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
In Peninsular Malaysia, more than half of children (51.6 per cent) were found to have begun engaging with digital devices independently before the age of four, while 31.7 per cent started using digital devices such as smartphones or tablets before the age of two under adult supervision.
These findings were revealed in a 2021 study titled “The Ownership and Use of Digital Technology among Preschool Children Aged Five and Six”, conducted by Dr Rozita Wahab, a lecturer at the Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya.
The study also showed that 24.2 per cent of preschool children aged five and six own their own smartphone or tablet, meaning nearly one in four children has a personal digital device even at an early stage of development.
Dr Rozita noted that the findings indicate children are exposed to smartphones and tablets from a very young age, as early as eight months. On average, children begin using smartphones or tablets with adults at around 3 years and 4 months, and start using them independently at approximately 4.3 years (about 4 years and 4 months). The study further found that 74.1 per cent of preschool children use smartphones, while 39.1 per cent use tablets. Smartphones were also the most frequently used device on a daily basis, at 68.5 per cent, surpassing television usage at 47.5 per cent.
“This pattern reflects changes in family lifestyles and daily routines, with both parents and children being constantly busy and spending less time at home compared to the past. The trend has intensified since the Covid-19 pandemic, as digital device use became integral to home-based learning and entertainment due to movement restrictions,” she said.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
In 2025, Cambodia’s car market was composed of approximately 55 per cent new vehicles and 45 per cent used vehicles, according to Mr. Soeun Dara, Executive Director of the Cambodian Automotive Industry Federation (CAIF), on Friday.
Most imported vehicles were small and medium-sized family cars, including sedans, SUVs and MPVs, with imports rising sharply, Mr. Dara said in an interview with Fresh News. He added that one notable trend was the rapid increase in electric vehicle usage, which nearly doubled compared to 2024. Mr. Dara explained that the shift toward new vehicles was driven by rising incomes among individuals and companies, which has boosted demand for family cars and corporate transportation.
Meanwhile, the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia reported that from January to November 2025, the country spent US$971 million on importing passenger cars to meet domestic demand.
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