CNA Correspondent

Where can you find possibly the emptiest airport in the world? Look no further than Sri Lanka. The US$113 million airport project was backed by China as part of its massive BRI investments in the country. But was the money more debt trap than development opportunity? Chandni Vatvani sits down with Teresa Tang in this episode of the CNA correspondent podcast.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Ten years since it was first launched at a university in Kazakstan, projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative have affected lives and livelihoods across Central Asia. CNA’s Lim Yun Suk tells Steve Lai how Beijing is reinventing the Silk Road for the 21st century with an ambitious agenda.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sat down with CNA’s correspondents Melissa Goh and Afifah Ariffin for an interview in Singapore. Steve Lai gets a peek into all the behind-the-scenes action and what’s next for Mr Anwar’s future and that of his country.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On 7 September Hong Kong smashed a 140-year-old record when torrential rains drenched the city. At its height, 158mm fell in just one hour. As the clean-up happens, new problems have surfaced, that of illegal structures and slope safety. CNA’s Hong Kong correspondent Deborah Wong talks to Teresa Tang in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fukushima will long be linked with the wrecked nuclear facility that bears the prefecture’s name. Treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is now being pumped into the Pacific Ocean and will continue to flow for decades to come. CNA’s Michiyo Ishida tells Teresa Tang what she saw when she visited for a media tour.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people don’t know much about the tiny nations of the Pacific except tourists who are drawn to their stunning beauty. But they are strategically critical for China, the US and its allies. CNA’s Jeremy Koh speaks to Teresa Tang about his travels there and whether this tug-of-war is noticeable on the ground. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three months after Thais voted in a general election, they finally have their next leader – though it’s not the person many had expected. Sretta Thavisin is a political novice who faces the task of uniting a fractured public. CNA's May Wong and Saksith Saiyasombut sit down with Teresa Tang to talk about what it was like on the ground as the dramatic developments unfolded. See omnystudio.com/listen...

Billed as a referendum on Anwar Ibrahim's leadership and his Unity Government, the results of the recent elections in six states exposed an exodus of Malay voters to the opposition Perikatan Nasional coalition. CNA's Melissa Goh and Afifah Ariffin talk to Steve Lai about where it’s going wrong for the prime minister and where he goes from here.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

43,000 Scouts from 158 countries arrived in South Korea expecting 12 days of learning, fellowship and fun. What they didn’t bargain for were inadequate facilities, an unbearable heatwave and an approaching typhoon that forced an evacuation. CNA’s Lim Yun Suk talks to Steve Lai about how things went south.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six states in Malaysia go to the polls on Aug 12 with 245 state assembly seats up for grabs. CNA correspondents Melissa Goh and Afifah Ariffin preview the upcoming elections and the issues voters are grappling with which will put the unity government to the test.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fear and a lack of faith in the justice system often prevent many sexual harassment victims from coming forward. But a Netflix series in Taiwan is changing that. Taiwan correspondent Victoria Jen tells host Teresa Tang what’s behind the island’s #MeToo movement.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been six months since China dropped its zero-COVID policy and reopened its borders. But recovery has been uneven on the mainland and for its major markets. CNA’s Low Minmin, Deborah Wong and Tung Ngo talk about economic hopes despite the lag with Teresa Tang in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utter the name "Marcos" in the Philippines and the words dictator and corruption used to come to mind. But now, under the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the legacy of his father is being rewritten. Host Teresa Tang speaks to Buena Bernal on the one-year anniversary of the re-emergence of this political dynasty, and how Filipinos feel about what the president has accomplished so far.   See omny...

It’s an industry that can generate billions of dollars in a single month. Nuptials are big-business in India as couples pull out all the stops to host lavish, show-stopping celebrations. But where is this money coming from? Teresa Tang speaks to CNA’s Neha Poonia and Ishan Garg. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore hosted the 20th edition of the Shangri-La Dialogue in early June. All eyes were on China and the US but the two didn’t meet – formally, that is. CNA’s Jeremy Koh speaks to Steve Lai on what happened behind the public conference and the broader security challenges the world faces.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military coup on 1 February 2021. CNA’s Leong Wai Kit tells Steve Lai of the resilience of its people and the challenges facing ASEAN and the international community to find a solution.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A record voter turnout in Thailand’s 2023 election saw the rise of the Move Forward party and a clear decline of former general Prayut Chan-o-cha. Steve Lai speaks to Saksith Saiyasombut on the state of play now and whether the charismatic Pita Limjaroenrat can forge a strong coalition and win enough support from rival MPs or the appointed senators to form a government. See omnystudio.com/listener...

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emerges from the first Unity Government Convention in a confident mood ahead of upcoming state elections. Afifah Ariffin speaks to Steve Lai about the uneasy alliances within his government and an opposition that says it has plans to topple him.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taiwan’s tree poachers (known as ‘mountain rats’) are on the run as police and forest rangers use technology, community engagement and good old-fashioned legwork to stop the lucrative illegal trade of its centuries-old cypress trees. Victoria Jen tells Steve Lai about her arduous trek into the island’s virgin forests to uncover the story.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha looks to fend off challengers, including Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, as she aims to stake her claim. Correspondent Saksith Saiyasombut speaks to Steve Lai ahead of Thailand’s general election on 14 May.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What could have been a preview to the world’s football superstars of tomorrow turned into a missed opportunity for Indonesia to shine. CNA correspondent Saifulbahri Ismail talks to Steve Lai about how domestic politics sullied the beautiful game, with FIFA removing Indonesia as the tournament’s host.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of people embracing solo bliss is on the rise in Japan and Korea. These one-person households are changing society in critical ways and businesses are cashing in. Teresa Tang speaks to CNA's Michiyo Ishida and Lim Yun Suk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than one million people are affected by an unprecedented drought in Jeolla, South Korea. Is climate change to blame? What is being done to deal with the shortage?  We speak to CNA correspondent Lim Yun Suk.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's Xi Jinping met Russia's Vladimir Putin armed with a 12-point peace plan as the war in Ukraine grinds on. Does this visit signal China's growing ambitions on the global stage? Steve Lai speaks with CNA’s Beijing and Shanghai correspondents Olivia Siong and Low Minmin to find out.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, CNA sent correspondent Jeremy Koh to get a firsthand look at life in a conflict zone. He sits down with Teresa Tang to share the challenges and fears he and his team faced while reporting in Kyiv and Lviv.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.