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
President Lee Jae-myung will pay a four-day state visit to China from January 4 to 7 next year, marking the first state visit by a South Korean president since 2017, when former President Moon Jae-in was in office. The presidential office announced on December 30 that the visit is being made at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
President Lee will stay in Beijing from January 4 to 6 for a summit meeting with President Xi, along with official events, including a state banquet. He will then travel to Shanghai from January 6 to 7, where he plans to visit historic sites such as the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.
This will be the second summit between the two leaders, following their first meeting in November on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Gyeongju. The presidential office said the visit is intended to reinforce the restoration of the Korea–China strategic partnership and to advance practical cooperation in areas such as supply chains, investment, the digital economy, the environment, and transnational crime.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also ASEAN’s Chair for 2025, said ASEAN leaders will closely monitor developments in Myanmar, including the political process, after a pro-military party claimed a large lead in an election run by the junta.
“Any assessment will proceed in a sequenced manner, guided by the need to reduce violence, avoid actions that could deepen divisions or confer premature legitimacy, and preserve the possibility of an inclusive and credible pathway forward,” he said, as quoted by Bernama.
Anwar made the remarks after Myanmar’s dominant pro-military party claimed an overwhelming victory in the first phase of the junta-run election, amid warnings from democracy watchdogs that the polls would entrench military rule.
The armed forces seized power in a 2021 coup, but on Dec. 28 opened voting in a phased, month-long election that they say will return power to the people, AFP reported on Monday. Myanmar began its three-phase general elections on Sunday.
The military-led government, headed by State Security and Peace Commission Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, is holding the multiparty general elections nearly five years after the country last went to the polls. The first phase was held on Dec. 28 in 102 townships, followed by Phase 2 on Jan. 11, 2026, in 100 townships. Phase 3 of the election will take place on Jan. 25, 2026, in 63 townships across various regions and states. The final results are expected to be announced after all voting phases are completed. Myanmar’s last general election was held in November 2020.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
The Cambodian Ministry of National Defense has issued strict instructions prohibiting the unauthorized use of all types of drones nationwide, particularly in seven provinces—Koh Kong, Pursat, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, and Pailin—that border Thailand.
The instructions, issued on Monday, stated that anyone who violates the directive will be punished in accordance with the law and urged the military, national police, and local authorities to enhance monitoring and enforcement to ensure security, safety, and public order. In cases of necessity, military units are authorized to respond, including through the use of the 1S (Anti-Drone System).
The Ministry also denied allegations made by the Thai military on Monday that more than 250 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were detected flying from Cambodia into Thai airspace, thereby violating Thai sovereignty.
The Ministry reaffirmed that the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Cambodian Armed Forces remain firmly, sincerely, and lawfully committed to fully and consistently respecting and implementing the Joint Declaration of the 3rd Special Meeting of the Cambodia–Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) on December 27, as well as the Joint Declaration on the Peace Agreement between Cambodia and Thailand signed on October 26, 2025, along with other related agreements.
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