Asup news 2018

Here are some of the top news stories from 2018 related to the Asia-Pacific region:

Politics and Governance

  1. Malaysia's 14th General Election: The election saw a change in government, with the Pakatan Harapan coalition led by Mahathir Mohamad defeating the Barisan Nasional coalition led by Najib Razak.
  2. Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte: The President of the Philippines continued to face criticism for his war on drugs, which has resulted in thousands of deaths.
  3. Thailand's Military Junta: The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) continued to hold power, with a general election held in March 2019 to transfer power to a civilian government.

Economy and Trade

  1. US-China Trade War: The trade war between the United States and China escalated, with both countries imposing tariffs on each other's goods.
  2. ASEAN Economic Integration: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continued to work towards economic integration, with the signing of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework.
  3. Japan's Economy: Japan's economy experienced a period of slow growth, with the country's GDP growth rate slowing to 0.6% in the third quarter of 2018.

Security and Conflict

  1. North Korea's Nuclear Program: North Korea continued to develop its nuclear program, with the country conducting several missile tests throughout the year.
  2. South China Sea Disputes: Tensions remained high in the South China Sea, with the United States and other countries criticizing China's territorial claims.
  3. Indonesia's Papua Conflict: The conflict in Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province, continued, with reports of human rights abuses and violence.

Natural Disasters and Climate Change

  1. Indonesia's Lombok Earthquake: A powerful earthquake struck Lombok, Indonesia, killing over 500 people and displacing thousands.
  2. Philippines' Typhoon Mangkhut: Typhoon Mangkhut made landfall in the Philippines, killing over 100 people and causing widespread damage.
  3. Climate Change: The Asia-Pacific region continued to experience the impacts of climate change, with rising sea levels, more frequent natural disasters, and increased risk of water scarcity.

Other News

  1. Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew: The former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, passed away in March 2018, marking the end of an era for the country.
  2. Hong Kong's Extradition Bill: The Hong Kong government's proposal to introduce an extradition bill sparked widespread protests and concerns about the erosion of the city's autonomy.
  3. India's General Election: The Indian general election was held in April-May 2019, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Narendra Modi winning a second term in office.

These are just a few of the many news stories that took place in the Asia-Pacific region in 2018.