Editor's note: In this weekly feature China Daily gives voice to Asia and its people. The stories presented come mainly from the Asia News Network (ANN), of which China Daily is among its 20 leading titles.
An aerial view of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in the Philippines on Jan 19, 2025. ANTON L. DELGADO/AP
The war in Iran could accelerate Southeast Asia's plans to tap nuclear energy as it seeks to wean itself off its dependence on Middle Eastern oil and gas, experts told The Straits Times.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a major global shipping route responsible for 20 percent of the global oil trade — has exposed the region's heavy reliance on imported oil and gas, leaving it vulnerable to volatile fuel prices, economic disruption, and strain on energy systems.
It has underscored the need to diversify energy mixes, strengthening the case for nuclear energy to shore up energy security in the region, experts said.
