October 8: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed Myanmar’s military-backed president, Min Aung Hlaing, at Perdana Putra in Putrajaya on Thursday morning for talks centred on sending Myanmar nationals home from Malaysia, while critics said the visit helps legitimise the general who led the 2021 coup. China has rejected an EU request to curb hybrid car exports, South Korea has unveiled a 1 quadrillion won green plan, a tanker was hit off northern Qatar, and six Indian banks raised loan rates a day after the Reserve Bank’s hike. Here is what matters in Asia this morning.
Key highlights
- Malaysia–Myanmar: A private meeting and a delegation meeting followed the welcome ceremony at about 9 am, Malay Mail and Bernama reported. No agreement had been announced at the time of writing.
- China–EU: Beijing refused voluntary limits on hybrid exports, the FT reported; Brussels is preparing a time-limited import cap, according to Bloomberg. Full story.
- South Korea: The K-GX strategy targets 100 GW of renewables by 2030. Full story.
- Gulf: A tanker was hit by projectiles 51 nautical miles north of Qatar with casualties reported. Full story.
- India: PNB, Bank of Baroda, Indian Bank, Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and Tamilnad Mercantile Bank raised repo-linked lending rates by 0.25%. Full story in Hindi.
- US–Taiwan: A judge ordered Wanying Zhang, accused of spying on President Lai Ching-te’s son for China, held until trial. Full story.
Southeast Asia
Anwar and Min Aung Hlaing meet in Putrajaya
Min Aung Hlaing inspected a guard of honour before signing the guest book and holding a private meeting with Anwar, followed by talks between ministers and officials of both countries, Malay Mail reported. Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Johari Abdul Ghani attended, according to Bernama. The leaders were expected to discuss returning Myanmar nationals who are in Malaysia illegally on a “voluntary, dignified and safe basis”, Malay Mail said. Malaysia’s foreign ministry said the visit followed the decision at the 48th ASEAN Summit in May to pursue “constructive and principled engagement” and that “Myanmar remains an integral part of ASEAN”, Bernama reported.
Critics have been blunt. Elaine Pearson, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said inviting Min Aung Hlaing to coordinate returns “is an invitation for further abuse”, and former Malaysian lawmaker Charles Santiago wrote “RIP Asean”, Malaysiakini reported. Anwar told parliament on Tuesday that about 10,000 people have been sent back to Myanmar since January, Al Jazeera reported. Our report on the arrival: Min Aung Hlaing arrives in Malaysia.
| Figure | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Myanmar nationals sent back from Malaysia since January | About 10,000 | Anwar in parliament, via Al Jazeera |
| Returned by sea the week before the visit | Nearly 1,500 | Al Jazeera, AP |
| Myanmar nationals in Malaysian immigration detention, end of August | 11,804 | Home Ministry, via AP |
| UNHCR-registered refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia | About 215,600, including about 126,000 Rohingya | AP |
| Malaysia trip’s place among his visits to ASEAN members | Fifth, after Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia | AP |
Elsewhere in Southeast Asia
- Laos: The National Assembly elected Saleumxay Kommasith, the standing deputy prime minister, as prime minister on Monday, October 5. His predecessor, Sonexay Siphandone, became President of the National Assembly, replacing Xaysomphone Phomvihane, who died in August, the Vientiane Times reported via The Star.
- Thailand: The Royal Irrigation Department opened the spillway of the Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam by 25 cm on October 6 as storage reached 96% of capacity, ahead of rain forecast for October 10 to 14, The Nation reported, according to Bernama’s regional round-up. The government also plans to introduce a 450-baht tourism tax in the first quarter of next year, expected to raise 8 billion baht a year, the Bangkok Post reported via Bernama.
- Indonesia: An explosion of unknown cause at a shophouse complex in Surabaya, East Java, injured five people on Tuesday morning and damaged at least 20 nearby buildings, ANTARA reported via Bernama.
- Vietnam: Rice exports in the first nine months of the year totalled 6.4 million tonnes worth $3.11 billion, down 6.1% in volume and 10.9% in value, according to Bernama’s round-up of Vietnamese media.
East Asia
- China and the EU: EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is due in Beijing this week for talks with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, after the FT reported that China rejected voluntary curbs on hybrid exports. EU imports of Chinese hybrids rose from about 3,800 in October 2024 to about 50,000 in July 2026, according to FT figures cited by CnEVPost. Read more.
