volatility on the economy; providing targeted financial assistance and support to agricultural activities for vulnerable households; and accelerating the green transition to strengthen resilience and responsiveness to future energy crises.
Cambodia is the first ADB member country to receive support under the RISE Program, which was approved by the ADB Board of Directors on July 30 and signed on July 31.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
South Korea’s Chief Trade Negotiator Yeo Han-gu paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Cabinet Division of the Secretariat in Dhaka on the afternoon of August 3. Yeo briefed the Prime Minister on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) being negotiated between Bangladesh and South Korea. He said that once the agreement takes effect, bilateral trade and economic cooperation will further expand and South Korean investment in Bangladesh will increase significantly. Yeo said many Korean companies are already doing business successfully in Bangladesh and many more are interested in investing in the future.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called on South Korean companies to invest in toys, electronics, telecommunications, automobiles, semiconductors and shipbuilding in Bangladesh. He said the Bangladesh government will take necessary measures if Korean companies invest in the shipbuilding industry. The Prime Minister also invited the South Korean President to visit Bangladesh.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
Federal Minister for Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain has stated that there is a proposal to increase wheat prices, but the federal government has yet to make a decision.
Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Food Security and Research, Hussain said that if wheat prices are raised, farmers will cultivate more. However, the rate cannot be set at 5,500 rupees per maund. Hussain said raids were conducted in the provinces over the wheat shortage, but no wheat could be found. He added that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved the import of wheat. He noted that when the federation imports wheat, the provinces take it but do not pay. Provinces will therefore be allowed to import wheat on their own, with imported wheat costing 4,300 rupees per maund. Hussain added that if small farmers transition towards corporate farming, they will be provided with free fertilizer and machinery.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
In January–July 2026, the Turkmenistan state concern Turkmennebit exceeded its oil production plan by achieving 108.7% and fulfilled the natural and associated gas production plan by 108.1%. This was reported by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Guvanch Agadjanov, who presented the results of oil and gas production and supply route expansion to global markets at a government meeting.
The plan for oil processing at the concern’s factories was completed at 105.5%. Production plans for gasoline (121.6%), diesel fuel (113.5%), polypropylene (100.2%), lubricants (103%), and liquefied gas (122.6%) were all exceeded.
The President of Turkmenistan instructed the Vice Premier to continue increasing natural gas and oil production and expanding production capacities. Turkmenistan ranks fourth in the world for natural gas reserves.
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