"Relationships are built on economic ties in Southeast Asia, more than anything else," Teneo's Bob Herrera-Lim said.

China is becoming less and less interested in other countries’ goods. Its imports are stagnant even as exports soar, a result of sluggish consumption and Beijing’s all-out push to beef up domestic industries.

Leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan expected to attend summit in Astana as Central Asian nations' cumulative trade with China reaches $94.8B - Anadolu Ajansı

The lucrative Asia Cup is set to be played in the United Arab Emirates with officials remaining hopeful a cancellation can be avoided amid India and Pakistan tension.

Their simulations mapped out possible routes Neanderthals could have followed to reach Asia, and suggest that by traveling during warmer periods and following river valleys, they could have traversed approximately 2,

Whether Southeast Asia becomes a leading hub or a supporting node will depend on the decisions governments and enterprises make in the next two to three years.

Inflation is easing across Asia as lower food and fuel prices and stronger local currencies against the dollar push down costs. That’s giving the region’s central bank chiefs scope to support their trade-reliant economies as the risk of US tariffs and related uncertainty weigh on the outlook.

Asia stock markets were little changed on Monday, following Friday’s sharp sell-off on Wall Street amid escalating Middle East tensions and global economic concerns. Investors digested a batch of mixed Chinese economic data.