- South Korea’s green plan: The K-GX strategy puts about 1 quadrillion won into renewables, electric vehicles and cleaner industry by 2035. The Korea Times and Korea JoongAng Daily describe the funding differently; our story shows both. Read more.
- South Korea and Egypt: President Lee Jae Myung hosts Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Seoul on Thursday for a summit, the signing of agreements and memorandums of understanding, and a joint press announcement, SBS reported. It is el-Sisi’s first visit to South Korea since 2016.
- China’s markets: Mainland Chinese markets reopen on Thursday after the week-long holiday, Newsquawk reported.
South Asia
- India: Six banks raised their repo-linked lending rates by 0.25% after the RBI took the repo rate to 5.50%. By our calculation, the EMI on a 20-year loan of ₹30 lakh rises by about ₹470 a month if the rate moves from 8.10% to 8.35%. Read more in Hindi.
- Qatari gas for South Asia: QatarEnergy has extended force majeure on LNG deliveries to Asia and Europe through the end of November; buyers in Bangladesh, Pakistan and at least one in India were notified, OilPrice.com reported.
West Asia
- Tanker hit off Qatar: UKMTO reported casualties after a tanker was struck about 94 km north of Madinat ash Shamal on Wednesday, a day after 11 Indian sailors were injured on the On Peace off Oman. Iran said it had agreed Hormuz route coordinates with Oman. Read more.
Asia and the world
- US and Taiwan: Magistrate Judge Steve Kim ordered Wanying Zhang held until trial after prosecutors said she was a flight risk. She is charged with acting as an unregistered agent of China and has not been indicted. Read more.
Asia at a glance
| Country | What happened | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia, Myanmar | Anwar hosts Min Aung Hlaing in Putrajaya | About 10,000 Myanmar nationals sent back since January; rights groups object |
| China | Rejects EU call to curb hybrid exports | An EU import cap would hit a fast-growing export channel |
| South Korea | K-GX green plan; summit with Egypt | About 1 quadrillion won to 2035 for renewables, EVs and cleaner industry; new deals with Egypt |
| Qatar | Tanker hit; LNG force majeure to end-November | Asian gas buyers keep waiting; risk spreads inside the Gulf |
| India | Six banks raise loan rates | EMIs rise for repo-linked borrowers |
| Laos | New prime minister, Saleumxay Kommasith | Leadership change at the top of the government |
| Thailand | Dam at 96% ahead of October 10–14 rain | Flood risk after weeks of heavy rain |
What to watch today
- Any agreement or joint statement from the Anwar–Min Aung Hlaing talks.
- The Šefčovič–Wang talks in Beijing.
- Agreements signed at the South Korea–Egypt summit in Seoul.
- The Nobel Prize in Literature, due from Stockholm on Thursday at 1 pm local time (4:30 pm IST).
- Whether more Indian banks, including SBI, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, change their loan rates.
- Rain in Thailand from October 10, and the IMF–World Bank annual meetings from October 12.
Sources
- Malay Mail: Anwar welcomes Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing at Perdana Putra
- Bernama, via Media Selangor: Anwar meets Myanmar president as repatriation talks take centre stage
- Malaysiakini: Condemnation to red carpet: Anwar’s Myanmar turn draws fire
- Al Jazeera: Malaysia’s Anwar to host Myanmar leader as repatriations near 10,000
- Associated Press, via WSLS: Myanmar military leader arrives in Malaysia as repatriations draw criticism
- The Star (Vientiane Times/ANN): Sonexay Siphandone elected President of Lao National Assembly, Saleumxay Kommasith made Prime Minister
- Bernama: Top news headlines in Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, October 7
- Bernama: Top news headlines in Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, October 6
- SBS News: President Lee to hold summit with Egyptian president on state visit
- Newsquawk: Chinese markets reopen from the week-long holiday
- OilPrice.com: QatarEnergy Secures $3 Billion Loan From Chinese Banks as LNG Exports Stall
- OilPrice.com, via PressBee: Qatar extends LNG force majeure as Hormuz crisis drags on
The International Desk covers world and Asian affairs, diplomacy and conflict, with a focus on what they mean for India. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
